

As designers, we want our designs-whether web application or print designs-to communicate something to our audience. "I believe that design is centered around communication. Alissa Ampezzan, Senior Product Designer at Civis Analytics I look for communication skills-the ability to describe their process of getting from problem to solution, grounded in specific examples."

"I'm currently in the midst of hiring a junior designer, so this is top-of-mind. Highly empathetic people who understand human behavior often have a natural penchant for designing effective user experiences. At Startup Institute, we’ve seen UX designers make successful career transitions from a range of disciplines-from jobs in psychology and behavioral sciences, education and linguistics, to customer service and marketing. It’s an emerging discipline, and UX professionals come to the field from diverse backgrounds. There’s no prescribed path for becoming a UX designer. Here’s what they had to say about what they look for in junior-level UX hires. The instructors at Startup Institute’s web design course are experienced practitioners who have hired designers and built product teams. This makes it an attractive career choice for technologists who enjoy working with people as much as they love building products. What does it take to launch your career as a user experience designer? What skills and experiences are most important to hiring managers seeking junior UX designers? We went straight to hiring managers to find out. User experience is a science as much as it is an art. DOES YOUR PORTFOLIO SHOW YOUR POTENTIAL?.WILL YOU LEARN FROM & CHALLENGE THE TEAM?.
