6 Reasons Why Getting Into UX is Hard
Jan 24, 2025
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3 min read
Getting into UX is hard, especially if you’re a beginner or a bootcamp student struggling to land your first role. It’s not because of AI taking over jobs, but rather the challenges that come with starting in a competitive and evolving field.
However, with determination and the right strategies, breaking into UX can lead to a rewarding and dynamic career. Let’s explore six reasons why it is hard to get into UX and how to overcome these hurdles.
Reason one: Lack of experience
It’s tough to get your first job without experience, but it’s tough to get experience without your first job.
How to solve: Work on real problems. You can overcome this catch-22 situation by solving real challenges for real people. Think of family, friends, or non-profit organizations that could use your help.
Reason two: High competition
There are many open positions for intermediate and senior levels, but far fewer junior opportunities.
How to solve: Focus on the right skills. The easiest way to get your foot in the door is by mastering UI skills and slowly developing your UX mindset. Building a solid foundation in UI can open up entry-level opportunities.
Reason three: Lackluster portfolios
Single-screen designs, irrelevant projects, and redesigns no one asked for are portfolio red flags.
How to solve: Learn how to stand out. Employers and clients want to see evidence of relevant skills and experience presented in a concise but memorable way. Show how you solve real problems and bring value.
Reason four: Lack of clarity
Many beginners confuse UX, UI, and product design roles and processes.
How to solve: Don’t skip the basics. Understand the differences between UX, UI, and Product design, and how they impact each other. A solid grasp of these fundamentals will set you apart.
Reason five: Diverse skills required
UX requires proficiency in a broad range of skills, and it can feel overwhelming to master them all quickly.
How to solve: Prioritize your learning. Focus on the craft and soft skills that will help you execute project plans and create visually appealing products. Prioritization will make the learning process manageable.
Reason six: Evolving industry
UX is a rapidly evolving field, and staying current with trends, technologies, and best practices can be challenging.
How to solve: Never stop growing. Continuous learning is essential. Fall in love with learning because each new project, audience, and problem will demand fresh insights and solutions.
Conclusion
Getting into UX is hard, but it’s far from impossible. By addressing challenges like gaining experience, improving portfolios, and staying up-to-date in the industry, you can turn obstacles into opportunities. Embrace the learning journey and equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a fulfilling UX career.
Reason one: Lack of experience
It’s tough to get your first job without experience, but it’s tough to get experience without your first job.
How to solve: Work on real problems. You can overcome this catch-22 situation by solving real challenges for real people. Think of family, friends, or non-profit organizations that could use your help.
Reason two: High competition
There are many open positions for intermediate and senior levels, but far fewer junior opportunities.
How to solve: Focus on the right skills. The easiest way to get your foot in the door is by mastering UI skills and slowly developing your UX mindset. Building a solid foundation in UI can open up entry-level opportunities.
Reason three: Lackluster portfolios
Single-screen designs, irrelevant projects, and redesigns no one asked for are portfolio red flags.
How to solve: Learn how to stand out. Employers and clients want to see evidence of relevant skills and experience presented in a concise but memorable way. Show how you solve real problems and bring value.
Reason four: Lack of clarity
Many beginners confuse UX, UI, and product design roles and processes.
How to solve: Don’t skip the basics. Understand the differences between UX, UI, and Product design, and how they impact each other. A solid grasp of these fundamentals will set you apart.
Reason five: Diverse skills required
UX requires proficiency in a broad range of skills, and it can feel overwhelming to master them all quickly.
How to solve: Prioritize your learning. Focus on the craft and soft skills that will help you execute project plans and create visually appealing products. Prioritization will make the learning process manageable.
Reason six: Evolving industry
UX is a rapidly evolving field, and staying current with trends, technologies, and best practices can be challenging.
How to solve: Never stop growing. Continuous learning is essential. Fall in love with learning because each new project, audience, and problem will demand fresh insights and solutions.
Conclusion
Getting into UX is hard, but it’s far from impossible. By addressing challenges like gaining experience, improving portfolios, and staying up-to-date in the industry, you can turn obstacles into opportunities. Embrace the learning journey and equip yourself with the skills and knowledge to thrive in a fulfilling UX career.
If you aren't following us on Instagram already, you're seriously missing out! Become a part of our ever-growing community and learn something new from the field of product design every. single. day.
Happy designing! 🥳
andrija & supercharge design team
If you aren't following us on Instagram already, you're seriously missing out! Become a part of our ever-growing community and learn something new from the field of product design every. single. day.
Happy designing! 🥳
andrija & supercharge design team
