Get your portfolio ready

This might seem obvious, yet I always missed my deadline to finish my portfolio website.

Over the past 7 years I've worked on more than 30 projects, however, I only recently started documenting my work to showcase it.

PDF or website, make sure you have something prepared.

You will not be considered for a UX role without a portfolio. That is a fact. Even if you are a junior. People need to know how junior.

Prepare your resume

Ok, this is a mandatory artefact in your job search

As a UX designer, you must understand very clear, who is the user of this deliverable.

Make sure your resume has an easy to read structure, showcasing your previous work titles, companies you've worked for and your responsibilities.

The HR people of course, maybe designers, maybe management.

Decide what you want to work on

I've been a generalist freelance designer, working on marketing websites & branding projects.

Projects for which I pushed UX research into the overall price and timeline.

Clients don't usually know this term (UX), but rest assured they appreciate when things look and work flawlessly on their website.

Choosing what to work on next seems difficult since I have experience in marketing websites for small to medium businesses.

Pick a niche, an industry or a company

Here where it's becoming trickier

Here where it's becoming trickier.

Picking a dream company is very limiting, so the chance of getting rejected from a couple of dream companies is pretty high since the competition for dream companies is quite high. What do you do next in that case. Make sure to plan for that.

Picking a niche or an industry is less limiting, yet still tricky. You might not find enough open positions for the role you are trying to apply in your chosen niche or industry.

Keep track of your job applications

Make a list of companies you want to work for and add them to a list

Make a list of companies you've applied for and the date you applied. Set a reminder to follow up the recruiter if you get to talk to one.

Not every company is nice enough to give you an update if you have not been chosen for the position. Keep that in mind.