Get Your First Job as a UX or Interaction Designer
How This Course Will Help Your Career
Looking at a UX job description for the first time can be a scary experience. Thoughts like “I need experience in what?! Surely only a UX superstar can fill that position!” may run through your mind. It can prove challenging regardless of your background, and that is why we created this course, to help you bridge the gap between your knowledge and first UX job—using tried and tested techniques that employers respond well to.
Design skills are in higher demand than ever before, and with the alleged “decade of design” erupting around us, this is unlikely to slow down. UX is one of the most rapidly growing fields within design, and UX jobs are currently in high demand at both new and established tech companies. UX jobs are paying well, despite the relatively low competition for positions, and they also provide an incredible amount of freedom for such rewarding work. The main skill required is empathy, so even if you are not proficient in graphic design, there is still huge promise for a great career in the industry, especially if you’re interested in human behavior and problem solving.
A typical UX team today is likely to consist of people who have come from a wide variety of backgrounds. The way to secure your spot on such a team is by translating your existing skills and experience into UX skills; this course will teach you how to tell potential employers about your UX story, even if you don’t think you have one! We are here to give you that helping hand on the way to landing your first job within this people-oriented profession.
What you will learn
- An introduction to all areas of UX work
- What experience UX employers are looking for
- How to develop a winning cover letter, resume, and portfolio
- Skills to help you navigate a UX interview and negotiate a job offer
- How to develop your UX career further once in a role
Who should take this course
This is a beginner-level course specially tailored to students, recent graduates, and anyone looking to start a career in UX design:
- UX designers looking to build effective resumes, land their next UX jobs, and/or develop their roles in their companies further
- Students and recent graduates keen on becoming UX designers or UX consultants
- Newcomers to design who are considering making a switch to UX design
The content of this course overlaps somewhat with our "UX Design from Scratch" course; however, we have dramatically extended matters regarding the relevant areas of job hunting and resume/portfolio development.
Courses in the Interaction Design Foundation are designed to contain comprehensive, evidence-based content, while ensuring that the learning curve is never too steep. All participants will have the opportunity to share ideas, seek help with tests, and enjoy the social aspects afforded by our open and friendly forum.
Learn and work with a global team of designers
When you take part in this course, you will join a global multidisciplinary team working on the course and the exercises at the same time as you. You will work together to improve your skills and understanding. Your course group will be made up of an incredibly diverse group of professionals, all of whom have the same objective—to become successful designers. It’s your chance to learn, grow, and network with your peers across the planet.
Gain an Industry-Recognized UX Course Certificate
Use your industry-recognized Course Certificate on your resume, CV, LinkedIn profile or your website.
Our courses and Course Certificates are trusted by these industry leaders:
Lessons in This Course
- Each week, one lesson becomes available.
- There’s no time limit to finish a course. Lessons have no deadlines.
- Estimated learning time: 12 hours 6 mins spread over 9 weeks .
Lesson 0: Welcome and Introduction
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 38 mins.
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0.1: Welcome (7 mins)
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0.2: An introduction to courses from the Interaction Design Foundation (37 mins)
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0.3: Let our community help you (1 min)
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0.4: Meet your peers online in our discussion forums (6 mins)
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0.5: Meet and learn from design professionals at an upcoming meet-up (1 min)
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0.6: Gain Timeless Skills Through Courses From the Interaction Design Foundation (21 mins)
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0.7: How to Earn Your Course Certificate (16 mins)
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0.8: Mandatory vs. Optional Lesson Items (7 mins)
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0.9: A Mix Between Video-Based and Text-Based Lesson Content (6 mins)
Lesson 1: What is User Experience Design All About?
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 47 mins.
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1.1: So, What is User Experience Design? (39 mins)
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1.2: What is User-Centered Design? (9 mins)
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1.3: User-Centered Design in Detail (9 mins)
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1.4: UX and User-Centered Design (38 mins)
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1.5: Development Methodologies and UX Design (40 mins)
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1.6: Case Study (A Small UX Web Design Project) (21 mins)
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1.7: UX Fails - What Happens When the UX of a Product isn't Right? (9 mins)
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1.8: UX and UCD Approach (6 mins)
Lesson 2: What do User Experience Designers Do?
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 2 hours 6 mins.
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2.1: Careers in UX Design (39 mins)
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2.2: The Disciplines of UX Design (42 mins)
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2.3: The Prospects for UX Design (41 mins)
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2.4: UX Career (6 mins)
Lesson 3: Getting Experience in the UX Field
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 22 mins.
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3.1: Deciding what you want to do (11 mins)
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3.2: Getting Some UX Experience (9 mins)
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3.3: Writing an Internship Request Letter (12 mins)
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3.4: Communicating Your Internship Application by E-mail (10 mins)
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3.5: Other Tips for Getting an Internship (9 mins)
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3.6: Getting the Most out of a UX Internship (12 mins)
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3.7: Turning a UX Internship into a Full-Time Paying Job (10 mins)
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3.8: Getting Academic Credit for an Internship (8 mins)
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3.9: What do you want to do in the UX Field? (6 mins)
Lesson 4: The UX Portfolio and UX CV (Resume)
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 3 mins.
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4.1: What is a UX Portfolio? (8 mins)
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4.2: Creating a Great UX Portfolio (20 mins)
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4.3: Creating a Great UX CV(Resume) (9 mins)
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4.4: Online UX CVs and Portfolios (22 mins)
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4.5: CV and Portfolio Structure (6 mins)
Lesson 5: Getting Your First UX Job
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 1 hour 28 mins.
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5.1: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Job Hunting Overview (7 mins)
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5.2: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Job Boards (20 mins)
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5.3: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Newspapers and Trade Press (8 mins)
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5.4: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Networking (9 mins)
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5.5: How to find and apply for UX roles - "On Spec" Applications (8 mins)
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5.6: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Recruitment Consultants (10 mins)
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5.7: How to find UX roles and how to apply for them - Filling in Application Forms (9 mins)
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5.8: The Perfect Cover Letter (15 mins)
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5.9: Job Search Strategy (6 mins)
Lesson 6: UX Job Interviews and Negotiations
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 59 mins.
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6.1: UX Job Interviews - General Advice (12 mins)
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6.2: UX Job Interviews - UX Specific Advice (9 mins)
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6.3: How to Handle an Assessment Center (9 mins)
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6.4: The Perfect UX Curriculum Vitae and Portfolio and Interview (15 mins)
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6.5: Negotiations following an Offer (11 mins)
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6.6: The Interview (6 mins)
Lesson 7: UX Career Development
To be scheduled. Estimated time to complete: 44 mins.
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7.1: Further Learning Opportunities (13 mins)
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7.2: Develop a Network (5 mins)
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7.3: Using LinkedIn (15 mins)
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7.4: Getting a Mentor (8 mins)
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7.5: Professional Development (6 mins)
Lesson 8: Course Certificate, Final Networking, and Course Wrap-up
To be scheduled.
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8.1: Course Evaluation (1 min)
How Others Have Benefited
Natalie Verdon, Australia
“How wonderful.......I am looking forward to all I can learn and share with the community. You have a brilliant site and wonderful offerings.”
Dereck du Toit, South Africa
“I am recommending membership for IDF to everyone in this space – and everyone buys in because it so incredibly industry relevant.”
Fernando Martinez Carreon, Mexico
“Well, I've started with one of the courses and felt it was fair to write once again just to say you that you are a great team of human, cognitive and pedagogy centered professionals. I'm really glad that I've become a member and have all of these tons of information for self-paced learning, the content I read it's great so far!”
How It Works
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Take online courses by industry experts
Lessons are self-paced so you’ll never be late for class or miss a deadline.
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Get a Course Certificate
Your answers are graded by experts, not machines. Get an industry-recognized Course Certificate to prove your skills.
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Advance your career
Use your new skills in your existing job or to get a new job in UX design. Get help from our community.
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