Laura Lampe

As I refine my hiring process I have question. What would you guys prefer? 1) In person/remote 30min white board session 2) Challenging design assignment done over a week 3) Mock podcast recording where we have a conversation about design.

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28 Comments

Let's be honest. The UX job market is a mess right now. It seems every posting gets hundreds of applications immediately. Getting an invitation to a first interview is almost impossible. Hearing "I'm sorry, we're moving forward with another candidate" is downright depressing. You'll need the right tactics to get that next job. You'll need to take advantage of the network you've built. You'll need to get the attention of the hiring manager. Plus, you'll need your ability to do the job to catch that manager's attention. That's why our video series, the Essentials of Finding Your Next UX Job, is for people actively seeking their next UX job. It explores how the job market has changed in the last few years and the new tactics you'll need to land that ideal opportunity. Uncover how you'll… … Get on the radar of hiring managers who have positions you could be highly qualified for, prioritizing your consideration above other applicants. … Prepare your portfolio to tell the story of your comparable experience, even when starting your UX career. … Build up your networking practice to get promising interviews without applying to hundreds of positions. https://lnkd.in/e4Abvssu

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Let's be honest. The UX job market is a mess right now. It seems every posting gets hundreds of applications immediately. Getting an invitation to a first interview is almost impossible. Hearing "I'm sorry, we're moving forward with another candidate" is downright depressing. You'll need the right tactics to get that next job. You'll need to take advantage of the network you've built. You'll need to get the attention of the hiring manager. Plus, you'll need your ability to do the job to catch that manager's attention. That's why our video series, the Essentials of Finding Your Next UX Job, is for people actively seeking their next UX job. It explores how the job market has changed in the last few years and the new tactics you'll need to land that ideal opportunity. Uncover how you'll… … Get on the radar of hiring managers who have positions you could be highly qualified for, prioritizing your consideration above other applicants. … Prepare your portfolio to tell the story of your comparable experience, even when starting your UX career. … Build up your networking practice to get promising interviews without applying to hundreds of positions. https://cstu.io/87a304

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Worth revisiting this article on the importance of Labels in Forms, from an accessibility perspective and overall product experience. https://lnkd.in/eSyAwf48 #design #designthinking #designbuild #designstrategy #product #producctdesign #productmanagement #productstrategy #designprinciples #innovation #designers #digitaltransformation #ux #uxdesign #uiux #uidesign #designinnovation #application #software #softwaredesign #usability #userresearch #research #usercentereddesign #productleadership #uxwriting #designsystems #empathy #interfacedesign #usabilitytesting #userexperience #productdesign #accessibility #ui

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I hear a lot from content designers/UX writers about what it's like to work with product/UX designers, often in the form of pet peeves and things we wish were different. Let's turn the tables a bit. Designers, what is it really like to work with writers? What do you wish we understood about your role and process? How can we work better with you? Be honest! No holds barred.

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Check out this insightful piece by Kate Lawton about the importance of collaboration between Product orgs and writers: https://lnkd.in/gXVjXxc9 Note: All opinions are my own and don't necessarily reflect those of my employer. #UXwriting #contentdesign #contentstrategy

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I'll expect more from you if you tell me you want to make something accessible and §508 conformant. The 508 digital accessibility standards are mirroring WCAG 2.0 AA. That version of WCAG came out in December 2008. In other words, that standard is 16 years old... So I'm going to push for you to, at a minimum, adhere to the latest version of WCAG. That is, WCAG 2.2. By doing that, you'll still conform to §508, but you'll also make things more accessible for your end users. Also, remember, accessibility standards are the starting line, not the target.

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UX is slow. I've heard this at some point at every place I've worked. Usually when UX is stretched too thin. In times of mass layoffs and leaner teams being asked to do more with less, how do you adapt? I'm working on some thoughts around adjusting the UX process to accommodate different production levels – from scrappy to robust. I'd love to hear more about how other UXers have adjusted their own processes to be more agile.

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In UX writing, showcasing our impact is key! Understanding how to demonstrate the tangible outcomes of your work validates your role and empowers your team to appreciate and advocate for your work. Check out these simple tips and keep them in mind as you work. It won't be long before you have a solid case for the undeniable difference you make in the user experience of your product. ThoughtCourtesy - uxwritinghub #UXWriting #UserExperience #UXTips #ProductSuccess #UX #ContentDesign #Microcopy #WordsMatter #charlesgrandjohn

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Happy Thursday LinkedIn! Do you have 5mins to take a quick survey about your general interests + your thoughts around data sharing and AI? A friend of mine has started her own company and is trying to gather some quick insights that would help her understand their potential users. Your feedback is incredibly valuable, so thank you for helping out!

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🚨 UPDATE ON UX WRITER POSTING 🚨 I've been overwhelmed with all the responses to the latest UX Writing job I posted last week! A little overwhelmed by the sheer volume of messages, but mostly overwhelmed and impressed by the talent I'm seeing and the stories people are generously sharing. I'm still working through messages, and I'm sorry if I haven't gotten to yours yet, and it looks like we'll be sorting through candidates for a bit, too. But as someone who's hiring, I hope to reinforce what I've seen so many other hiring managers and talent leaders communicate on LI to candidates: There are so many reasons and moments that go into why one candidate is selected over another — and so many times, it has nothing to do with what you bring to the table. The last role I hired for, we ended up going with an internal candidate who wasn't available until we were close to the final interview for external candidates. Other recent roles I've placed had to do with timing (could you start tomorrow, or conversely, could you wait a couple weeks while we onboard a new client?), pay negotiations (always get paid what you're worth!), and sometimes it's a toss up between a few equally stellar candidates. I say all this to assure candidates that how you move through a hiring process and if you get a role is often not a reflection of your talents, abilities, and likeability. You're great and bring so much to the table. With these things, it's more often about time and place. And I have to believe there's a time and place for everyone to shine and get the role they're looking for. Happy Tuesday to this bold and brilliant LI community!

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Craft is work done with intuitive expertise - learned deeply by conscious practice through mentorship. Craft is expensive. The mimicry and pattern replication of AI will upend digital craft much like the Industrial Revolution did for physical craftspeople (only faster). It will likely be CFOs who crush craft like origami as they optimize balance sheets. If you love your craft, find a complex niche whose business model is based on value creation not eyeball acquisition. Government especially needs you.

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I've received countless terrible cold outreach messages from aspiring designers. I hope this is helpful for anyone who reads it: * Apply for the job before reaching out, then mention the role. * Ask a specific question your curious about instead of requesting time to "pick your brain" or "learn more about the team"—these are too vague. * Be concise, you get 2-4 sentences before you're tuned out. * Don't sound like a bot. Avoid formal language; write naturally and sincerely. * Provide value before you ask for it. Send a reference or idea that may be relevant to our product/brand. Keep it simple; i.e. don't go nuts re-designing our website, no one wants you to do free work. Brevity is a sign of intelligence, if you put in the work to edit your message down to the essentials, I'll put in the work to read it.

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If I’d nodded my head one more time in agreement with these ladies, it would’ve rolled right off. In this episode, they ponder the classic question, “What’s in a name?” Or rather, a title? My content colleagues, consider this your therapy for the week. It’ll give you fresh feels for a familiar debate. ;) Whether you call yourself a content designer, content strategist, UX writer or something else, your title carries weight. It will impact your job searches, income, internal opportunities, roles in decision-making, influence, collaboration and cooperation. Your title may be part of your core identity, or for those like me, a stepping stone for personal growth that matters less than matching it to the work that fulfills you. I subscribe to the idea that we get to decide how to represent our skills, not the organizations we work for. Make sure your title is serving you in the situation that you find yourself. We’re masters of words, make your words work for you. My favorite quote from this episode sums it right up: “If you’re going to be effective in content, you cannot wait and ask permission or to feel invited.” Here are a few more of the best moments: “We want to defend and advocate for the understanding and knowledge that writing is designing, that writing involves research, stakeholder wrangling and product management … [But] the challenge with tacking on writer to any job description is that everybody can write. That is really where we run into a wall over and over again.” “Nobody should be just jumping in to write the words that go in the interface without any kind of context or participation in the design process way upstream. Period.” “Content designer implies and communicates that [we are] part of the design team, and the stewards of the words, meaning, nuance, context and personalization.” “The title of content strategist isn't doing them or the organization any favors. "If nothing else, the content person is a cross-functional connector, right?” “I see content strategists as almost the ultimate goal. As you progress in your career, the bounds between the different disciplines start to blur. Combining all those skills and product management makes you a content leader and then some.” “After doing this kind of work or adjacent work for long enough, you’re more likely to not give a shit about your job title and start caring more about the actual work that you are doing. Is it fulfilling you? Is it using the skills you want to grow in? Is it working with the kind of people you want to work with? Is it working at companies that do the kind of things that get you excited? And you may care less about that job title and more about the way in that it grows you as a person.” Shoutout to Kristina Halvorson, Rosie, Camila, Laura C., Laura L. and Susanna, for reminding us we’re the sane ones in this mad, mad world of content. https://lnkd.in/g36b3Ja2

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I've got to say it. Just because the UX and Design industry is in a horrible spot, doesn’t give you the right to be...unhuman. You are creating a relationship. Be human. Be better. Treat people with respect. I’ve heard so many horror stories lately from friends and in communities about the state of the UX and design industry job market. I know this firsthand as I faced these challenges last year including:  • Hiring managers not showing up to scheduled interviews.  • ...or taking calls from cars. Taking a design review while boarding a plane with their family. • Accepting a job offer after four months only to have the job rescinded - by a health company touting the importance of mental health. And now this (via r/UXDesign): https://lnkd.in/gdHJyupu To paraphrase “Redesign our app and then MAYBE we’ll throw you a few hours of freelance.” Is it human to have someone do free work just because you had "700 applications?" Can we find a way back to being more human? I don’t know what the solution is. I understand the duress that HR teams are under with staff cuts. I get it. Maybe it starts with each person saying “If I asked this from a stranger, could a mutual friendship possibly form from it?” This is our superpower ...and no supercomputer or AI will ever fully achieve. Meanwhile, reach out to me if you’re looking for support. I can offer networking, support and insights. I can be human. I can try to be better with support. I can treat others with respect.

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Great reminder on looking out for more valuable folks when it comes to UX. There are so many great UX folks that are not just talking but also walking the walk and created more meaningful methods and frameworks. Which UX pros are you following or get inspiration from? https://lnkd.in/ggwcSgrJ

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The same holds true for these UX thought leaders with their conference presentations and books on how to 'conduct proper research' and 'run a successful project or develop a killer feature from start to finish'. Most of them haven't spent a single minute in a real corporate environment in decades, not to mention attending any stakeholder meetings. There are few things more harmful to young designers than listening to them and taking what they hear for granted. Often, their first thought after hearing these presentations—which usually are success stories about how they perfectly completed a project—is, 'Well, the problem might be with me. I work in a corporate environment, and this looks nothing like what's happening within my company whenever I try to conduct perfect research or manage a project.' None of these people discuss the trade-offs and tough decisions, the balancing acts that pave the road to a successful outcome.

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I will never cease to be amazed at today's trends in UX leadership hiring practices. Far too often, I'm seeing people with 3-8 years of actual IC experience (at the most) being thrust into leadership roles they don't qualify for. When someone who's truly qualified applies, far too often we are told that they "decided to go with someone else who aligns better with the position." Eventually, you find out it's one of the aforementioned types of folks (again) OR someone who was inadvertently hired previously into such a role. Someone might think this is sour grapes, but I don't do sour grapes. No time for that. This is just....plain....wrong and the results are the additional proof in the pudding. What are the results of the hiring misdirects? • Poor UX maturity levels (not being managed). • Mid- and entry-level UXers go OUTSIDE the organization to get mentoring. • No growth for team members. • No genuine cohesion with team members. • No proper team representation in the org. Again, not only is it wrong, but it's counterproductive.

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My bestie teammate Ben Crompton is running a FREE webinar: Accessibility for Designers & Marketing Professionals! 🌟 If you're free between 10 -11am AEST May the 9th, tune in to learn the essentials of building accessible communication and to brush up on your design skills. Register for the event through the Eventbrite link Accessibility for Designers & Marketing Professionals. #accessibility #a11y #freelearning

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