What to do when you're feeling lost or stuck in your design career
A practical guide to get yourself out of the rut
👋 Hey, Miranda here! Hope you’re ready to survive another week.
Today, I want to share an unfortunate challenge from one of our fellow designers that I think some of you might be able to relate to:
“A few years after graduation I started my own freelance business just to create my own opportunities. It was good until the calls stopped coming in and working alone, running my own business isn't what I want to be doing. I've been using that work but, it feels limited. Graphic design and websites aren't exactly what I want to do, it's just what I was getting work in. I feel kinda lost, as in I don't know what I would be a good fit for and I think I've been getting in my own way as doubt sets in.”
I could summarise this as “I know what I don’t want but I also don’t know what I want or how to get it”. Here is my practical advice on how to get yourself out of the rut.
I think all designers, to a certain degree, go through their careers finding out what aspects they like and don’t like. They slowly navigate their way through different roles until they end up somewhere they enjoy. But many end up hitting a wall for one reason or another, and it’s really hard to get unstuck.
Let's talk about a few tactics that might help you find the light.
Set your preferences
It’s easy enough to find the circumstances that you don’t like and avoid those but you also need to intentionally reflect on what aspects you actually enjoy.
For example:
Solo vs. Team Collaboration: Do you thrive in independent work or prefer the dynamic of a collaborative team environment?
Fast-Paced vs. Steady Workload: Do you enjoy the adrenaline of tight deadlines or prefer a more consistent and predictable workload?
Guidance vs. Autonomy: Do you prefer clear direction and mentorship or thrive with maximum creative freedom and independent decision-making?
Research vs. Execution: Do you enjoy the investigative phase of design, gathering insights and conducting research, or do you prefer diving directly into the creative execution?
Start-up Culture vs. Established Company: Do you prefer the fast-paced, dynamic environment of a start-up or the stability and resources of an established company?
Here’s a guide with 25 “this or that” questions that will help you narrow down exactly what you enjoy in a position
Targeted Job Search: Identifying Ideal Positions
Time to find positions that align with your newly defined preferences
Find a minimum of 3 different roles in companies that meet your priority preferences
Break down the job requirements (I prefer a spreadsheet) and take note of what required skills overlap between them
Facing the Truth: An Honest Look at Your Skillset
Time to be honest with yourself and do a skill gap assessment to see how well you meet the requirements of these roles.
This is the part where you take the skill summary you’ve collected and evaluate your current proficiency against them with what evidence you currently have to support it.
Be honest. Self-evaluations are not useful if you’re not honest about where you stand. It might be a good idea to consult with your mentor or manager on where they feel you stand with each.
For any skills that you’ve marked needing improvement, you can create a plan for what actions you want to take to grow these skills.
👉 If you feel there are significant skills gaps I suggest trying to grab a freelance project or even a fake brief project that allows you to exercise the skills needed.
I’ve created a structured guide to help you format your ideal role requirements and do your skillset evaluation over in Notion. Easy peasy.
Deconstructing Success
Yeah, more research…. it’ll be worth it
Find 3 designers who are already in similar positions to what you want and dissect their portfolios
🤔 How do they position themselves and what they specialize in?
🤔 How do they highlight the skills they used in each project?
🤔 How do they tell the story of their projects?
🤔 What parts of their process do they put emphasis on?
Tailoring Your Portfolio for Success
Take a deep breath, the research is finally over 😮💨
Now it’s time to take everything you’ve learned and curate your portfolio and resume to show off this side of your skillset.
✅ Your first impression tells recruiters and hiring managers exactly the type of designer you are and what you specialize in
✅ It’s easy for hiring managers to see what skills you used in each case study without having to go into it
✅ The first case study you show is the one that best aligns with the job requirements you identified in your ideal positions
✅ Each of your case studies should emphasis the specific skills and experience that a hiring manager from your ideal position will be looking for
If you get to this point, take a very well-deserved break & moment to celebrate 🎉 🥂
I challenge you this week
This all might sound like a lot when you first read it but I challenge you to take 3 small steps this week if you are ready for a real change
Step 1: Fill out the full this or that guide
Step 2: Find 1 job description that reflects the preferences you’ve defined
Step 3: Find 1 portfolio from someone who is already in a similar position to the one you found
p.s. don’t stop there… keep going ❤️ you got this.
Final thought
If you’re seriously ready to break out of the rut, these steps will help you do just that.
It’s not something that will happen overnight. Take it in strides.
🕒 Preferences change especially as you find roles & situations you don’t like so keep these guides accessible and refresh them when you’re feeling stagnant or looking to switch positions.
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P.S. A few more ways I can help you
I’ve created quite a few resources for UXers, take a look.
Bring your burning product & UX design questions over to one of my regular Live AMAs and get my professional advice on the spot.
Follow me on Tiktok or Instagram for critiques, advice, & how-to's focused on helping you grow in your career and land a job in this difficult market.
Join me over on LinkedIn for personal experience stories and targeted tips for experienced designers