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Ashley Ruba

Aug 18 • 9 tweets • 3 min read

I love being a UX Researcher. It’s a great career option for social science phds who love research.

And looks like the word is out! Lots of phd students have asked how to best prep to get a UX job.

Well friends, here’s a thread of my best advice #AltAcChats: 1/

1. Get some qual research experience.

UX research is qual heavy (usability studies, interviews, fieldwork, diary studies). Having experience in 1+ of these methods gives you a big advantage. Quant UX roles exist, but they aren’t as common. Aim to be mixed-methods at least. 2/

2. Internships, internships, internships.

Do an internship! This will give you experience with UX (experience is the biggest thing that will help you get a UX job) & determine whether you really like this work. Also, interns sometimes get fulltime job offers after graduation. 3/

3. Don’t do a post-doc.

My post-doc didn’t help me get a UX job at all. If anything, it made it harder (it’s easier to get a UX job as a new grad than as someone who is 2+ years post graduation). Plus, consider all the income you’ll lose as an underpaid post-doc 🥲 4/

4. Get on LinkedIn.

I don’t love LinkedIn, but it’s so important for networking, which is critical to getting a UX job. Make a profile & connect with other UX researchers. Your network will help you with job referrals down the line. And recruiters can more easily find you! 5/

@BeyondProf

5. Start making a resume.

When you network with UX folx, ask if you can see their resumes. Model yours after theirs. A resume is not a CV - it’s a wholly different thing. @BeyondProf has great resources for making a resume. You’ll need a tailored resume for UX jobs. 6/

6. Start making a research portfolio.

Ideally, this will have projects from your UX internship, but you can also put in academic research projects. Lots of resources exist for making a UX portfolio. The key here: shorter is better. This isn’t an academic research paper! 7/

7. Realize that you’re ahead of the game!

You’re still in grad school & prepping for UX jobs?? That’s awesome! Many folx (like me) are moving into UX after many (often painful) years in academia, but not you.

Take a deep breath. You got this! 💪🏻 Just gotta finish that diss 😉

And if you’ve made it this far and are wondering “what is UX anyway?” check this out:

coursera.org/articles/what-…

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More from @ashleyruba

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Aug 17

A year ago, I went on the academic job market for the first (and last) time. It was a process that pushed my anxiety to its limit. I’m so glad I never have to do it again.

Here are a few things I wish I had really internalized before I applied: 1/

1. Academia is not a meritocracy.

Your CV may be amazing, but that doesn’t matter. You may get shortlisted, but then you are subject to the whims of a hiring committee. Who knows what they will care about in any given year! Don’t ever get your hopes up about a job. 2/

2. If you’re geographically restricted, you probably won’t get an offer.

Since hiring decisions are random (& biased), you need to apply to as many places as possible. Not willing to live in >50% of states cause you’re a queer person with a uterus? Guess you won’t be a prof! 3/

Read 7 tweets

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Aug 1

@AltAcChats

Have you sent networking messages, only to be met with silence? I receive messages every day from folx about UX - I try to respond to everyone, but it’s hard.

Here are some tips to make sure that your messages are read & receive a response: 1/

#AltAcChats @AltAcChats

1) Understand that people are busy.

I get 5+ messages daily - I’d love to have 30min zoom chats with everyone, but I can’t (I have a full time job & I don’t work nights or weekends).

If you can ask your questions in a message, that’s a much lower barrier for a response! 2/

2) Ask specific questions.

“Can you tell me about your UX job?” is really vague. What do you want to know?

What information will tell you whether this job is a good fit for you? Do you want to know about the interview, or how this job differs from academia? Be specific! 3/

Read 6 tweets

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Jul 29

Overall, I had a really positive PhD experience. Now that I’ve reached 10k followers (!), I’m ready to share my secret:

You must choose an advisor who be kind and not toxic for 5+ years. Oh, and you need decide this based on a few hours of interviews. Don’t pick wrong! 1/

Your grad school advisor is the decider of whether your experience is fun/bearable or absolutely awful.

It doesn’t matter how great you are. I’ve seen many brilliant grad students just absolutely broken by toxic advisors. Several of them never finished their PhD. 2/

But a kind advisor, they will make the experience good (or at least bearable).

In 5 years, my advisor never belittled me. She never asked for work on nights/weekends. I never felt overworked or undervalued. I moved through all my milestones without pushback. It was great. 3/

Read 9 tweets

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Apr 29

Curious about careers outside of academia? Feeling sad, scared, & lost? Have no idea where to start?

I was there! Thankfully, I put my #firstgen skills to work & found the info I needed.

Here are my fav resources that helped me move on from academia & secure an alt-ac job! 1/

@BeyondProf

@BeyondProf has so many resources. I've attended their webinars, gone to their career conference, & read so many articles on their website.

They recommend spending the first months of your job search just exploring - what careers interest you most?

beyondprof.com/upcoming-event… 2/

@ProfessorIsIn

@ProfessorIsIn has a great book, podcast, and blog. There is also a facebook support group for those looking for careers outside academia, in case you need some mutual support (there are 21k members currently - you are not alone!)

facebook.com/groups/profess… 3/

Read 7 tweets

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Mar 24

So you're going to do a PhD! Yay! Here's my best advice:

1) Don't work nights/weekends unless you have a hard deadline. Work 40hrs, no more. My most cherished grad school experiences were hanging out with my friends. Do not waste your youth providing unpaid labor. Don't do it!!

2) Explore alt-ac jobs. Do an industry internship . Not only will you learn about the kinds of careers you like, but you will also have industry experience for your resume. I said no to an internship opportunity in grad school, and I regret it now! Do not commit to being a prof.

3) Go to therapy (if you can afford it). Seriously. I was in therapy for my last four years of grad school, and WOW. I was able to manage the stress of grad school & process previous trauma/grief to become a happier person. One of the best decisions I've made.

Read 7 tweets

Ashley Ruba

@ashleyruba

Jan 24

I've thought about how to write this tweet for a few weeks now. But I don't have anything clever so here it is:

I'm leaving academia.

1/

For the past decade, I've thought about being a professor. Everyone told me that I could do it. Everyone told me that I would be great at it.

Very few people (including myself) asked if this was the career that *I* wanted.

2/

Last month, I finally asked myself. And it was clear that I did not want this career. Why?

I want to live near my family in NC. I want work-life balance without crushing guilt. I want to do work that has a clear impact.

And, I want to be happy. Right now, I am not happy.

3/

Read 8 tweets

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