Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Nicola Rushton

Things I wish I knew when I was starting out.

2018 will be the year that marks my first decade as a designer. Wow… crazy. Sometimes I still feel like a junior designer, but when I look back on myself ten years ago, I can see just how much I’ve learned.

I want to share with you some of the things I’ve learned over the years. As it turns out, many are not so much about design, per say, as about mindset and attitude.

Throw yourself in the deep end.

Take on challenges you’re not sure you’re ready for. This is the fastest way to grow exponentially. Cultivate your sense of comfort when you’re outside of your comfort zone. If you feel like you know exactly what you’re doing, then in my opinion, it’s time to keep moving.

Related: Fake it till you make it.

Applying for jobs you’re only 50% qualified for is totally okay. The laundry lists on job descriptions are sometimes mind-boggling, even to the people currently doing that job.

A great trick is to change your title on LinkedIn to what you want to be doing next. Inhabit your next step. Telling someone “I’m an author with my first book being released next year,” buys you more credibility than, “I’m working on a book”. Same story, different angle. Both are true.

Take big jumps in your life. You’ll be okay.

by Tyler Gross

Don’t be so afraid of self promotion.

When you do good work, you have to show it to people!

I made the mistake of not showing my work too much, out of a desire to be very humble. Being humble is great, but know too that it’s a good idea to share what you’re doing with as many people as you can. Good things will come of doing this. You’ll get feedback, which will make you better. You’ll be motivated to keep going. Like-minded people will reach out to you, and doors will open.

This is also important to think about when you put together your resume. Tell your story in the best light you can. Try this template.

Always ask for feedback.

Some useful stock phrases you should memorise and bring out as frequently as possible:
How do you think that went?
Do you have any advice for me?
I’d love your feedback, could I do anything better next time?
How am I coming across to you?

Establish a growth mindset and you’ll start to see constructive feedback for what it is — one of the best gifts someone can ever give you.

Find mentors.

I didn’t start finding mentors until I was 5+ years into my career. Once I started asking people for help all the time, my learning became much more focused and productive.

Find people who are ahead of you — in experience and wisdom — and ask them for help. “I’d love to connect with you and have a chat.” People who are not famous but who are ahead of you in one way or another will almost always be very happy to spend time with you. You’re acknowledging their wisdom — of course they like it.

Also: almost everyone you meet can be your mentor on something. I guarantee that everyone you know has something they’re an expert in that you don’t know about yet. Your friend from school? She’s a marketing expert now. Your housemate? Recruiter.Your Uber driver? He’s setting up his own company. Ask them about what they know about. Take these opportunities to learn.

by Meg

Leadership doesn’t have to come with a title.

Leadership is organising things, making things happen for your team and other people, being a support for those in your team who need it.

Leadership is letting people know they can talk to you and can rely on you to listen with empathy.

Leadership is taking on responsibilities for the good of the group. Leadership is standing up for what’s right. You can do these things no matter what your official title is.

Volunteering brings good things.

I volunteered as the designer of Tertangala magazine during university. I didn’t get paid, but in the end those hundreds of hours of experience put me ahead of my cohort, meaning I was the one who got an internship when others didn’t.

I volunteered to run Tech Talks and I met so many amazing people and ended up building a network of designers in Sydney that has become really important to me. I made friends, mentors, and found one new hire.

Even when I got burned volunteering, I learned a really valuable lesson: choose your collaborators well.

I would always recommend volunteering to young designers. I never know exactly what good will come of it, but I trust that good will come of it.

Don’t be self-deprecating at work.

Make this your rule right now. I don’t mind if you’re self-deprecating at home, but at work, practise not doing that. As a former nerd who got picked on when I did too well in school, I still actively practise this skill.

When you know what you’re talking about, don’t shy away from it.

By the same token, it’s okay to not know something. People respect when you admit it. “I’ll have to come back to you on that one.”
“I’m actually not sure. I think we should explore that.”
“I don’t have a good answer to that, does anyone else have thoughts?”

You’re not expected to have all the answers off the top of your head at all times. You don’t need to feel bad about it when you don’t, and people will respect you more for admitting when you don’t know something.

Don’t accept terrible workplaces.

It took me a solid 5 jobs to find one that felt like a good place to work. You don’t just have to accept workplaces that make you depressed. There are places where people communicate with each other. There are places where everyone is equal. There are places where the work is fun and the people are nice.

Keep looking. Keep striving for a good life for yourself. Plan your goals, be mindful of what it is that you want, and work towards it. (Try this workshop.)

And lastly… always be kind!

by Pedro Piccinini

What do you think? What advice can you give to your younger self — or to me? Reach out on twitter. I’d love to chat.

Advice to a junior designer was originally published in Prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

Advice to a junior designer

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