Samuel Blessing’s Post

I started my career thinking I could be a lone wolf and get things done myself. When I was starting out, I was the only UX/UI designer I knew around me. The others? I could find them on Twitter and maybe in meetings or events I joined once in a while. I didn’t build connections with anyone because I thought, why would I need that? Don’t blame me; I had just built a brand design career to a reasonable level the same way - actually, I got help from people without paying attention - that’s because I didn’t actively seek out those connections, so I thought the same would apply with UX/UI. But no, it doesn’t work that way. I didn't grow too much until I started actively reaching out, building connections, and getting more supportive people around me. This has really helped my career so far, and I'm grateful for each and every one of them! Soo... I know that actively building connections can be a pain, trying to put on your 'best self’ and learning how to approach networking. But I'll show you 3 ways that helped me: 👉 Casually start conversations with people you admire, be yourself, not your best self: Instead of overthinking your approach or putting on a "networking face," just be yourself. A simple message of genuine interest goes a long way. Start simple and small, and see where it goes. 👉 It's not about collecting contacts; it's about creating mutual value - what can we do for each other?: Look for ways to exchange value with others, whether it’s a fresh perspective, sharing a tool or resource, or just being a supportive peer. 👉 Keep in touch and let them contribute; let them in on your plans and ask them for help: It doesn’t take much - just regularly reaching out or checking in with people makes a difference. Ask them questions, share ideas. Over time, they will do the same, and these small gestures will help build a more genuine and supportive network. Here’s a small trick: after connecting with someone, make a note of something personal they shared - maybe they’re learning a new skill or working on an interesting project. When you follow up later, ask them about it. This can spark a meaningful connection between you. I hope this helps someone. See you in the future! #linkedin #careers #ux #connections

The Truth About Landing Clients No One Wants to Share Around mid-last year, I introduced a friend to UI/UX Design. I shared useful design resources and even recommended she register for a boot camp to get started. Yesterday, she called, saying she’s struggling to get clients or gigs. To my surprise, she mentioned wanting to transition into an entirely new field. This made me wonder, do you start a career because you see others earning well from it, or because you genuinely want to? If you choose the former, you might find yourself often frustrated, jumping from one career to another, just like my friend. The reality is, many of the top creators you look up to didn’t find success overnight. They’ve sent countless cold emails, spent sleepless nights preparing for interviews, and dealt with rejection more times than they’d care to admit. While you might see them celebrating their wins online, what you don’t see are the countless hours of hard work, and the quiet struggles behind the scenes. Success in any field goes beyond just learning the skills. It’s about sharing your work, and continually putting yourself out there, even when it feels daunting. While some may land their first client within a week or a month after starting, for others, it might take longer. Everyone’s journey is different. So, Stay the course, and in time, the clients and gigs will come. P.S. Why are you in the field you are right now? Team A: I’m here for the money. Team B: I’m driven by a passion for personal growth, and doing work that I find meaningful. Are you Team A, Team B, or both? Let me know in the comments. #21DaysOfMarketingGenius

Everyone says LinkedIn is a full-time job but I beg to disagree Since we need to show up consistently, Have you asked yourself if you could do this alone or if you need people to help you climb that ladder of success I work full time(9-5) and I barely have time to show up here but this is what I do 💫 I have to build a personal brand so I show up 4-5 times a week 💫 I narrowed my posting times from morning to evening 💫 I make sure to engage with others even when I don’t post mine 💫 And I don’t stop upskilling myself This has worked for me and I bet if you’re as busy as I am, you should try this At first, I didn’t have all this figured out and was battling with burnout So I’ll say you too can do it You can make it work You can build that brand no matter how busy you are! Ps: How do you cope being a 9-5er and trying to build a brand on LinkedIn PSS: it’s Day 19 of the design challenge organized by #GirlsintoTech. I must say despite my busy schedule I still find time to design. Here are the payment screens for an online learning app I’ve been working on. Feel free to drop your comments #girlsintotech #uidesign #uxdesign #productdesign #100dayschallenge

🎉 It’s my birthday, and I want to share the joy with my incredible UX Mentor Diaries community. Today only, I’m offering 90% off a paid subscription for the entire year! (Offer ends tonight at 11:59 PM EST) If you’ve been waiting for a moment to take your UX career to the next level, this is it. Here’s what paid subscribers get-- 🌟 Exclusive weekly career strategies Every Wednesday, uncover strategic insights to avoid career traps, grow your influence, and fast-track your UX journey. 🧠 Real solutions to real questions On Saturdays, I tackle pressing “How do I…” challenges from the community, offering clear, actionable advice for your day-to-day UX struggles. 💥 Special Limited Series like “Failure Fridays” Discover real stories from UXers who overcame setbacks to build thriving careers (and how you can, too.) 🌍 Full access to all content Get the entire archive of past posts and everything new coming your way. More than that, it’s about equipping you with tools to: ✅ Plan your next career move with confidence. ✅ Build influence and stand out as a leader. ✅ Communicate your impact effectively. ✅ Navigate transitions seamlessly. 🎁 This special discount is only available today, so if you’ve been considering joining, now’s the perfect time. Thank you for being part of this journey! It means the world to me ❤️ 👉 Link to this special offer is in the comments.

I remembered when I was still scared to write on LinkedIn 🤔 (yeah, I used to be until I came across Thiana's post) As of that time in 2020, the LinkedIn interface was nothing related to what we see now. So what happened? Growth, user research, user retention strategy ✨ I want to talk about LinkedIn's metamorphosis from a user experience point of view 🤔 As a UIUX designer, it's fascinating to analyze this evolution and understand what it means for me and my professional journey. 📍Overtime, this social platform has prioritized user engagement. Features like improved newsfeed algorithms, personalized content suggestions, and the rise of LinkedIn Live all point towards this goal. LinkedIn has now become the go-to platform for professional networking and content consumption 👌🏽 This is because it strikes the right balance between informative articles, engaging discussions, and relevant job postings. What does this mean for YOU, who's reading right now? Leverage LinkedIn, don't just get hooked. Share your voice, engage in discussions, and build genuine connections. There's an eighth wonder to it. Is it design? Talk about it, talk about anything you are confident discussing. What are your thoughts on LinkedIn's growth and its user experience impact on you? Let's chat in the comments 😉 #oluwatosinsobayo #linkedin #userexperience #uxtrends #techtalks

Hey there, lovely people who’ve stumbled upon my very first LinkedIn post! I’m currently on a job-hunting odyssey—the kind that’s definitely more of a marathon than a sprint. To keep things fun (and preserve my sanity), I’ll be posting daily UX and job search memes until I land that dream offer. Plus, I’m doing this to get noticed, stay motivated, and hopefully connect with some great people along the way (and hey, hiring managers—let’s talk opportunities!) For those curious: I’ve spent the past few years deep in the UX trenches—juggling side projects as a UX Designer and consulting for real-life companies. Before that, I switched from financial analysis to UX, driven by an endless curiosity and a natural talent for asking “why?” (five times, of course). Oh, and somewhere along the way, I also started a family—because why not add more to the balancing act, right? If you're into UX memes or just want to follow along on this journey, stick around! Your likes, shares, and laughs will definitely help keep me motivated as I navigate this adventure. And that’s it for my first post—let the meme marathon begin! #UXDesign #JobHunt #Memes #UserExperience #CareerJourney

🌟 Celebrating 1,000+ LinkedIn Followers! 🌟 I am thrilled to share that I have crossed the milestone of 1,000+ followers on LinkedIn! This journey has been one of the most rewarding and transformative aspects of my career as a UI/UX designer. When I first decided to prioritize LinkedIn as a platform for professional communication, I never imagined the impact it would have on my career. It has become an indispensable tool for networking, learning, and seeking help and suggestions whenever I need it. But reaching this milestone wasn't without its challenges. There were moments of doubt and struggle: 💬 Struggle #1: Building a Network from Scratch Starting with zero connections, I remember spending hours crafting personalized messages, joining relevant groups, and engaging in meaningful conversations. Slowly but surely, my network began to grow. 📈 Struggle #2: Staying Consistent with Content Finding the balance between work, life, and maintaining an active presence on LinkedIn was tough. There were times when I felt like giving up, but the support and engagement from my growing network kept me going. 👩🏫 Struggle #3: Learning to Seek and Accept Help One of the biggest challenges was learning to ask for help and accept feedback. LinkedIn taught me the power of community and the importance of collaboration. The insights and advice I received from fellow professionals have been invaluable. LinkedIn has truly proven to be a powerful platform, not just for job searches or professional networking, but for genuine growth and support. It has allowed me to connect with brilliant minds, share my experiences, and learn from others. To everyone who has connected, engaged, and supported me along the way – thank you! Your encouragement and interactions have been instrumental in reaching this milestone. Here's to continued growth, learning, and making meaningful connections! If you're reading this and we're not connected yet, let's change that – I’m always open to new connections and conversations. 🚀 #LinkedInMilestone #ThankYou #UXDesign #Networking #CareerGrowth

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

Day3: Share Your Journey As I reflect on my winding career path, I am reminded that growth and discovery are lifelong journeys. Here’s a bit of my story: With a passion for learning, I started reading books on Business, Marketing, and Advertising during my National Youth Service Corps to expand my mind, avoiding self-help books. ❌ I then dove into UI/UX design, creating user experiences that solve problems and engage users. Each project challenged me to merge design thinking with functionality, creating interfaces that users love. Next, I took on Website Management, bringing ideas to life online and writing compelling website content. From there, I became a Meta Marketing Pro and mastered paid advertising, telesales, storytelling, cold calling, driving results, and engaging audiences. Now, as a Media Manager, I create and visualize stories that captivate and inspire in meaningful ways. But with each step forward, self-doubt crept in, whispering, "You're not enough." I compared myself to others, feeling like a small fish in a big ocean. Yet, I realized everyone has their own journey, with unique struggles and wins. I chose to focus on my path, embracing my strengths and weaknesses. By helping others and sharing kindness, I found true growth. Every challenge became a lesson, and every setback a chance to learn. As I continue on this journey, I invite you to embrace your unique path. Let's celebrate our small successes and support each other in our pursuits. There is always beauty in unity. Who do you know that I should know? #CareerJourney #Innovation #CreativeDesign #Advertising #PersonalGrowth #SMEShopBoost31

6 Signs I Have A Strong Mindset Day One: I move on. I don’t waste time feeling sorry for myself. — This feels particularly relevant this week, since I was laid off last week. Everyone has their own grieving process and mourning timeframe. Mine actually started about a year ago because I felt like I wasn’t able to showcase my expertise or skills in my role. Everyone had been taken off their projects to focus on a large task the CEO specifically asked for, and I had no role in that huge task. So I felt like I was twiddling my thumbs. And then my manager left the company and I was without a manager for several months. Once a new manager was hired, they had very little visibility into my work, neither my accomplishments nor my work ethic. So I felt unheard and unrecognized. But one of the qualities I love most about myself is that **I NEVER GIVE UP**. I continued finding more work and continued striving to be seen and heard. That period has nothing to do with my lay off—I’m told and I believe it—but even now, I’m moving on. Moving forward. I’m sooo excited to create opportunities for myself this season. I’ve been transitioning into User Research for almost two years now but there was never a business case for another official researcher on the team. So I unofficially led research projects and presented insights and deliverables on User Experience and Experience Design, honing my experience and developing my skills. Now I get to take the plunge and find research opportunities at other companies! — — — — All 6 Signs I Have A Strong Mindset 1. I move on. I don’t waste time feeling sorry for myself. 2. I embrace change. I welcome challenges. 3. I stay happy. I don’t waste energy on things I can’t control. 4. I am kind, fair, and unafraid to speak up. 5. I am willing to take calculated risks. 6. I celebrate other people’s successes. I don’t feel threatened by other’s achievements. Image credit: Adobe Stock #opentoopportunities #uxjobs #ux #userexperience #uxresearch #uxr