UI design is an attractive career path not only because of its unique combination of art, design, and technology but also because it’s one of the highest-paying creative fields. 

Since UI design jobs are mostly within tech and IT departments, the booming tech salaries boost UI Designers’ income compared to many other purely visual jobs. Because of this, the competition for jobs can be fierce, especially for beginners.

In this chapter, we’re going to go through topics that are relevant to starting a career in UI design: education, landing your first job, freelance versus employment, possible career paths, and earning potential.

7.1. Education

Most UI designers learn design through one or a combination of formal education and self-taught. 

Formal education is most commonly referred to as university degrees and other institutional certifications acknowledged by the industry to meet a certain quality standard and to follow an educational plan.

Self-taught, on the other hand, is learning through for example reading books and articles on your own, watching YouTube tutorials, taking online courses, private mentorship, and self-practicing. 

Self-teaching may not follow a rigid educational plan but allows for more practical courses of action. There are pros and cons for each, which may be important to know before you decide on how to invest your time and money. 

7.1.1 Formal education

Formal education is a structured and systematic way of learning, often helping up to certain standards. Most common examples or university programs and diplomas that are recognized by others. 

These educational paths follow a certain curriculum, have dedicated mentors and teachers, and end with receiving formal certifications or degrees.

Pros of formal education

Credential/Signaling 

Achieving degrees, diplomas, and certifications may seem unnecessary if you can learn the knowledge on your own. But the truth is that most likely, having formal certifications can affect your status and “personal branding”. 

Formal and recognized education can be status boosters and give you immediate credibility among those who recognize it. 

Even if a company or the person hiring doesn’t have formal education as a strict criterion, a degree or certification still signals to others that you have the skills and intelligence needed.

For some companies, an official university degree in a relevant subject is even a strict criterion. This is more common with bigger companies that get hundreds or even thousands of applicants, and choose to filter away candidates based on degrees. 

If you don’t have a degree, it may not matter how good you are or how much experience you have for these companies. So, if you plan on landing a job at a big company known for prioritizing formal education, you would do well to get one yourself.

Network and friends 

Studying at a university or other type of institution with classmates and teachers whom you get to know throughout your education gives you a valuable network.

From your network of professional peers, you may find yourself receiving work opportunities you otherwise would have missed. 

In addition, studying together with people who have similar interests and career goals is a great way to make lifelong friends or even find a partner. You’ll easily connect based on shared experiences, memories, as well as interests.

Motivation

Studying in a learning environment such as an educational institute and being surrounded by others learning the same things and who are struggling with the same challenges can be motivating.

Our environment, both physical and the people we are surrounded by and their behavior, affects us. It can be much easier to stay focused, disciplined, and work towards your goals when you are surrounded by others with a similar mindset.

Specialist technical knowledge

The level of specialist technical knowledge acquired from formal education can be a unique advantage depending on your goals.

You might not need a Ph.D. in human-technology interaction to get a junior role as a UI Designer. But if you want to come up with incredibly innovative product ideas and designs, a Ph.D. might give you specialist knowledge that is very hard to come by through only self-studying. 

Standard

Most formal educational programs have a set standard that students need to meet to pass courses or get degrees. This standard can make sure that you learn what you need to learn. It can also be beneficial in the way that others may judge your skills through it.

Cons of formal education

Costs

Formal education is often expensive, both the education in itself and the living costs and missed-opportunity costs. The costs may not always be worth it in terms of lost earnings per year compared to potential earnings over life, based on your age and current financial situation.

Sacrifices

You may also need to make sacrifices in terms of geographical location, giving up current jobs or careers, and even relationships.

The slow pace of learning

If you are a very fast learner, formal education may hinder the speed of your learning and force you to go slower than you can. Most teaching is standardized to fit the average student, but if you are more ambitious, passionate, and driven than that, it may instead drag you down.

7.1.2 Self-taught

Among UI Designers, many are fully, or partially, self-taught. This is because UI design is still a fairly new discipline, and it takes time for new techniques and practices to get established in academia and then taught. 

Frankly, UI design is a skill you certainly can learn on your own, even if the credentials of a formal education can help. If you feel that you would rather self-study, by all means, do it!

Methods

Self-learning can be achieved through means such as

• reading relevant books and articles
• watching tutorials and lectures online
• taking online courses
• learning from doing
• looking up curriculums for formal degrees and courses, and following them on your own

Most people who decide to teach themselves do it for a real passion, which propels them to learn faster and more eagerly. It can also save you a lot of money, and allow you to tailor your education to your interests.

For recommendations on books to read, see Chapter 10.1

Pros of being self-taught

Cheaper

Self-studying is often cheaper, and could even be free. It’s something you can do on the side as you have a full-time income from something else. 

This can provide safety and fit better for those who have financial obligations that are difficult to get away from.

Freedom & variety

Being self-taught also creates more freedom in what areas of knowledge you want to explore, and what types of information and projects you choose to engage in. It also isn’t tied to a certain geographical area or specific people.

Real-world application

Being self-taught can result in learning more practical skills and real-world applications, compared to formal theoretical education such as university degrees. 

Cons of being self-taught

Learning the wrong things

Being self-taught requires knowledge about knowing what you need to learn, and how to learn it in the best way. When there’s no one to guide you, you may accidentally miss important lessons or skip boring parts that would be beneficial for you to learn.

May take longer

Learning without proper teachers and mentors may take longer since you may not know the most efficient way of studying, and you also may lack motivation and discipline.

Knowledge may not be recognized

Being entirely self-taught doesn’t lead to any official certifications or degrees that are recognized by other people. This can be a struggle in the beginning and you may need to prove your skills and knowledge in other ways.

May automatically be filtered from application processes 

Unfortunately, some companies will use software programs to automatically filter away all applications without formal education on their resume. This can be a huge disadvantage in getting your first job.

7.2. How to Land Your First Job

There are many ways to land your first job. The most common way is to reach out to companies yourself, by applying for jobs. Another way is to attract companies and clients to reach out to you, through a personal website, and social media presence, and establish yourself as an expert.

As a beginner, you will most likely be the one who reaches out to companies, persuading them to give you a chance. When you get more experienced and build up your reputation, you can market yourself to attract others to come to you.

My biggest recommendation to you on your first job is to approach it with the attitude of an apprentice. You are there to learn, develop, and gain experience. Don’t be afraid to learn from others, perhaps find a mentor, and be willing to try new things and be helpful.

7.2.1. Portfolio

Before all else, as mentioned earlier, create a good portfolio that showcases your projects, skills, and earlier experiences. You’ll need this. 

It’s through your portfolio that potential employers, clients, and colleagues can get proof of your actual skills and competencies, no matter if you have a formal education or not.

Read more about creating a portfolio in Chapter 7.2.1.

7.2.2. Job websites

There are many websites and social media sites such as LinkedIn and Indeed where companies and potential clients post available jobs. Through browsing these, you can apply by sending your CV and portfolio along with a personal letter. 

Some design positions precisely mention “Junior” in the title or description, which means that they are looking for someone who doesn’t have much experience yet. This is probably the type of position you’d want to apply to as a beginner.

However, do not be intimidated by job descriptions. Job descriptions are descriptions of the ideal candidate, but ideals are not the same as reality. Many people have landed jobs without hitting all the criteria. 

As long as you have confidence in your skills, and know how to teach yourself what you need to learn, apply for the positions that interest you. The worst that can happen is that you get ignored or get a no – which is a natural part of the job search anyway.

Popular websites to find UI design work:

• LinkedIn
• Indeed
• Angel.co (Startup jobs)
• Weworkremotely.com (Remote jobs)
• Dribbble (Design jobs & freelance projects)
• Upwork (Freelance projects)
• Fiverr (Freelance projects)
• Toptal (Freelance projects)

7.2.3. Networking

Networking is another word for the connections you have and people with whom you are familiar. In your network of people, some may be able to assist you in landing your first job.

This can for example be a former teacher with ties to the industries, or a friend of a friend who works at a company that’s currently hiring UI designers.

Networking can also mean going to meetups or other networking events, where the purpose is to gather those who seek services and those who can offer them. 

Another modern way of making professional connections is to use social media such as Instagram to connect and get to know other designers. They may share job tips or openings at their companies before they get posted on job sites such as LinkedIn where the competition is higher.

7.2.4. Internships

In most skilled professions, internships have been a popular way to learn, and it’s the same with UI design. Internships are positions at organizations, often time-limited, and that offer practical work experience related to one’s career och study interests.

Apart from gaining work experience, one can make valuable connections, develop soft skills, and gain insight into how a business or industry works.
If you are unable to find a paying job, starting with internships can be a great way to build up skills and experience until you can find paid work. However, if you are at a level where you know you can create good things, don’t shy away from applying to paid junior positions as well, where you will also learn, as well as get paid.

7.2.5. Consultant companies

Many graduates find their first jobs through consultant companies that have a great network of companies seeking to hire. Through them, you can relax while they find you work. 

However, the drawback is that consultancy companies often get a percentage of what you’re earning. It’s up to you if you think it’s worth it.

7.2.6. Social media

You can use social media to tell the world “Here I am, this is what I can do, approach me if you want to create something together” – It’s a great tool for mass communication and outreach. 

You don’t need to use your personal social media accounts to advertise your design skills. Many, if not most, choose to create separate professional accounts to showcase their design skills and to connect with others who do the same. 

Creating separate professional and personal accounts can also be a great way to use social media tailored to your personal or professional interests, without needing to share too much personal information with strangers and future colleagues.

Facebook

On Facebook, for example, there are many groups centered around UI design and work opportunities within UI design. You can post about your situation there and make yourself available, and if you’re lucky, someone who’s hiring may see you. 

Instagram

On Instagram, you can create a new profile specifically for UI design work, where you can share your designs, processes, and what you’ve learned, and build a following. There are hashtags you can use such as #uidesign, that you can use to make your posts appear to those who are interested in them. 

Being seen, getting attention, and recognition for your design work and personality can lead to unforeseeable benefits. It may lead to someone finding you who needs your expertise or may lead to someone being extra interested in you in a job interview.

By following lots of other designers who have an active following, commenting, and engaging with the community, you may also stumble upon new opportunities and make new friends.

Gaining a following

Furthermore, if you are a talented visual designer, who posts a lot of your projects online and has knowledge of social media marketing, there’s a high chance that you can gain a decent following. This is what many refer to as creating a personal brand as a creative professional.

Having many followers on your professional accounts can signal a social acknowledgment of your skills to potential employers, and either provide you with job opportunities or help you in the application process. 

Do note that the number of followers of course does not accurately reflect a designer’s true value and that many highly talented designers do not even have social media accounts. But there is no denying that in this modern digitalized world we live in, those who can utilize social media to their advantage can gain a lot from doing so.

7.2.7. Personal website

Building a personal website or blog centered around UI design is a long game, but it is invaluable once you’ve succeeded. 

A successful personal design website can draw in an unlimited amount of job offers and freelance opportunities as well as other valuable human connections.

However, it often takes a long time and requires you to know how to create your website, design it, create content, work on SEO content, and so on. All of these, however, are skills that make you even more valuable as a designer.

7.2.8. For self-taught designers

As a self-taught designer landing your first job without a formal degree or meeting all requirements takes a bit of audacity. You must be willing and have the confidence to convince an employer to take a chance on you and to believe in your competence and ability to learn. 

Without a certification or formal diploma, you need to prove your knowledge and value in other ways. Take special care in creating a great portfolio and document your project and design process well. 

If you can show in your portfolio that you have studied enough to know the theory, methodology, processes, and tools, then you don’t need formal papers to prove it.

Having a strong social media presence or network of credible people who can vouch for you can also be extra beneficial since it can provide the social credibility that formal education otherwise offers. 

You may also need to exaggerate your skills a bit, as said by the famous quote “Fake it until you make it”. However, do be careful doing this since you might not want to outright lie and get a bad reputation for it.

But if you truly do believe that you have what it takes to do a great job and that you are capable of learning and contributing with what you say that you can, then don’t undersell your value.

7.2.9. Start small

Truth is, it is much easier to land your first job working for a small, local, and growing company, compared to one of the world’s biggest and most prestigious ones. 

If your main aim is to learn, it doesn’t matter exactly where you learn first, as long as you develop your skills. You will learn a lot either way. It’s more important to get your foot in the door first than to wait years for your big break.

The advantage of big companies is that they may have set up proper mentorship programs and systems for developing skills. This can be very beneficial but is by no means the only way to develop skills fast and properly – “Where there is a will, there is a way”.

Although there are current norms, systems, and ways careers often take form – you also have the opportunity to do it your own way. And even though some traditional paths may be more recommended, who is to say that those are the most fun, enjoyable, or fruitful ways? Things are constantly changing, and you are a free agent who can pave your path in the world.

Once you have gained some experience, you’ll have an easier time landing a position at a more prestigious organization anyway, if that is your goal.

7.3. Employment vs Freelance

One of the great aspects of being a digital designer is the freedom it can allow. UI Designers can find various work that allows for flexibility, remote work, and good pay – both in the forms of employment as well as through independent contracting. 

There is of course a lot of competition among the top-paid, most flexible, and most enjoyable occupations or projects, especially since companies can source designers globally. With experience, your opportunities of landing better opportunities will increase – however, it may not be as easy in the beginning.

For that reason, I recommend beginners first get employment at a company for a few years to gain the necessary experience, insight, and soft skills needed. Being a valuable designer is more than just being able to create mockups, it’s much more about social skills and business thinking.

By first working as an employed designer, you can learn from more senior designers, as well as develop important people skills and learn about the ins and outs of product development and how businesses function. 

As a freelance designer, your design skills may even come secondary to your skills as a marketer, your branding, your social skills, your negotiation skills, and your ability to present and argue for your case. These skills are necessary to find stable, lucrative, and good freelance projects.

What type of employment works best for you, depends on your unique personality and skills. Some people do not thrive in ordinary employment with too little freedom, and others cannot handle the uncertainty of freelancing. 

Multiple skill sets

If you are a creative professional who works within multiple fields such as writing, design, photography, and programming, freelancing might be for you. 

If you have a wide variety of skills, you can take on 3-4 different projects simultaneously, in different fields. This might be more stimulating for multifaceted professionals.

For those who aspire to become self-employed independent designers, knowing a variety of skills is also greatly beneficial. Developing specific niche skills (think of the “T-shaped” designer) in combination with that, is even smarter.

Further, the success of a product or business is a combination of many different aspects not limited to UI Design. 

Other important skills are marketing, graphic design, content creation, copywriting, UX Design, development, and the right visions. It is clear that the more knowledge and skills one has, the more one can contribute.

7.3.1. Employment

There are many different forms of design teams and ways various companies work with UI design, which will influence what you learn and which skills you develop first.

In-house

Working in-house means that you are employed at a specific company, most often working with one product or chain of products. For example, being employed in-house at Spotify means that you work as a designer for Spotify and their products.

The pros of being employed in-house are that it allows you to dive into a product for a long period – perhaps years, and get to know the market, business, users, product, and processes. 

It’s a great way to start your career because you learn the ins and outs of how business and product development work.

Working in-house also has the benefit of teaching you how to work in interdisciplinary teams, how to work in iterations, and how product management and processes work. 

Many times, the pace of work for an in-house designer is calmer, depending on the company’s maturity. Deadlines may be set internally and the company’s income may not depend on deadlines being met on time. 

You may also have bigger opportunities to perform a variety of work tasks as an in-house designer, which can be beneficial for trying out different things. This is especially common if you are the sole designer at a company.

However, being the sole designer of a company as a beginner comes with its challenges. You may for example not get a proper mentor or mentorship program at work, which can hinder your growth. 

In such a case, I’d advise you to seek mentorship and design feedback from senior designers outside the company.

Agency

An agency takes up work from various clients, similar to how a freelancer works, but in a larger business. 

The pros of working at an agency are that there is more variety in the projects you get to work on, which can be a great eye-opener for a beginner. 

You may also get to learn how to work with real deadlines and get to learn how to deal with client-facing projects, which are all valuable skills.

However, working at an agency may also be more stressful since you may not be working with a particular product or cross-functional team for a longer period. You may also not fully get insight into how product development works.

7.3.2. Freelance

Being a freelancer means being self-employed and essentially running your own business. 

Freelancing involves not only creating designs, but also marketing your skills, finding new clients, being able to negotiate pay, chasing after payments (occasionally), and financial responsibilities.

Before making the jump to freelancing full-time, ask yourself if you are willing and able to run your own business. Only you can know what your personality is best fitted for. 

The smartest way may also be to start freelancing on the side while keeping employment if you are unsure. You can then increasingly move over to self-employment while still having the safety of an ordinary job. 

Remember to check in your job contract first though, if you are allowed to take on freelance work on the side as some companies forbid it.

Pros

Most freelancers have more to say about where, when, and how they work, meaning more freedom and flexibility than being employed. In many cases, freelancing also means being able to charge higher rates.

Freelancing allows you to focus your career trajectory on the particular industry, niche, or region you want to build a professional network and credentials. You also can build a portfolio of work more fitting to your interests.

Cons

Being self-employed comes with more responsibilities. You are responsible for bringing in clients and income, paying taxes, doing all the paperwork, or hiring someone to. You are responsible for your own pension savings, health insurance, and invoicing.

However, all of those things can either be learned or you can hire someone to help you perform those responsibilities. But you must be willing to learn to navigate those tasks in one way or another, or it won’t be easy.

Freelancing also means possibly higher risks of being without income for periods. But even as an employed designer, you can get fired and have trouble finding new work. 

So, it’s a question of your ability to market yourself and your skills. Therefore, the most valuable skill to learn as an independent professional is business skills.

7.4. Career Paths

UI Designers have many possible career paths in front of them, and since it is a multidisciplinary field, one can also choose to pivot into other related areas.

Within UI design, you can choose to specialize in specific skills such as creating Design Systems, working with micro-interactions, and illustrations, or designing for specific types of devices such as mobile apps or TV apps. 

You could also broaden your scope and become more of a generalist or product designer, and seek roles as a UX/UI designer or UI developer. 

You could also aim to leave practical UI design work entirely, and become a team lead and project manager, dealing more with the entire design and development process.

As the tech field is still ever-changing, every couple of months or years new career paths take form. This means that you don’t have to be defined by specific titles, but can invent your own.

If you choose to pursue a lifestyle of continuous learning, education, and acquiring new skills, you will find yourself naturally developing in a variety of directions. From a position of experience and a wide range of skills and experiences, you’ll know even better which path to follow.

You do not have to feel tied to the identity of being a UI Designer, you can see it as a stepping stone to gaining the experiences and skills you need to create good things. After all, titles are just arbitrary, but your abilities are what’s valuable.

7.5. How much do UI Designers earn?

No matter if you are going into UI design for passion or money, it’s always smart to be aware of how the market looks like.  

However, it is worth mentioning that the market salary for UI design varies by country, region, and local industry.

To find out which type of design work pays more, you can use services such as Glassdoor and Payscale. You can use this information to decide which specializations you want to niche down on, as well as utilize it for salary negotiations.

In general, the more experience you have the more you will get paid. In addition, the more unique but sought-after skillsets you have, the more you can get paid. 

Currently, programmers get slightly higher than designers in tech, which leads to coding as a skill that can increase your earnings as a designer.

More responsibility often also leads to higher pay, which means that after a few years of experience, you could aim to become a design lead, manager, or director which typically pays more.

In general, you could also earn more by becoming an independent consultant or freelancer, setting your own rates. There is no real limit to how much you can work and earn, compared to how there often is a ceiling to salaries in employment.

If you choose this path in order to earn more, focus on your marketing skills, personal brand as an independent creative professional, as well as your network and reputation. All those things will help tremendously.

7.5.1. Passion vs money

One of the most classic questions in regard to career choices follows: Should you go after what you enjoy the most or what pays the most? 

The right answer to that question depends on your personality and your values. What do you think would make you happiest overall? 

To enjoy what you’re doing for work every day, with perhaps less money for materialistic consumptions and other experiences, or to not enjoy your days as much, but with more money to spend?

This question is more difficult if you’re deciding between wildly different career choices with a wildly different income range. 

However, when it comes to deciding which niche or specialization to go for within UI design, the question becomes easier.

Even if there is a pay difference between UI Designers leaning towards either visual design, UX research, or front-end development, the difference won’t be big enough to drastically change your lifestyle.

If you do something you are truly passionate about or have a natural tendency towards, chances are that you will become good at it. 

If you get great at something, chances are that you will be able to earn a lot of money from doing it.

Extremely skilled, talented, and passionate UI Designers in whichever specialization, are generally paid more than someone who is only mediocre or below average in another specialization. 

So, it follows that it would be smart to specialize in whichever area you are most passionate about and talented in.

However, if you are not passionate about anything in particular, nor have any natural talents in any specific direction, then it makes more sense to go after what pays more. 

Note, however, that skills in sales, marketing, networking, and social competence may in the end be more important determinators of your income and ability to earn than any specialization. 

7.6. Confidence & Imposter Syndrome

Many young professionals struggle with the feeling of being inadequate to do the job one is hired for – even if there are no outside indicators of that. This phenomenon is called experiencing imposter syndrome. 

Both junior and senior designers can experience imposter syndrome, and some may experience it their entire professional career. Some tips may help you get rid of, or at least soothe this feeling.

Develop trust 

Some people may experience imposter syndrome without any reason to – even if they are fully adequate to do the job. So, one way to help the situation is to develop trust that the people who hired you to do the job have done so for good reasons.

You have been given the chance to work with design since the people who have hired you have judged your character, education, and skills as proficient enough to do the work. Trust that.

You may also need to work on developing trust that the education, courses, books, and tutorials you’ve learned from have taught you what you need to know. In addition, trust your ability to learn, develop, and think. What you don’t know, you can learn.

Develop your skills

However, if you are a beginner and your bad confidence is based on the fact that you don’t have the skills you need to have, then the solution is simply to work on building strength in the areas you know you lack.

Spend time to reflect on which areas you are most insecure about, and why. Then, invest time and energy to improve your skills and knowledge in those areas. 

For example, improve your skills and knowledge by educating yourself further, reading relevant books and articles, and asking more senior designers for tips.

A healthy dose of humbleness is good, and it is good to know your limitations and weaknesses. However, going around with constant stress and anxiousness about your abilities will affect your mental state negatively. So, don’t be afraid to talk about it with others and reach out for help and support if you need it.