My Journey from Recruitment to UX Design — Seven years in

Note: This was originally posted in June 2024 on Medium - link to the original article here

Now, here we are with an update on my journey within the world of UX. I must admit… I’m a little greyer, a little wider, and a lot wiser.

“So Richard, how’s life been since you last wrote in 2019?”

Back then, I was a junior UX designer at Paddy Power Betfair in London. Today, I’m a senior UX designer at JD Group in Manchester — well, Bury, but nobody’s heard of Bury. Along the way, I’ve developed skills in UI, Research, and Writing. The market has changed, and I’ve had to adapt with it.

Where You Learn

Learning in an incredible environment with strong design leadership was crucial for me and I couldn’t have picked a better place to do that than Paddy Power Betfair.

The environment allowed for me as a junior designer to make mistakes but with a culture of learning from them, rather than worrying and feeling the need to cover them up.

I also had the privilege of hosting an event for aspiring juniors, helping others on a similar journey to mine. It was an incredible day filled with talks on topics like “What is and what isn’t a UX Designer?” and “How do we fit into an organisation?” to “Listening to the customer and the pitfalls of UX.” We also engaged in practical tasks such as card sorting and journey mapping.

Who You Learn From

In my early career at Paddy Power Betfair, I had solid mentors. Leon Copeland, an amazing senior, and Kho Vi, a fellow junior, along with wider teams in multiple countries, provided invaluable support. This led to opportunities to visit Paddy Power Betfair offices in Romania, Dublin, Porto, and Edinburgh, broadening my perspective and skills.

I’ve also realised that resilience, a key skill picked up in recruitment, has helped me in my UX career. Initially, I believed that all businesses would have perfectly set-up product teams, clear roadmaps, etc., but that’s not always the case. Developing resilience to handle challenging projects and manage difficult situations has been essential.

Projects

I’ve worked on a variety of projects, including regulatory compliance, My Account features, e-commerce journeys, Apple Pay integration, and iOS/Android apps. Some projects went amazingly well, while others were challenging.

I wish I could say that experience always ensures projects come to fruition, but there are still moments when you invest your heart and soul into a project, only to have the business turn around and say, “no.” It can be disheartening and makes you question everything you’ve put into your work, but it’s key to remember that it’s never personal and a business will change its mind for a variety of unforeseen reasons.

Your Network

Having reliable people to lean on is crucial. It’s a strange quirk of the UX career path, but sometimes you can doubt whether you have the right skills. A solid network keeps you on track, providing support and guidance when needed.

I’ve always found the UX community to be a very welcoming and encouraging crowd.

Giving Back

The event for aspiring juniors was a passion project for me, and I’m forever grateful for the opportunity I was provided by Joel Newman and the rest of the design team for their support. Unfortunately, COVID-19 prevented us from holding a second event, and by the time things settled, many key players had moved on from Paddy Power Betfair. However, it’s something I would love to do again in the future.

Me on the morning of the UX Taster event for aspiring junior UXers

Mentoring

I have a real passion for mentoring, which I’ve actively pursued at JD Sports. I was helped by my senior UX designer at Paddy Power Betfair and believe it’s part of the “circle of life” (cue music) to pass on what I’ve learned to less experienced designers. I love helping someone with their design and seeing the penny drop when they notice something they may have missed.

Passing the knowledge on

Final Thoughts

Reflecting on my journey from recruitment to UX design, I realise how far I’ve come and how much there is still to learn. The transition was challenging, but the support from mentors, diverse project experiences, and the vibrant UX community made it achievable and rewarding. As I look forward to the next phase of my career, I remain committed to learning, sharing, and growing within this ever-evolving field.

My Goals for the Next Year

• Attend more networking events to expand my professional connections.

• Enhance my mentoring skills by actively supporting junior designers.

• Speak at at least one industry event to share my insights and experiences.

• Host another UX taster event to engage and educate others about user experience design.

Thank you for following my journey. Here’s to many more years of growth, learning, and contributing to the world of UX design.