I was reviewing a designer’s portfolio recently and the work was really strong.The case studies were structured well. The visuals were polished. But something was off about how she described her role.She kept saying she “worked on the visuals.” So I asked a few questions: Who defined the UX direction on this project?She did. Who was the main point of contact with the client?She was. Who presented the work to executives and incorporated their feedback into the design decisions?Also her.She was...
2 days ago • 2 min read
Good to be back!I took four weeks away from this newsletter to recharge, and I came back with something I can’t stop thinking about.Over the past few months, I’ve worked with several designers who were counting themselves out of senior roles before they even applied.Their work was strong.Their experience was stronger than they realized.But they weren’t counting the right things. The graphic designer who didn't think her past counted One designer I worked with had spent several years as a...
10 days ago • 2 min read
Early in my career I assumed confidence was something you eventually earned.You showed up, worked hard and it would just happen.I even thought that once I became a senior designer, led larger projects, managed teams, and accumulated enough experience, the uncertainty would disappear.After 25 years in this industry designing, leading teams, hiring designers, and coaching hundreds of careers I can tell you with certainty: it never does. What arrived instead was a different set of questions As a...
about 1 month ago • 2 min read
I know LinkedIn gets a lot of criticism right now.Designers are frustrated with it. The algorithm feels unpredictable. The engagement can feel performative. I get it.But most hiring managers and recruiters are still using it every single day.When I work with designers on their job search, I usually point this out:Recruiters aren’t just browsing casually. They’re actively searching for designers daily. By title, by skill, by keyword.And hiring managers do something similar when they’re trying...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
Early in my career, I thought that when I presented my design work it meant explaining all my design decisions.I would walk those stakeholders through my design process, show the screens, discuss the research, and explain why I made certain choices.Over time, I started noticing something.Different audiences were asking different questions:• Executives wanted to know how the work would impact the business.• Marketing wanted to to know if it would increase signups, or conversions.• Sales wanted...
about 2 months ago • 2 min read
I was working with a designer recently on her portfolio homepage.Her intro read: "I'm a UX designer."That was it. Clean. Simple. And completely forgettable.Yes, she was a UX designer but her intro told a hiring manager almost nothing. It described a job title, not a person. It said what she was, not what she brought to the table.We rewrote it together using a simple framework. Four elements, two sentences.The difference was obvious. A hiring manager landing on her homepage could now answer...
2 months ago • 3 min read
I just wrapped up my UX Portfolio class at Pratt Institute.Twelve classes. Four weeks. Three sessions per week. Every student building a portfolio from scratch choosing a platform, writing a case study, shaping their story, and connecting it all to their resume and LinkedIn before the final presentation.It was one of the best semesters I’ve had. Not because it was easy. It wasn’t. Building a portfolio is hard work, and my students felt every bit of that. But they showed up. They did the...
2 months ago • 2 min read
I've been working with a senior designer who has over 15 years in the industry.Talented. Experienced. With an expansive body of work.When it came time to interview for his next role he couldn't figure out how to present any of it.Not because the work wasn't there.It was. Fifteen years of it.The problem was crafting the narrative.Every project felt important. Every skill felt relevant. Everything deserved to be included.And when everything is included, nothing tends to stands out. The first...
3 months ago • 1 min read
If you've been applying and not hearing back I just want to say:The market is hard right now. Positions are disappearing before they're filled. Every role has hundreds of applicants. Senior titles are being attached to mid-level budgets. Hiring freezes are very real.None of this is a reflection of your value.I want you to sit with that before we continue.The difficulty you're experiencing in this job market is not evidence that you aren't good enough. It is absolutely not. It's evidence that...
3 months ago • 2 min read