Nicholas Taylor’s Post

Our industry has so many ways to create. But too often, the focus is on traditional creative roles. Our teams are far more than just Figma users. They include talent managers, growth managers, heads of production, strategy directors, writers, facilities coordinators, content creators, developers, and experts in management, operations and finance. The mix is what makes the work great. The work shines when a studio flows with diverse ideas, strong systems, and a culture that supports its people. It takes everyone. Every person adds creatively and brings huge value. This is why awards can feel bittersweet. While they celebrate ideas and execution, they often overlook the environment that makes them possible. Companies that thrive understand this. They don’t just focus on the product; they highlight the ecosystems that make great work happen. Many rewarding career paths go unnoticed in the creative world, yet they’re ideal for so many.

Imagine losing all your experience and connections and having to start over from scratch. That’s what many career switchers face. If I were in their shoes, here’s what I’d focus on: 👉 1. Spot the Opportunities Identify fields on the rise—like Fintech, Healthtech, and Edtech. Some are growing and need specialized UX pros. 👉 2. Get Laser-Focused Don’t be a generalist. Pick a niche and own it. Don't scatter yourself everywhere. You will end up going in circles. 👉 3. Immerse Myself Completely Get hands-on. Take freelance gigs, volunteer, and network like crazy. Know your space inside and out. 👉 4. Tailor My Profile Analyze job postings. Align your learning and experience to fit what’s in demand. 👉 5. Build a Strong Brand Your LinkedIn, resume, and portfolio should scream “specialist.” Make it clear that you’re the exact fit for what the industry needs. What do you think? Would you do it differently? ========== ♻️ Feel free to share with anyone who’s starting fresh! 💬 Hit me up with questions—I’m happy to help. 🚀 Check out the free resources on my site to get started: www[.]ShiftUX[.]co #UXDesign #UXCareers #UserExperience #CareerAdvice #JobSearchTips #UXResearch #UIUX #UXStrategy #FintechUX #HealthtechUX #Edtech #ProductDesign #DesignCareers #CareerPivot #JobSeeker #UXSpecialist #DesignLeadership #UXMentor

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

Mastering Bubble and Building in Public ✅ Today, I made significant strides in mastering Bubble while solving a key challenge with URL parameters. Here's what I learned and how I resolved it. I’ve been building alongside Gregory John Keegan, working on a responsive dashboard using Bubble. The dashboard includes left-side navigation for desktop users and top-header navigation for mobile users. While implementing the left-side navigation, I integrated URL Parameters to pass key-value information for dynamic content rendering. However, I encountered an issue: when clicking the navigation tabs, there was no feedback, and despite inspecting the page, the parameters weren’t updating in the URL as expected. After some troubleshooting, I realised that I had missed a crucial step: I hadn't added the destination page while setting up the URL parameters. Once I updated this, the navigation worked seamlessly. 🚀 This experience reinforced the importance of attention to detail and the need to test every feature thoroughly. ____________ Meeting me for the first time? Let’s connect! Hi, I’m Reginald. By day, I’m a Product Designer creating user-centered web and mobile experiences. By night, I’m a No-Code Innovator, building impactful solutions with Bubble.io. I’m currently open to job opportunities starting February 2025. If you're looking for someone to drive innovation, solve problems, and create meaningful user experiences, let’s connect. #BuildInPublic #BubbleIO #NoCode #UXDesign #ResponsiveDesign #OpenToWork

Dreaming of a Career in Tech? You Don’t Need to Code! Think tech is all about programming languages and coding marathons? Think again! The world of tech is massive, and some of the most impactful roles require zero coding experience.  📌 Product Manager – Lead the creation of cutting-edge products without writing a single line of code.  📌 Tech Sales Expert– Connect businesses with innovative tech solutions and drive growth.  📌 UI/UX Designer – Shape the user experience and design interfaces that people love.  📌 Digital Marketer – Combine creativity and strategy to grow brands in the tech space.  At Break Into Tech Without Code, we’ll show you how to land these roles and more.  ✅ Learn from industry pros ✅ Discover your ideal tech path   ✅ Get actionable steps to kickstart your career  The tech industry is evolving, and you don’t need to be a coder to be part of it. All you need is curiosity, the right guidance, and a willingness to learn.  🚨 Seats are limited! Are you ready to make your move?  #BreakIntoTech #NoCodeTechCareers #BOSSUNILAG #BOSSUNIABUJA

Come back stronger after a layoff in Product Design : Practical Example Case Study: Scenario: Jane, a product designer, was laid off from her job at a tech startup. Reflect and Reassess: Jane realized she enjoyed the user research phase the most. Skill Enhancement: She completed a course in Advanced UX Research. Portfolio Update: Jane redesigned an existing app as a case study. Networking: She attended local UX meetups and joined online communities. Freelancing and Side Projects: Jane took on freelance projects and collaborated on a new app with a developer friend. Mentorship and Guidance: She sought mentorship through ADPList. Staying Updated: Jane followed UX blogs and podcasts regularly. Emotional Resilience: Practiced yoga and mindfulness daily. Personal Branding: Jane started a blog about her design process and shared insights on LinkedIn. Job Search Strategy: Tailored her applications and connected with design recruiters. Outcome: Jane’s efforts paid off, and she landed a senior UX researcher position at a well-established company within a few months. #job #career #recruitment #layoff

A while back, I was looking for a new opportunity that would challenge my creative side. I had no idea that my next role would come from something as simple — yet powerful — as a word from a friend. It was through a referral from my network of friends that I landed my role as the Social Media Manager at Jamselect. That small connection turned into a major career shift, and I’m forever grateful for the power of building and nurturing relationships. In this role, I’ve been able to combine my expertise in video editing with social media management, creating engaging content that speaks to our audience. But what really excites me is the research side of things. I don’t just create content; I also dive deep into user insights and analytics, which helps guide our strategy for running effective campaigns. These campaigns are key to driving more user sign-ups and growing our platform — a result I’m proud to say we’re achieving! What’s even more exciting for me is that this job has opened doors to new challenges. While I’m still the Social Media Manager, I’m also transitioning into product design. The skills I’ve built over the years in creativity, video production, and user insights have proven to be surprisingly transferable, making this shift into UI/UX design much more seamless than I initially expected. It’s been an incredible journey of growth, learning, and exploration so far, and I’m eager to see where this path takes me next. I’d love to hear your stories! How did you land your current role? Was it through networking, a chance opportunity, or something else? Share your experiences in the comments! Let’s connect and inspire each other. #day3of14  #linkedIpowerup #14dayslinkedInpowerupchallengewithAlice #careergrowth #product design #uidesign #uxdesign #uxresearch

𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐚 𝐃𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐩𝐞𝐫’𝐬 𝐉𝐨𝐮𝐫𝐧𝐞𝐲. 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐨𝐰𝐞𝐫 𝐨𝐟 𝐊𝐧𝐨𝐰𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚 𝐋𝐢𝐭𝐭𝐥𝐞 𝐀𝐛𝐨𝐮𝐭 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐲𝐭𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐌𝐚𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐎𝐧𝐞 𝐓𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐠 As a product designer and software developer, I specialize in front-end development, but my journey here has been quite the ride! 🚀 I started out in back-end, moved to full-stack, and eventually found my passion in product design and front-end work 🎨. Why front-end? Because I love design, and front-end lets me bring visual experiences to life. ✨ Along the way, I’ve learned something valuable, it’s super helpful to know a little about a range of tech stacks, even if they’re not your main thing. 💼 You don’t have to be a master of everything, but having that basic knowledge means that when an opportunity in another area pops up, you’re not starting from zero—you already have a starting point. 🌱 And here’s the kicker, while it’s great to explore, specializing in a particular tech stack is key. There’s a saying in tech: “If you claim to be good at everything, you’re probably just average at all of it.” Specialization is what truly makes you excel. But having a working knowledge of what’s out there? That’s how you stay adaptable, collaborative, and ready for anything. 🌍 So, keep learning, explore the basics of what’s common, and go deep in what you love! 🔍💻 #SoftwareDevelopment #TechJourney #CareerGrowth #TechSkills #Learning #ProfessionalDevelopment #TechCareers #UXDesign #ProductDesign #UserExperience #DesignThinking #Networking #CareerAdvice

Read a Staff Product Designer’s experience with us! This Staff Product Designer, with 20 years of experience, hired us after they compared a few career coaches. They were looking for a new role and wanted help to… ✅ optimize their resume, LinkedIn, and website to get interviews ✅ make sure their portfolio deck for interviews was perfect ✅ elevate their talk track to be seen as competent in the role they felt they could be in Their search was for more than just a lateral move. They wanted to realize a higher potential and needed help with how to phrase their skills on a higher level. After a few months together, we achieved what they wanted! In their own words: “All of my outward facing content shifted to a much more elevated refined fidelity. The copy, content, layout, framing, everything was 5 times better. Even though it was all my same content, it was packaged much more in the way I wanted to be seen.” Now they have a Staff Product Designer / Design Manager role with a next-generation AI developer platform start-up company. If you want similar results, then… 💬 Comment “ELEVATE” for help to elevate your story 🤝 Join our FREE Career Community for Designers for more - link in comments #clienttestimonial #careeradvancement #productdesign #jobseeker #moreIn2004 #cc4designers