From putting together your resume, building a portfolio, to personal networking, we discuss the steps you need to go through to get in the door for that UX interview.

1. Resumes and
LinkedIn profiles
How to get a
great UX job{
Patrick Neeman
Director of Product Design, Apptio
@usabilitycounts
http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke
Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games
@uxhow
http://www.uxhow.com

2. Getting a great job is a lot like dating...
...you have to kiss a lot of frogs
before your find your prince

3. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
User Research - 100 Recruiters
The typical interview process
Hiring
Manager
Phone
Screen
7-10
people
3 to 5
On Site
Interviews
The Offer
} }Recruiter
Phone
Screen
10-15 people}Research
20-100
people
}

4. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Show them
your money,
baby!
• LinkedIn profile
• Resume
• Side projects
• Portfolio

5. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ Your résume }
• Format that can be parsed (Word or PDF)
• Career progression that tells a story
• Skills in keyword form listed for recruiters
• Don’t over design

6. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ A great resume }

7. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ A great resume }
Solid Opening
Summary
Clear and Concise
Job Descriptions
Skills and
Brands Listed

8. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Why should my résume be in Word?
• It’s a standard format
• Recruiters edit résumes
• Concentrate on content
• Creates constraints

9. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Responsibilities and Accomplishments
• A summary about your job function
• Three to five bullet points what you accomplished
• Write when you start a job as the goal
• Write more of them for more recent jobs

10. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Résume tips
Too many positions Combine all into one position, and list each as a client
Too few positions List projects under a position
Unrelated positions Don’t list them at all, no one cares

11. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ Your LinkedIn profile }
• Have a great summary
• Include your skills and specialities
• List the results of your work
• Let brands speak for themselves

12. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ A great LinkedIn profile }
Great Title
Solid Summary
Accurate Job Descriptions

13. Exercise
• A summary about your job function
• Three to five bullet points what you accomplished

14. Patrick Neeman
Director of Product Design, Apptio
@usabilitycounts
http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke
Sr UX Design Manager, Big Fish
@uxhow
http://www.uxhow.com
UX Portfolios
How to get a
great UX job{

15. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
How you tell your story
is as important as the story itself

16. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Tell stories
that fit your
audience
• Designers
• Developers
• Product Managers

17. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Tell stories
that sell
• Explain visually
• Light and concise
• Keep them engaged

18. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Tell stories
that have an
awesome
ending
• ROI
• Results
• Outcome

19. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Tell big stories

20. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Big Story
Big Fish Unlimited

21. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
• Problem
• Process
• Involvement
• Final Product
• Press / Awards
• Outcome
}Story
Big Fish Unlimited
Netflix for Games

22. Challenge

23. Process

24. Results

25. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Tell small stories

26. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Big Story
Bob The Chiropractor

27. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Bob The Chiropractor
5 Page Lead Generation Website
• Problem
• First Version
• Iteration
• Improved Version }Story

28. @usabilitycounts @uxhow

29. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Results

30. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
What not to do

31. Pet Peeves
• Screen shots that are too small to read
• Screen shots without explanation
• Wireframes without any details
• Portfolios with only wireframes and no research
• Over-designed portfolio

32. Three Great Examples
LaiYee Lori
http://www.behance.net/gallery/Vantageous/4652595
!
Simon Pan
http://www.simonpan.com/
!
Peter Schuszter
http://uxportfolio.com

33. Exercise
• Talk through two portfolios from audience members

34. Networking and
Social Media
How to get a
great UX job{
Patrick Neeman
Director of Product Design, Apptio
@usabilitycounts
http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke
Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games
@uxhow
http://www.uxhow.com

35. 45%of all hires
9%of all job
applications
{ Agency + personal referrals }
Why social is important

36. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
The lowest conversion rate for an application?
A job board
0.41% percent of applications from job boards become hires.
11 percent of applications from referrals become hires.

37. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
Personal networking
is the new
job board
Why?

38. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
56% percent of
people who got a
job got it through
someone they
knew casually.
Mark Granovetter
Sociologist, 1973

39. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ How do I become a personal referral? }
Use Social Media

40. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
• Follow people at companies you like on Twitter
• Subscribe to updates on Facebook
• Tailor your LinkedIn and Facebook profiles
• Go to conferences, meetups and classes
It’s about making a lot of small bets...

41. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{Social Networks}
LinkedIn Research, reconnaissance and your profile
Facebook Personal friends and their connections
Twitter Super connectors and people with similar interests
Stack Exchange, Git
Hub, LinkedIn Groups
Building street cred and engage with other users
SkillShare, Meetups Engage with super connectors and people in person

42. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ What kind of people should I be looking for? }
• Super connectors, because they like helping people
• People who might hire you, not someone who is you
• Recruiters, because they move around a lot

43. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
• Ask about their company
• Ask about what they’re doing
• Ask about their interests
• Ask them for advice
Get them to talk!
You want them
to do the talking!

44. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
It’s like dating...
You can “play the field” to find what you want

45. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
• Give you something to say
• Create common interests
• Doesn’t have to be work related
• Improve your skills
{ Extra Credit }
Have a passion project

46. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ Extra Credit }
UX Drinking Game

47. { Extra Credit }
Find My Bookmarks

48. @usabilitycounts @uxhow
{ What not to do }
• Do not talk all the time
• Don’t stalk and give them space
• Be respectful but be engaging

49. Thank you!
Patrick Neeman
Director of Product Design, Apptio
@usabilitycounts
http://www.usabilitycounts.com
Troy Parke
Sr. UX Manager, Big Fish Games
@uxhow
http://www.uxhow.com