Irene Ferraris’ Post

Trying to land a Product Design role? The tech industry is undergoing a significant transformation. Layoffs and the rise of AI have created uncertainty. If you’re aspiring to be a Product Designer, you might be wondering how to break into this competitive field. While I don’t have all the answers as I too am on this journey, I can share my learnings and experiences. 📒 Build a Compelling Portfolio: Your portfolio should showcase your thinking and problem-solving abilities. You want to constantly improve your written, visual and oral storytelling abilities but don't forget to demonstrate how you address business challenges, not just user needs. If real-world metrics are unavailable, use predictive metrics to illustrate your business acumen. 🤝 Network Strategically: Don't design in a silo, reach out to industry professionals. Treat networking as a two-way street. Build genuine connections and learn from their experiences. This will accelerate your learning and fill the holes in your knowledge gap. You don't need anything to be perfected. Share early and share often. Bonus if you talk to engineers too! 🖌 Get Creative and Gain Experience: The traditional path to becoming a Product Designer has become more challenging. If you can't afford to do a bootcamp then be proactive and seek out opportunities to gain real-world experience: 1️⃣ Build personal projects: Develop MVPs or side projects to showcase your skills. It goes a long way to get your app on the app store or a application on the web that people can use. No need to wait for employers to give you an opportunity. 2️⃣ Participate in hackathons: Gain valuable experience and network with other aspiring designers and engineers. 3️⃣ Start a freelance agency: Build your portfolio and gain clients. If you can't join them, become them (something like that ha!). 4️⃣ Leverage social media: Build an online presence to showcase your work and connect with the community you desire to be a part of. Final Thoughts: Breaking into Product Design requires dedication and perseverance. I’m still on this journey myself, learning and growing alongside you. Let me know if I missed anything or wrong! Let's grow together! 18 of 90 Day Challenge Complete #90DayChallenge #ProductDesign #CareerAdvice #BuildInPublic

Days 19 & 20 of 75 Hard Challenge Hey everyone! I know I haven’t posted updates in a couple of days because I’ve been incredibly busy. Let me share a little story about what’s been happening. The Unexpected Overload: A few days ago, I was hit with an unexpected whirlwind of opportunities. Out of nowhere, I received three potential offers at the same time. It was overwhelming. I didn’t know which direction to take, so I decided to pause everything else—going out, attending college, and even my usual routine. I needed to focus solely on my work and designs to make the best decision. The Interview: One of the opportunities required me to participate in an interview, but it wasn't your typical sit-down-and-answer-questions kind. This interview asked me to record my design process and teach some UI/UX concepts. I had to design a landing page from scratch, all within 45 minutes, and then edit the recording down to 26 minutes. It was challenging, but I managed to pull it off. This was my first experience doing something like this, and it was quite the learning curve. A Follow-Up from Across the Pond: As if that wasn’t enough, I got a follow-up on my application from a US-based agency. It was exciting to know they were interested, and I can't wait to share more updates about this opportunity soon. The One That Got Away: However, not all news was good. A company that had shown interest earlier needed an immediate designer. Despite our discussions, we didn’t match up with their requirements. They decided to move on, and so did I. It was a bit of a setback, but these things happen. A Pause on Backend Development: In the midst of all this chaos, I had to take a small break from learning backend development. I realized I needed to prioritize and manage my time better. That’s all for today! The past two days have been a rollercoaster, and I’m ready to tackle what comes next. See you tomorrow with more updates. #75HardChallenge #DesignJourney #InterviewExperience #Opportunities #UIUX #BackendDevelopment

I know the job search journey can be full of ups and downs, whether you’re actively looking for your next role or just curious about new opportunities. Sometimes it feels like you’re sending out endless applications, waiting for that perfect offer—or maybe you’re comfortable where you are but wonder if there’s something more exciting out there. 🌱 At Taflink Group, we understand how important it is to find a role that aligns with not just your skills, but your passion and purpose. Whether you're actively on the hunt or passively exploring your next move, we’re here to help make that connection. 🔑 Remember: The right opportunity is on its way! And it might be closer than you think. If you’re interested in new possibilities—let’s chat! I’d love to support you on your journey, whether you’re ready for a change or just starting to consider what’s next. Your future role could be just around the corner. 🌟 #JobSearch #NewOpportunities #CareerGrowth #Recruitment #GreenTechJobs #PassiveCandidates #ActiveCandidates #TaflinkGroup #YouGotThis

For the past two weeks, I've been processing what it means to be back in the job market. Along with 99 other talented colleagues, I was "impacted" by Eventbrite's latest round of layoffs. I truly loved working at Eventbrite. It was the first time in my 18 years of writing professionally where I boldly felt that my point of view, design critique, and opinions mattered...made a difference. I was loved and respected by my peers. I was told to continue speaking up because my ideas were novel, and considered parts of a customer's experience that others had neglected to think about. I was told that my stance on balancing work with my personal life was something to strive toward. I collaborated with a small and mighty team everyday, and we helped make Eventbrite millions of dollars. I made Eventbrite's Marketing Tools suite (fka Eventbrite Boost) a better and more successful product. I tore down the original (and to be honest, pretty bland) content and shifted the way we talked to customers to better speak to their business goals and the communities they were building. I taught our customers how to take advantage of their free trial and was with them to celebrate their first ticket sale and first email campaign launch in the form of banner messages and notifications. I stood up Eventbrite Ads from day one. I took Eventbrite's advertising platform from a PRD and test plan to a viable, profitable product. I adopted Eventbrite Ads when it was just a baby in Beta (read more here: https://lnkd.in/gbCrGjrV) and helped develop it to what it is today. I challenged myself everyday to deliver customer needs and wants in balance with our C-suite's financial desires with my work bestie Ozlenen Ozbicerler. And now that chapter is over. It wasn't just the 100 of us who were impacted by Eventbrite's decision to layoff 11% of its workforce. It's the whole company. (And in my mind's eye, it's the entire Eventbrite marketplace, too.) As I begin to rebuild my resume, case studies, writing samples, and portfolio, I cherish the kind words from my former coworkers about working with me. I created this Testimonials page on my portfolio to honor my time at Eventbrite and also remind myself that I'm a BADASS content designer. I'm kind, competent, empathetic, and always open to creating better solutions. https://lnkd.in/g5UtbR_r In the meantime, I'll be traveling the world. I'm off to India, Indonesia, Japan, and Panama. I'm going to let the world take me where it wants me to be. I'm going to get back to what I was so good at doing before all of these years in corporate America: telling stories through travel, food and new experiences. You can follow my travel adventures at NadiaWanders.com. ...And yes, I'll be job hunting eventually. But also taking the time to live freely again.

When you send out a UX research newsletter, what's your true intent behind it? Too often, newsletters are focused on *publicity.* They exist not to make a difference, but to prove we are busy doing stuff. This is natural. We all want our colleagues to approve of our work. If a leader thinks we (as a function) aren't doing enough, that makes us feel insecure. But when unconscious insecurity drives our research comms, we aren't creative. We stop being valuable. We just try to survive. But we don't grow. We can either grow, or protect, but not both at the same time. But what if we redirected that energy into comms that actually *made* a difference? What if, instead of just telling everyone what your team has been up to you, you communicated *specific* insights, to *specific* people, and *specific* times to inspire *actual* change? "But why can't we do both?" You can. But every bit of energy you spend on that newsletter could be spent trying to actually make a difference. Often, newsletters are a waste of time and energy because the best publicity comes from actually making a difference. With so many layoffs, UXR has had a big hit to its ego recently. We're worried our businesses don't value us as a function. It's natural to go into survival mode. But we'll never grow if we stay there. If we want to survive as a function, we need to focus on *making* a difference when we communicate insights, instead of checking the shareout box, or proving we're busy. Make a difference consistently and you'll never need to prove yourself again. #uxr #uxresearch #userresearch #newsletters #communication #commnicating #business #businesscommunication

journey update seeking a full-time job: quite unexpected 3 people joined the session: a vp, a product designer, and someone from growth marketing—to challenge me! but the conversation went well. highlights from the design review/challenge: - i gave a 15-minute presentation about who i am and how i tackled the challenge. (pretty sure they were impressed when i mentioned it took me only 5 hours!) - a live framer challenge: building one standard layout for a new page using framer cms. - we discussed what to do if the landing page doesn’t work. i said i’d rely on data (which they agreed with), and they also suggested improving based on “clicking design.” - we shared thoughts about the role’s expectations and how the team works. - great conversations about introducing ourselves, design feedback, and how comfortable the team as a multi-national company has been working at the company for months or even years. next step: now, i just have to wait about a week for the result. not sure about the outcome, but i can confidently say i gave it my best throughout this journey!

🚀 𝑬𝒙𝒄𝒊𝒕𝒆𝒅 𝒕𝒐 𝒔𝒉𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒍𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒔𝒕 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒋𝒆𝒄𝒕 : A custom Job Searching Portal! This innovative platform empowers users to tailor their profiles and discover the perfect job with advanced filtering options. Here’s how we're enhancing the user experience with cutting-edge tech: 🛠️ • 𝐑𝐞𝐝𝐮𝐱 : Ensures a fluid and responsive user experience by managing state efficiently across the application. • 𝐈𝐧𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐞 𝐒𝐜𝐫𝐨𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 : Offers a clean interface that lets users continuously engage with more listings seamlessly. • 𝐌𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐚𝐥-𝐔𝐈 (𝐌𝐔𝐈) : Provides a modern and user-friendly design, enhancing functionality while keeping aesthetics top-notch. • 𝐑𝐞𝐚𝐜𝐭 : The backbone of our framework, enabling fast and interactive user interfaces. 𝑲𝒆𝒚 𝑭𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒖𝒓𝒆𝒔 : • 𝐏𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐳𝐞𝐝 𝐏𝐫𝐨𝐟𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐬 : Users can customize their profiles to highlight unique skills and experiences, making it easier for employers to find the perfect match. • 𝐀𝐝𝐯𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞𝐝 𝐅𝐢𝐥𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 : Empowers users to fine-tune their job search with specific criteria, ensuring they find exactly what they're looking for. Grateful to Weekday (YC W21) for this opportunity to expand my skills and dive deep into some powerful technologies. This project not only showcases technical prowess but also a commitment to improving how job seekers connect with potential employers. Ready to dive in? 𝑳𝒆𝒕'𝒔 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒋𝒐𝒃 𝒉𝒖𝒏𝒕 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒎𝒐𝒐𝒕𝒉 𝒂𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒔𝒄𝒓𝒐𝒍𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈! 🌐🔍 #JobSearch #TechInnovation #WebDevelopment #ReactDeveloper #Redux #MaterialUI #InfiniteScrolling #CareerDevelopment

A few months ago, I decided to join #LinkedIn as a #ProductDesigner focusing on #UIUX. I was excited and optimistic, thinking it would be the perfect place to connect with clients, showcase my skills, and grow my career. I set up my profile, uploaded my portfolio, and started posting about my work. But after the initial excitement wore off, I found myself struggling. No clients reached out, and despite my efforts to engage, it felt like no one noticed what I was doing. The silence was discouraging. I kept asking myself: Am I doing something wrong? Should I give up? It was frustrating to see other #designers celebrating new clients while I was stuck without leads. But instead of quitting, I decided to change my approach. I realized I needed to be consistent, not just with posting my designs, but with sharing my thoughts, processes, and small wins, even the challenges I faced along the way. At first, it still felt slow. There were days when my posts barely got any engagement, but I kept showing up. Little by little, things started to change. People began recognizing my work, commenting on my posts, and even messaging me to ask about my process. Then, one day, I got my first message from a potential client. It was a small #project, but it meant the world to me, it was proof that my consistency was paying off. From that moment, the pieces started to fall into place. One project led to another, and I began building relationships with people who valued my skills. Today, I’m happy to say that I’ve landed a few clients here on LinkedIn, and the momentum keeps growing. Looking back, this journey taught me the importance of persistence and showing up, even when it feels like no one is watching. #Success didn’t come right away, but it came because I stayed consistent and didn’t give up. If you’re in a similar situation, my advice is this: keep going. The right opportunities will come, just stay patient, keep learning, and show the world what you’ve got. #figmacommunity #LinkedIn #LinkedIncommunity #UIUX #Productdesign

Happy Friday LinkedIn Fam! 🤩 Just a friendly reminder I am on the job hunt! 🔍 Here are a few things I can offer: 👩🏽💻 The last two years I've been upskilling and pursuing UI/UX. My portfolio (redesigning and currently adding another case study but the essentials are all there!): https://lnkd.in/eSGbBmTK 📣 My transferrable skills come from around 8+ years of marketing, web, design, social media, and a touch of advertising. These include (but aren't limited to) content creation, strategizing, community management, and analyzing data. 💻 Industries I've gained the most experience with include media, events, and a recruiting/retention/talent platform. 🎓 I consider myself a lifelong student, I strive to stay curious and continue learning. Growth design has been on my radar! Here are a few things I'm ideally looking for (but am flexible and open!): 😄 I've been contracted on a few short-term projects to gain more experience and would love the chance to contribute in a full-time or part-time longer-term contract/freelance capacity. 🪴 I enjoy the entire UI/UX process so I'm interested in a growth or generalist role, but if a research position offers a little design, or vice versa, I'd be happy! ☀ Any size company, from startup to corporation. 🌻 Any industry. 🎈 Entry to mid-level positions in UI/UX/Product/Web/Visual Design. ⛰ Ideally remote, but I'm open to hybrid and relocation. 🪷 I value transparency and might be honest to a fault, but I'm willing to take the risk if the right company is willing to take a risk on me: I'm a celiac and unfortunately, get sick more than the average person. An understanding/allowance to work from home during those moments would be awesome! I'd really hate to use all my vacation days when I can still do the work. #opentowork #jobsearch #hireme #jobhunt #jobseeker #hiring #recruitment #jobsearching #remotework

The market isn't dead. It's just brutally specific about what it wants. What I'm seeing in early 2025: ✓ Companies are still getting funded → Money is still flowing → But priorities have shifted dramatically Most designers spend months applying everywhere before stopping to ask: am I clicking on the right things? → While hiring managers are flooded with applications, they still say "we can't find the right people" The important shift happening right now: → In 2021, the status symbol was team size - how fast could you hire? → In 2025, it's efficiency - how much can you deliver with how little? What this means for you: → Stop trying to position yourself for everything → Research who's actually hiring and what they need → Lead with the specific problems you can solve, not generic capabilities Your job isn't to be available for everything. It's to be unavoidable for the right thing. Interesting sign: A few weeks ago I saw a job post which had two requirements. → First: "Experience with AI tools." → Second: "Experience with traditional design tools like Figma." The future came faster than we expected. Position yourself accordingly.