Published on | Prototyping: From UX to Front End — Medium Laurah Mwirichia

If You Love Something, Let It Go.

A while ago I wrote an article titled, “Why I’m leaving UX….For Now” with the full intention of walking away from the field for a while. As a self taught UX designer, I struggled with knowing how to go forward, and establish myself as a growing designer. I kept applying for jobs and getting the usual, “Thanks but no thanks” email, maybe a phone screening — but really not much more. It was demoralizing. It was embarrassing. And I started to feel like all the work wasn’t worth it.

When I took the time to re-evaluate I realized that maybe UX design is like being in a relationship. Maybe the more you chase after something, the less likely it will want to come to you. I realized that I decided to give up, not on UX, but on chasing things that obviously didn’t want to manifest themselves to me.

So I stopped writing and reading about UX for a while, didn’t update my blog, and just generally stopped and took a break from doing UX work. I decided to believe that the work I had put in for the last year would be enough to help me orient myself.

I resolved to find my own sense of purpose, outside the world of design. To really evaluate what it was I loved about being a designer, and doing design work. I started doing the things that I believed UX would bring me, to find out exactly what UX design meant to me.

What I found is that UX is about making the world an easier place to navigate, and a less frustrating place to exist in. User experience isn’t just cool new animations for an app. It’s not that ‘neat bouncy thing’ that happens when you scroll down the page too far. It’s the honest understanding that you’re here to try and make the world a better, more friendly place to live. And sometimes, when you’re busy learning, it’s easy to forget that.

What I found is that UX is about making the world an easier place to navigate, and a less frustrating place to exist in.

So how did doing all this land my my job interview? Maybe it was timing. Maybe it was the fact that I wasn’t forcing the path anymore. Maybe I’m just saying some yoga-sounding hippie words like “finding my truth” or “accepting my journey.”

Now, I just finished a second interview with company to be their UX writer. However, whether I get the job or not is surprisingly, not my biggest concern. I know I put in the work, I know I have the passion for UX and a love of writing. I know that the last year has been spent learning and growing in every direction, but that I still have a long way to go if I want to become a UX writer. If I don’t get the job it may be another year or two years before I land my first UX job. It might only be 2 months. Who knows?

Good things take time, and if you know you’ve worked hard, sometimes it’s important to take a step back from the rejection, take a moment to go back to the drawing board. I’m not saying you should give up. Do not quit. Carve out another path. Work on the things that you love and care about and that help you get better, without constantly focusing on how far away you are from your goals. And when you’re ready, come back to it. UX design is here to stay. So take your own path to the ‘finish line.’ You’ll get there when you get there.

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How Leaving UX Landed Me My First UX Interview was originally published in Prototypr on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.

How Leaving UX Landed Me My First UX Interview

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