🦆 Interaction Nerds by UXA | F23.09
Design Careers: Favorite HCI Classes from the Community, Different UX Career Paths, and What Qualities do Recruiters Typically Seek?
👋 Announcements — Hello, November :)
With course registration around the corner, it’s time to decide what classes you’ll be taking next semester! Come to UXAcademics this Friday 11/10 from 5-6pm in Tepper 3801, to directly hear about HCI core classes, pre-reqs, and electives from students who’ve taken them.
🌀 Interview — Favorite HCI related classes from the community!
Written & edited by: 🕺 Arin Pantja
Are you still looking for HCI related classes to take next semester? Read what Julianna, Nicole, and Sophie have to say have to say about their favorite HCI related classes (that may count as electives) that they would recommend!
😭 Julianna Bolivar – Linkedin
🌞 Nicole Xiang – Linkedin
⭐ Sophie McGrady – Linkedin
🍀 Editor’s Pick — Different UX Career Paths: Where Will HCI Take You?
Written & edited by: 😈 Sophie McGrady
What kinds of career paths can you pursue with the skills you gain in your HCI courses? You may have heard of a lot of job titles relating to UX that sound quite similar to each other, and it might be hard to know what each role entails and how it’s different from the rest. In this week’s Editor’s Pick, we look closer at the different UX career paths you may be interested in and what makes each one unique!
🎯 Resource — What Qualities Do Design Recruiters Typically Seek?
Written & edited by: 🧸 Ahana Banerjee
🤔 What makes a good designer?
💡 While there isn't a universal definition of a "good designer," the various qualities that design recruiters seek in applicants can provide deep insights into their creative thinking, adaptability and innovative capabilities.
🧐 What are some skills that can make me a competitive design applicant?
🔨 Technical Skills: this encompasses proficiency in using the tools and practices specific to your niche, but it can vary widely and require ongoing adaptation within the industry.
The following tools especially can be your stepping stones towards creating a more enticing profile for recruiters: Figma, Adobe Creative Suite, HTML and CSS coding, and InVision.
💡 Design recruiters prioritize technical skills because they provide the foundation for designers to effectively apply their creative abilities within their specific niche, ensuring that they can deliver practical and innovative design solutions.
🚀 Domain Knowledge: having a specialized understanding of your field and business industry. Strong domain knowledge allows you to tackle unique challenges and make informed decisions through collaborating across cross-functional teams in the context of the larger business environment.
To learn more about the various paths you can take, check out some of the careers in design!
💡 Recruiters look for high level domain knowledge because it provides a deep understanding of the industry, allowing designers to craft informed and impactful solutions.
🧩 Problem Solving: the heart of design. Great designers not only excel in their craft but also step back to grasp the bigger picture, including business objectives, team dynamics, and market opportunities.
🤗 Empathy: Designers and developers share a connection in their work, with designers focusing on understanding human behavior and challenges, while developers center their attention on technology. Both disciplines have the shared responsibility of delivering a positive user experience.
💡 Recruiters place a premium on empathy in their search for design talent because it's a key factor in creating designs that resonate with users' needs and emotions, fostering a more engaging and user-centered experience.
🙈 Fun - a series of AI-generated films
Gen:48 is an AI film competition, where contestants use AI to make short films in under 48 hours. Check out their films below!
🤔 Who’s behind the scenes?
The editors behind this week’s issue are 🥸 Kaitlyn Ng, 😈 Sophie McGrady, 🧸 Ahana Banerjee, 🕺 Arin Pantja, 🐳 Alana Wu, and 🦝 Caleb Sun.
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