Preparing for placement – 1

I will be honest I AM STRESSED!

So I have to find placement and so the first thing I need to do is research and brainstorm. Here are some of my initial thoughts and ideas after hearing some of the tips Kyle had for us in class.

Things I should do to improve my chances

  • Side projects – Reference the logo design you did for the ice cream shop during the summer.
  • Check out the job opportunities in Slack, Handshake, LinkedIn, etc…
  • Check out communities like UX NI, ladies that UX as these can be great learning tools.
  • increase online presence – slack, LinkedIn, Instagram, etc…
  • Apply to the study abroad opportunities.
  • Apply to all placement opportunities, what will you loose? The worst they can say is no.
  • Take up side projects related to your interests in the field of design as these make for great learning opportunities. Also consider attending fayres.
  • Bigger organizations tend to offer placement opportunities first – eg Rapid7.
  • IBM look up – they have UX jobs.
  • Specify that you are looking for a year long placement/internship in your portfolio. Narrow it down. What can I do? Can I do it? How can they contact me? As a designer the portfolio is a must, it is way more important than a CV, it acts as a meet and greet. Show what you are really good at, what IXD activities you like to do? What makes you different from other designers?, On which projects did you bring the most values? What interesting stories can you tell about the work you did? Show that you can do the hard work that comes before the pretty pictures – SHOW YOUR WORKING, think Math GCSE.
  • Case studies will get you a job.

 Interview questions

  • What do you find interesting about the industry?
  • How do you keep up with such a fast paced industry – My answer: By being a curious octopus and a forever student.
  • What tools do you use on a daily basis?
  • What is your process when creating illustrations/websites/wireframes, etc… ?

Impressing employers

  • Preparedness – it will come across poorly if you attend an interview unprepared.
  • Identify the key skills being asked for that role and try to guide your cv towards presenting you as the ideal candidate.
  • Ask about timing – how long will you have to wait until you hear back from them?

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