If you are fresh to UX, nothing is more powerful than the “coffee chat”. Here is a strategic approach on how — and who — to ask for an informational interview, so you can move closer to your goals and make the most of everyone’s time.
While it seems straightforward, I had some folks ask me for help on this topic so I made a quick guide to quell logistical fears and squash false narratives that keep you from reaching out and making fruitful connections.
When I was looking for my first UX position, I set the goal of having one informational interview per week, which meant I made multiple LinkedIn asks per week to get one on the books each week.
I’ve asked for — and graciously received — dozens of hours of other people’s time and wisdom. In the spirit of reciprocity, I regularly give a bit of my time to other new designers and design bootcamp students.
Here is what I’ve learned to make your efforts more effective and more fun:
Focus on creating human connection.
Informational interviews are powerful. You can potentially:
- garner experiential wisdom from someone who’s been there, done that, bought the t-shirt. You can get amazing advice or interesting feedback that makes you think differently.
- learn new ways to think and talk about UX processes and roles. You can start to have a more nuanced understanding of what you are looking for in your UX job search.
- meet mentors, future bosses, clients, collaborators, or lifelong friends.
- create future possibilities or jobs through your extended network. People who know you are more likely to give you a chance.
The possibilities are exciting, but what you might receive should not be your end-goal.
Your end goal should be to forge a genuine connection with another human simply for the sake of it. Whatever comes with that is icing on the cake.
For a new UX designer, informational interviews can be a great way to build empathy and practice softer skills like active listening, building rapport, and learning to notice and follow when your curiosity is piqued.
Choose your interviewee strategically.
If you are in a UX bootcamp, you do not need to talk to the Senior Product Designer at Netflix. I’m not saying you shouldn’t ever try, but you are much more likely to get a response from someone who is just one or two steps ahead of you professionally.
Instead of going straight to the top, ask to meet with a designer who is in their first design role in your company of interest. Ask to meet with someone who has the position you want next. How did they get from point A to point B?
This person is more likely to offer you more useful and more specific information to where you are right now in your career search.
Before you ask, do your research.
In what roles and in what companies has the invitee worked? Which of their professional skills or transitions are interesting to you or similar to yours?
When you request to connect on LinkedIn, include a personalized note that states how you came across this person and why you would like to talk with them specifically. Make the note about them. By making your ask unique, you signal that you’ve done your research and you are respectful so the conversation will be worth their time.
#linkedin #ux-careers #ux-designer #networking #junior-ux-designer
