Summary
I very quickly noticed how my entire professional journey had molded me into a UX Researcher that had a broader reach with teams, people, customers/users, and industry knowledge. In the Enterprise space I was/am able to successfully leverage so many of my other skills obtained in my other positions to make me a dynamic well-rounded researcher outside of just knowing principles, cognitive behaviors, data synthesis, and writing reports. It was the culmination of all of me, owning and leveraging ALL of my experiences that allowed me to connect the UX dots to my previous 15 years of experience. Eventually, I was doing onsite interviews with various Silicon Valley companies and then landed at LinkedIn. I am a ResearchH.E.R – Highly Enterprise Ready.
Key Insights
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The design process is messy and filled with uncertainty, as illustrated by Damian Newman’s design squiggle.
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Vulnerability can lead to connections and growth when sharing personal experiences.
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Perseverance in the face of job loss can turn into new opportunities.
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The importance of self-evaluation when seeking a career change.
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Running towards a goal is vital; avoid just fleeing from discomfort.
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Years of diverse experiences can be a unique strength in a new field.
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Creating relationships internally can ease transitions in teams, especially in UX.
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Fostering employee growth from within can enhance organizational strength.
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Understanding user experience goes beyond aesthetics; it’s about functionality.
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Personal growth requires recognizing and valuing one’s own history and skills.
Notable Quotes
"I was jobless again. But again, not hopeless."
"Don't just run away from something. Make sure you are running towards something."
"If you make a pretty page, that's great. But if the users can’t actually use the page, you just have a pretty page."
"I had undervalued the person that I really was."
"I was able to connect the dots a lot for the UX team."
"Where can you help leverage your internal talent to really foster a strong UX team?"
"I want people to question why I'm not in the room if I'm not there."
"I didn’t have the accolades, the PhD, the masters, but I was able to get in internally."
"We could have been even more powerful and stronger."
"My enterprise experience allowed me to navigate spaces that no certification could have ever trained me."
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