Breaking into UX Research: what can you do to land your first role?
Breaking into UX Research: what can you do to land your first role?
Some tips to help aspiring UX researchers
Two months ago I started mentoring at ADPList1, a global community of mentors and learners, where people can find, book and meet mentors around the world. The people I mentor are a mix of UX professionals needing advice on specific research methods and career progression, and people trying to get into UX research. The most common question I get from aspiring UXers is the following: “How do I break into UX research when there are almost no junior roles out there? Do you have any tips?”
I’m not going to sugar coat this, it’s not an easy time to break into UX. Lawton Pybus did a really helpful analysis of the user research job market on his cleverly named substack, The ¼" Hole, and found that available roles for UX researchers in general seem to have declined since February and on average, just 2.5% of all UX research roles were junior roles. Combining the limited availability of junior roles with the increasing numbers of people trying to get into UX means that competition for junior roles is fierce.
There are many ways to get into UX research; you can study human computer interaction (HCI) or transition from a different career (e.g., teacher, market researcher). The latest State of User Research Report by User Interviews found that the majority of people who do user research (55.7%) hold graduate degrees, suggesting that transitioning from academia is a common pathway to UX. Your background affects what you need to do to increase your chances to get into user research.
In case you’re wondering, here’s what my pathway to UX research looked like: I studied Psychology and fell in love with (academic) research, which led me to do a MSc in Cognitive Neuroscience and a PhD in (Cognitive) Psychology. Until I graduated from university, I had never heard of UX research! I discovered it by accident when I landed my first role as a researcher outside academia in a newly formed start-up. While I was there I was responsible for all research, including user research (even though I had no idea that I was doing that at the time!), and collaborating with the Design team. I then went back to academia as a lecturer but changed my focus to cyberpsychology and HCI, and started doing user research projects (e.g., usability testing of an animal-like robot). During the pandemic, I started feeling that academia was no longer for me and got lucky; an old colleague’s/friend’s company was looking for mid UX researchers! I interviewed for the role and got the job!
Some tips to help you
The first step is understanding what skills you have/need for a career in UX research. You can start by making a list of the skills you see in UXR job descriptions and see what skills you already have and what areas you need to develop. Skills you might already hacould be “soft skills” (e.g, collaboration, communication) or transferrable skills (e.g., project management, data analysis). Once you identify gaps in your knowledge, there’s no need to spend money or attend a bootcamp (unless you can afford it). There are many free courses and books that can help you get started.
If you already have a career in a different field, use it as a strength. Think of ways your previous/current experience can help you in a UX research role. For example, teaching experience might indicate that you have good communication skills.
Network, network, network. Start by attending events about UX and start talking to people. Find a mentor, ask about their journey, and get feedback on your CV or case study. Show them why you'd make a good researcher. I can’t stress this enough. Many people find a new role through networks not by applying for one.
Do some UX projects on the side. You can start at your current job. Volunteer and see if there are any opportunities! This can help you practice and have some case studies to present. You need to be proactive and get in touch with organisations and people. For example, volunteer to do usability tests to improve the website of your local cafe or a local charity!
Apply for roles similar to UX research. Most roles with a research or product component can help with this. For example, if you’re transitioning from academia and have no applied research experience, you can increase your chance of landing a UX researcher role just by gaining some industry experience. Even if you don’t do user research, you’ll get a chance to learn the lingo, get used to the faster pace, learn Agile, meet UX professionals, etc.
If you already had a career in a different field and you feel that you have skills related to user research, apply for mid roles as well as junior ones. You don’t need to have all the skills listed on the job advert. Bigger companies sometimes hire people with graduate degrees in mid or senior roles.
Any other tips for aspiring UX researchers? Share in the comments!
If you’re interested in UX designer roles, check out the third episode of our podcast, UX guide to the galaxy: Now is the time for Junior UX Designers!
Feel free to book a session with me on ADPList if you want to discuss about transitioning to UX research.