Should I even be in UX design any more?

August 22, 2024 10:49 AM

Getting a lot of signals that this isn't where I can survive any more and I don't know if it's me or the industry.

The obvious answer is to find a coach, but I am so severely burned out from both autism burnout and a layoff from a hostile work environment (and the job market) that I'm beginning to wonder what to do.

The challenge is that I'm 50 and have worked as a UX designer mostly in enterprise in an agency (never consumer) on some pretty dysfunctional projects - think short timelines, no research, and nobody caring about metrics. I've done a variety of BA and product work as well but my career has been in UX, which is the only thing I've ever wanted to do. My portfolio as a result is not great. I've done as much storytelling about problem/solution/results, but I know the backdrop of 50 equals out to pasture is the narrative I'm battling. I'd also love to find leadership roles but have not had luck. Also dealing with some health challenges because why the hell not.

I think what I'd love to find is someone who isn't a coach to help me 'improve my visual and AI skills', but a hiring manager (?) to help look at my resume, portfolio etc. and say 'you have a future in design' or 'you don't - too many younger/visual people there, let's find another field'. There are a lot of folks on ADP list, but honestly, I feel so inferior to all of them who worked in the cool jobs and moved up to leadership, or had a graphic design background and I'm largely self taught and have this abysmal set of horror show agencies.

I can't seem to figure out how to find the person to sit down and give me the red line treatment of 'here's what we can do to get you a job' rather than the coach's 'here's an exercise - tell me what you goals are' self reflective workbooks which are great - but I want a paycheck. I can't afford an ongoing commitment to $300/hr. I want someone over a few sessions to brainstorm with me what to do.

And I can't seem to find someone to do this with some empathy since I'm pretty broken these days - I have therapy and meds, but coming up a year after layoff has been brutal).

Is there someone out there who specializes with older, ideally neurodivergent minorities who 'gets' this post?

posted by anonymous to Work & Money (9 answers total)

If you're a woman, I can extend an invite to the excellent Women In Tech Slack.

We talk about many things there, including working in tech as a neurodivergent woman, and exiting tech gracefully without going totally broke in the process. The range of interests in the community is Metafilter-esque.

DM me if interested.
posted by rabia.elizabeth at 11:06 AM on August 22 [7 favorites]

46 and female in UXR, drop me a line if you'd like to chat for a bit. I do a lot of mentoring/coaching and teaching and would be happy to spend an hour or so talking about some manageable next steps.
posted by chesty_a_arthur at 11:14 AM on August 22

Professional UXer in big tech here, feel free to DM me your portfolio if you want feedback.
posted by TurnKey at 11:18 AM on August 22 [1 favorite]

Suggesting maybe looking into Never Search Alone which assigns folks to Job Search Councils of like minded professionals looking for a new job. Lots of additional info on that site.

My wife just landed a great job and says her Job Search Council was the greatest thing to have regular checkins with folks in mostly the same boat.

She ended up in a different job than she was “looking for” and she found the JSC process key to narrowing down what to do next and then how to go and get it.

Everyone on her JSC is now employed and they still do drinks virtually every Monday night.

Best of luck.
posted by whatevernot at 12:02 PM on August 22 [10 favorites]

Anon, I could have written this exact post. It is brutal out there, and I want you to know you’re not alone. My LinkedIn is filled with posts from laid off tech workers—many in UX—also struggling with burnout and job market conditions. I am personally going on 9 months of sending applications into the void, never to hear a peep again, despite having 15+ years of experience. I wish I had good advice here, but the only thing that has ever worked for me, and what I see confirmed on LinkedIn, is who you know in your network who can refer you. And you already know that. Feel free to DM if you want to run any ideas past someone in the same situation, or just need to bend an ear for a bit. In the meantime, hang in there, we’re gonna make it.
posted by 0xABADBABE at 1:31 PM on August 22 [1 favorite]

I have straight up resume advice which is:

- this is a big one - consider taking a certificate to round out your skills just to show recent skill acquisition (could be design focused) This is for networking as well, and maybe crucially, it can read well on hiring tools (both buzzword wise and dates wise.) In interviews it gives you something to talk about that shows you love learning and I suspect from my post-50 job hunt, moved me from someone’s “might be stuck in their ways” bucket to “someone into skills.” My UX certificate added a bit to my portfolio.

- drop early jobs and your graduation dates from your resume if you can (some systems won’t allow this)
posted by warriorqueen at 2:23 PM on August 22 [4 favorites]

I (female and neurodivergent) have a job coach (Latino male) and right now he’s not coaching me about my own business development / self-marketing skills, though he can do that. But he is coaching me on resume and skill fit which sounds relevant to you. He’s super accommodating to my very specific needs re: neurodivergence, recent brain injury, etc. he is very inclusive, works remotely and I like working with him. PM me if you want his deets.
posted by seemoorglass at 3:12 PM on August 22

have you considered pivoting to government work? in the USA (and likely in other countries) there's a movement to embrace contemporary design methods, as part of a modernization of govtech & improving civic services. the pay isn't as good as the private sector, but the work is more fulfilling.
posted by entropone at 3:36 PM on August 22 [4 favorites]

I have done agency work my entire life and UX is dead. No one wants to pay for anything right now that doesn’t have AI and/or cost cutting in the name. This is someone who argues against his own interests that UX shouldn’t be cut. The NSA or life coaching looks promising. I myself am having a hard time with looking at it from the perspective of why are we doing everything for the cheapest option possible when you hit your earnings? I would invest in what others have said. Be aware though the pace is slower.
posted by geoff. at 12:01 AM on August 23 [1 favorite]