UX Designers are an integral part of organizations, who conduct user research, prepare the UX copy, and finally sell the design solution. So, if you have zeal for technology, creativity, and curiosity about computer software then you are heading on the right path. But, there are a lot more important things about this designation and this guide will help you with that. Easily customise and design your resume with help of these handful of resume templates.
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Job Duties of a UX Designer
The position of a UX Designer calls for an analytical and creative mind that is capable of comprehending user needs and solving their problems instantly. They are responsible for curating interactive programs using different forms of digital and web media that eventually amplify customer experience. There are several other indispensable duties that professionals in this category have to undertake as a part of their routine tasks. Some of these are:
Planning and performing user research and competitor analysis
Collaborating with product team to decipher research questions
Working closely with developers and other designers to develop an intuitive, user-friendly software
Conducting user surveys and interviews for interpreting data and qualitative feedback
Creating prototypes and wireframes based on customer requirements
Upgrading user experience by generating coherent navigation via different digital programs and interfaces in the organization
UX Designer Median Salaries
According to the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics, the web development and digital designing professionals, including UX Designers, earn a median salary of $73,760 annually. Further, UX Planet, a web designing platform, based on the different position levels has given the following details of the average salary of a UX Designer in the USA.
Freshers or candidates with less than a year of experience get paid $62,558.
Aspirants with experience between 1-4 years earn approximately $71, 258.
Mid level Senior UX Designers with 5-9 years experience earn $83, 519.
Senior UX designers with 10-19 years of career span obtain a salary of $94,893.
Top Skills for UX Designers
According to CNN, UX Designer is one of the best jobs in the USA. So, if you’re looking to enter this field, the competition can be tough. But if you possess the right skills, there’s nothing that can stop you from getting hired.
Now, if you’re wondering what all to mention in your resume, here’s a complete list that will help you:
- Excellence at wireframing and prototyping: If you want to thrive long in the UX domain, gaining expertise at wireframing and prototyping is a must. This is because prototyping is an ideal way to test the functionality of design prior to getting built by developers. SImilarly, wireframing offers designers a clear view of a project before the creative phase gets executed. In this way, you can examine problems beforehand and stop any delay in projects.
- UX writing acumen: A flawless word play and finesse in programming go hand in hand. So creating great content is another important duty for this role. Renowned brands like Apple, Netflix, Google, and Spotify profoundly showcase UX writing on their websites for better user experience.
- Keen researcher of the field: The area of UX designing is as deep as the ocean. Every new day brings something new and innovative into the world of websites and customer requirements. If you want to thrive in the long haul amidst such developments, you have to be a deep researcher in intrinsic backgrounds like cognitive psychology and computer science.
- UX trend awareness: To keep up with the competition in this field, get in touch with experiences of users, evolve with changes, and use new technology in your designing career. For instance, Figma has come up with new features that facilitate remote collaboration. Similarly, Pixelmator has recently been updated with machine-learning features and GPU-powered image editing. Without being aware of these developments, you would lag behind in your career.
- Empathetic Attitude: A successful UX Designer is one who perfectly comprehends the needs and taste of consumers. In fact, UX means the experience that users have on a company’s website. So, decipher their exact requirements, it’s crucial to step into their shoes, understand their inclinations, and curate products or services that seem engaging and helpful to them.
- Team Player: UX designing calls for fluency in areas like coding, designing, project management, making good marketing strategies, or dealing with clients.Team work helps you to complete different types of tasks and meet your targets on time. Therefore, to lead a successful career in UX designing, it’s crucial that you demonstrate your exceptional qualities of collaboration and interpersonal skills in the resume.
Educational Requirements for UX Designers
It is not mandatory to have a bachelor degree for pursuing a job opportunity in UX designing. You can instead go for bootcamping programs, which will give you a flexible learning structure and hands-on experience in prototyping and testing ideas.
Having a college degree is however helpful as it develops your thinking in this particular discipline. You can choose among varied verticals, including computer science, design, and psychology. Glendale Community College and Carnegie Mellon University offer quality courses like BA in visual design and BA of Science in Human Computer Interaction respectively. Similarly, the California State University at Fullerton and Bentley University’s User Experience Center offer full-time certificate programs in User Experience and Customer-Centered Design. As the job demands you to build websites, a basic understanding of coding languages like SQL or JavaScript can also help you.
Certification
Enrol yourself into a UX Certification program if you want to learn UX skills and bring finesse into their dimensions. The Nielsen Norman Group has designed one such exhaustive program, which requires you to attend any of the five courses at UX Conference, pass an exam for each course that you undertake, and then finally obtain the certificate. You may either participate in all the courses and exams together at one UX Conference or first earn your credits and then fulfill the remaining requirements in a future conference.
The Human Factors International offers certifications like Certified Usability Analyst (CUA), Certified User Experience Analyst (CXA), and Certified Digital Persuasion Analyst (CDPA) for aspiring UX designers. Once you acquire any of these, you will obtain mastery in critical UX skills, gain credibility as an advanced UX professional, and be flooded with opportunities in this background.
UX Designer Resume-Writing Tips
Recruiters are always in search of skillful candidates. Now you know the required skills, you know about the job duties, all you need is an outstanding resume to flaunt your skills in front of recruiters. Here are some tips to help you with that.
- Arrange the skills masterfully: Although this may seem an obvious tip, every technology related skill counts here. So keep one section dedicated to your skills in your resume. Don't just tip toe over it but try to elaborate it a bit. If you have worked on some assignments or projects related to any of these skills, brief about them. From precise explanation of skills recruiters get the idea that you are not just bragging about your skills.
Create your resume by keeping a different set of skills in mind. Give equal preference to both technical skills like graphic designing or content writing and soft skills like innovative thinking or time management. - Make smart use of keywords to hetch the Applicant Tracking System: Multinational enterprises and IT Companies use Applicant Tracking System to hire candidates in UX Designing roles. The use of ATS synchronises the process of hiring by directly scanning the candidate's resume. But, if your resume won't have right keywords chances are ATS won't pass it. Even before reaching the destination of HR's desk your resume will return empty handed
The simplest way to incorporate keywords is to use them from the job description itself. Read the roles, duties, and skills carefully on the company’s website and place the same words in your resume. Remember you are looking for a job in one of the most creative technical departments, so in your case it gets essential to pass this technical gateway. Some essential keywords used in UX designing are prototype, researching, UX Writing, and coding. - Remember - Over designing is a big No: It’s understandable that the position of UX Designer is highly creative, interactive, and engaging. But don't overload your resume with all those things. Why? Because in an attempt to prepare a creative resume that stands out to others, you might use extra colors or fancy designs that will only annoy recruiters.
The best thing to do is keeping your resume precise yet detail oriented. Keep it limited to one page. Because at the end of the day, what matters most is your skills and experience related to the UX Designer role. - Show the good user interface: Let your resume become the product. Since you are applying for one of a highly creative and detail oriented jobs, from typefaces to fonts to colours every single detailing matters. So, play smart to enhance user experience for the readers of your resume.
FAQ
How is UX different from a UI?
UI is an abbreviated form of User Interface, which means the process when a user navigates the products and services in a particular app or on a website. While UX means User experience. The term ‘user experience’ covers the overall feelings of users while windowing the site or wall. User interface is a technical term whereas user experience is a combination of both technical and psychological aspects.
From a scope point of view UX has a wider scope than UI. UX can be considered as the whole department on the other hand UI is a significant section of that department.
Which industries are more likely to hire UX Designers?
The scope of UX Designing is far flung. According to The Conversation, an online media platform, they are required in organisations related to financial services, manufacturing enterprises, and banks. Software development companies, telecommunications firms also have ample employment opportunities for UX designing personnels. There's also a high demand for UX designers in educational institutes as well. Institutes, colleges, training centres are always in search of creative minds who can teach other creative minds.