r/uxcareerquestions

Just started. 9 months in at a well-ish known e-commerce company. I just want to quit. Its so different from when I was studying it at school. I have 3 years of contract work and school passion projects but the corporate workforce now is so different and not what I was expecting. AI this AI that. The politics. The power imbalances. The people pleasing. Its tiring.

Curious from veteran workers if I should ride this out or really start considering an adjacent or new career.

For some context, I'm currently in tech sales and have been seriously considering pivoting into UI/UX (product design).

Lately, though, I've been hearing that the industry has changed dramatically with the rise of AI. It seems like many companies are consolidating roles, expecting designers to take on more responsibilities, and the job market feels much tougher than it did a few years ago.

For those of you currently working in the field, would you still recommend making the switch today? Do you think the long-term outlook for UI/UX is still strong?

A few questions I'd love to hear your thoughts on:

- Has AI significantly changed your day-to-day work?

- Is knowing how to code becoming an expectation, or is it still optional?

- If someone were starting from scratch today, what skills would you focus on to stand out?

- If you could start over in 2026, would you still choose UI/UX?

I'd really appreciate any honest perspectives, both positive and negative. Thanks in advance!

hello everyone,

I was learning UX UI design did some freelancing of two long term project which I cancelled because of the lack of skills that needed more improvement,

I stopped learning and practicing UX UI design, and now when I got back to begin learning I found that AI can do so much work of what I was doing during freelancing,

Now I want to adapt my skills to the new situation, what you suggest to do, do I still need to practice on UI challenges , and read UX articles or there is a new method I am not aware of.

My question is:

Is learning UX UI design still the same?

by the way I am from Morocco,

thanks in advance

I just finished Google and Microsoft certificates on Coursera.

Can I start freelancing now, or is that still not enough?

What are the exact next steps I should focus on to become job-ready (portfolio, projects, skills, etc.)?

Looking for practical advice only, not theory.

Hi I am 31 years old guy having 8+ years experience in design and uiux field. The thing is I am underpaid. I am still earning only 46k INR/per month which is very less.

So requesting everyone whoever can help me to find me better job with atleast decent pay.

Note : I don't have degree.

Thank you.

Quick timeline: interned at a big tech company + a few startups, got a UX Design return offer for 2024… which then got rescinded. Decided to pivot into a Master’s in design to level up. Finished the program completely burned out, and I’ve now been job hunting for close to a year with zero offers. Currently surviving on a few contract gigs to stay afloat.

With the current tech landscape, I've been also questioning the value that UX designers / tech could bring... I've been getting more and more disappointed at how so many "successful" tech companies were grabbing user attention in unethical ways, mistreating user data, and adding AI fluff to everything. I entered the UX design / tech field because I enjoy creating and solving problems for people. But from my work experience, it's so hard to see such impact, and a lot of times we're just making variations of pages to maximize clicks for the businesses.

I've been thinking about doing a career change. Ideally, it is creative, has positive social impact & has decent pay. Would love to learn how people navigate through that!

Currently I am at a marketing agency where I focus on SEM, SEO & paid ads, I have been at this company for 2 years and have 1 year at a previous company as a Client Support Specialist dealing with onboarding and Jira tickets.

Along with this experience I have a 2 year community college degree in Marketing & Communications.

Part of me thinks I would enjoy doing something like UX design, but then I also feel like it is too late. I can't really go back to school and reading posts from other subreddits makes boot-camping and/or being self taught a fool's errand.

If anyone in either the digital marketing / UX & UI space has any advice for someone a little lost on where to go, it would be appreciated.

Hey. I’m a UX Designer with 3.5 years of experience. I’m currently torn between two options:

• 2 years master program in UMich (MSI - UX)
• 1 year master program in Imperial (Design with Behaviour Science). Not the typical UX program but I can graduate earlier to focus on my portfolio

Ultimately, I’m contemplating whether going in a two-year college education is worthwhile or if it might make me out-of-touch with the rapidly evolving UX landscape.

Should I take this Ul/design course in 2026? I'm not sure if this is what I should pursue or not. I want to learn skills that will help me get a job and have high value in the

future, whatever that might be (except coding stuffs)

Any senior's please guide me with market conditions and tell me please that how can I do it?

(Currently, I am 12th passout with PCM. But don't know

what to do)

Please reply, Much appreciated :)

I’ve just started looking for Senior/Staff Product Designer roles in Canada and US remote roles after recovering from burnout caused by a toxic job.

I have 7 years of experience in B2B SaaS, working on complex enterprise products. I'm currently rebuilding my portfolio and exploring AI tools.

I’m trying to get a feel for what’s actually working in today’s job market.

I mostly see Senior roles in Canada and more Staff roles in the US, so I'm curious how common Staff-level roles are here and whether anyone has landed a US remote role without relocating.

Are people getting past ATS filters, I just started to apply for roles (not spray and pray) and used GPT to match some of the keywords to my resume, but I'm not hearing back as quickly as I did in 2022.
Are others finding hiring are generally slower now?

What are your thoughts on cold outreach to recruiters or hiring managers?

I've tried to leverage my network, but it's not huge, so I've sent a few cold DMs. I imagine they receive hundreds of messages and can't reply to everyone.

Is anyone using Claude or other sites, outside LinkedIn or HiringCafe, to find opportunities or improve their portfolio?

I'd love to hear what's working for others in this market.

I've been searching a lot about how getting a job in UI/UX design would look like, ik it's rediculous to think one could completely ignore ai in UI/UX in today's world but after doing a tech related course I cannot afford to think about going into a totally different field that doesn't use ai, I need to know if there's still place for people in this field who won't have to use AI (at all cost preferrably) and their work would rely highly on their own brain, capabilities and problem solving. I really love creating UIs but since that's shifting way too much towards AI, I thought about getting into UX research instead sinse it seems for human focused.

1. I would like know about the current condition of UX designer/researchers and what all kind of work do they do on day-to-day basis.

2. How to get into UX design, entry level?

3. If ai being integrated into UX research/designer s work as well, and if yes then is it avoidable?

4. Can UX research be fitting for someone who is highly artistic and creative but not too logical? Also what kind of mindset should one have to become a UX researcher?

https://unique-feature-541945.framer.app/

I got accepted into this program with a full scholarship but now I am reconsidering is it a good fit for UX Designer?

Spent a week handwriting ~2,000 lines of Godot code for this instead of sending another PDF. You walk down a dark road, car breaks down, find a house — everything inside is my actual portfolio. Read enough of it and something starts chasing you.

Browser playable, no download.

Curious how far people actually get The Interview

Hi everyone,
I'm currently working as a UX/UI Designer with about 1 year of professional experience, and I'm looking for a mentor who can help me grow in the right direction.
While I've learned a lot on the job, I feel like I've reached a point where I need guidance from someone more experienced. I want to improve not just my design skills but also understand what the industry expects from designers today.
Here are a few areas where I'm looking for guidance:
Building stronger UX thinking and problem-solving skills.

Improving my visual and graphic design skills.

Understanding current market standards and hiring expectations.

Learning industry best practices, workflows, and tools.

Reviewing and upgrading my portfolio to make it more competitive.

Identifying skill gaps and creating a roadmap for continuous growth.

I'm eager to learn, open to constructive feedback, and willing to put in the effort. Even if you can't mentor me long-term, I'd really appreciate portfolio reviews, career advice, or recommendations for communities, resources, or people I should follow.
If you're interested in mentoring or have any advice, please comment below or send me a DM.
Thank you so much!

About me: I'm comfortable with UX/UI design fundamentals, Figma, and have experience working on real-world projects. I'm now looking to level up my skills and build a portfolio that meets current industry standards.

Hello, I have just completed an MSc clinical psychology and have a BSc in psychology. I have mainly worked in mental health with some limited research experience. Naturally, data analysis and some level of coding was part of both my BSc and MSc, but I am currently looking at courses and boot camps to get started on learning properly.

I have always had an interest in data analysis but also thought I was too stupid, but after completing my MSc and not feeling inspired by any of the career paths available, I thought now is the time to try.

So I am looking for advice from people who have made that switch, either from psychology or other humanities. I am aware that the job market is mental atm, but even if it takes a few years I think I’ll be much happier switching careers now rather than later.

Also very interested in recommendations on courses, bootcamps and certs. I am currently doing the free modules on codeacademy, but have heard different things about the paid content, so I want to make sure I don’t waste too much money on unnecessary material.

Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I’m currently feeling a bit lost career-wise and I’m looking into changing careers. UI/UX design caught my attention, but I want to hear from people who actually do it.

What does your day-to-day look like? How much of the job is designing vs meetings, talking to people, presenting ideas, etc.?

I’m asking because I’m not someone who enjoys lots of meetings or constant social interaction, so I’m wondering if UI/UX can be a good fit for someone who prefers more focused independent work.

Do you enjoy the career? What are the biggest pros and cons that people don’t usually know about?

Any honest advice would really help. Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I’m currently planning out my higher education path and trying to be as practical and employable as possible. I don't have a deep tech background yet, but I want to build a skillset that stands out globally.
My current plan is to get a Bachelor's degree in UX Design and then head to the UK to do one of their 1-year "Conversion" Master’s programs in Computer Science / Cloud Engineering (which accept students from non-computing undergrad backgrounds).

**My reasoning:**
I’ve seen a lot of people online mention that UX designers frequently have to collaborate deeply with engineers, look over code, or understand how the technical backend constraints affect design. I figured having a formal background in Cloud/Software Engineering alongside UX would make me highly competitive, flexible, and uniquely qualified for roles like Product Designer, UX Engineer, or technical product roles.

**My questions for the community:**

1. **Does this combination actually make me stand out?** Or are they two completely different career tracks that will just confuse recruiters?

2. **What is the reality of the global job market for this?** If I study in the UK, I know I'd have access to the Graduate Route visa (which gives 18 months to work post-grad starting in 2027). Is the tech/UX job market in the UK or internationally receptive to junior "hybrid" designers right now? 

3. **Am I misunderstanding the technical expectations of a UX Designer?** Is a full Master's degree in engineering overkill just to be a "tech-adjacent" designer, or is it a genuine superpower?

Hey everyone, I'm looking for a little perspective on a UX career direction change. Currently, I'm a global product manager for a large consumer goods supplier (a market leader in our category). I have an industrial design background, with a master's in marketing (specializing in market intelligence and strategy). I also recently built and launched an online marketplace for musicians, handling strategy, design, coding/execution, marketing, content creation, and customer support entirely myself. It's been a fun passion project, but it's also made me realize how much I miss designing and being a real problem solver. I dont feel my current professional work as a PM is right for me (largely due to the company I work for, but it's also just the general trend of corporate PM life).

I've fallen in love with the UX side of trying to build out, improve, and grow this online platform. It's made me realize that I think I would prefer to do this professionally (and I understand, very well, what working in a large organization would be like and how different that would be compared to a passion project). I'm not sure if there's any hope for me to make a transition into UX, though, given that I'm 36, my background is rooted in PM work, my design work is not specifically digital-based, and I also have a company of my own with no UX credentials other than this platform.

I'm considering taking something like the NN/g cert program or the UX Institute diploma program, but they are costly (both in time and financially), and given market sentiment...I'm not sure that it will give me much of a better chance. Looking for any input, advice, or thoughts on this situation. Thank you!