Tips for Job Hunting in Design

I’ve been talking to a lot of candidates who tell me they’ve been applying to 100+ jobs on LinkedIn and Indeed but aren’t hearing back. The success rate from just applying online is low today. The competition is tough, with hundreds of applicants for each role. The last time I landed a role through LinkedIn applications was in 2017. Over the last 4 years, every opportunity I’ve had came through referrals, recruiters reaching out to me, or connecting directly with someone at the company. If you’re going to apply, look outside of LinkedIn too. I still use LinkedIn but as a tool to research hiring managers or recruiters, not just to send messages. I’ve never relied on InMails. I find other ways to connect instead. Even as a recruiter myself, I’ve received 100+ messages at times and couldn’t possibly respond to them all. That’s why thoughtful, genuine connections matter so much more than mass messaging. If you’re job hunting, here are some strategies that have worked for me and others in my network: -Referrals make all the difference. If you can connect with someone at the company, even just for an introduction, it can go a long way. - Slack communities are a great resource. Channels like Online Geniuses (marketing), RevGenius (sales), HackingHR (HR), The Designership (Design), Tech Ladies, and RemotelyWeWork often have job boards or strong networking opportunities. - Explore platforms specific to your industry. AngelList for startups, BuiltIn for tech and marketing roles, and Reddit/Twitter can help if you’re engaging with the right people. I actually recruited writers on Reddit in my last role. - Tailor your outreach (especially if you're sending Linkedin message). If you’re in a creative field, sharing a portfolio, or even a small project can really make you stand out. To my network: If you’ve had success finding roles recently, what’s worked for you? Feel free to share.

Sometimes a little creativity is exactly what we need to jumpstart our remote job search. "Our portfolio matters more than our resume." This insight transformed everything for my client Mark, a designer who’d been applying to remote roles for 3 months with zero responses. The traditional approach wasn't working: ❌ Generic portfolio ❌ Spray and pray applications ❌ Standard resume submissions ❌ Waiting for responses ❌ Following up only about application status Here's the exact strategy Mark used to land his dream remote role: ✅ 1 // He studied 25 job descriptions from top companies like Shopify, Stripe, and Figma. ✅ 2 // Created targeted portfolio pieces solving real problems ✅ 3 // Built a mobile-first portfolio website optimized for busy hiring managers ✅ 4 // Connected with creative directors on LinkedIn who viewed his work ✅ 5 // Used his portfolio analytics to time his follow-up messages The results? 📈 5 new interview requests in 3 weeks and 3 offers (all full remote). But the biggest lesson? It wasn't about having the perfect portfolio. It was about having the right portfolio for the right audience. Question - What else would you have added to Mark’s job search strategy? Question 2 - On a scale of 1 to 5, how’s your current job search going? How can we help? — 📌 Want more help? Join the “Escape the Cubicle” Newsletter with weekly tips on how to… …level up your remote career, grow & monetize on LinkedIn, and work from anywhere. Scroll to the top of this post and click “Subscribe to Newsletter” to join 30,000+ subscribers. ☝🏻 I’m giving away my professional resume template to all new subscribers this week. 🙏 Here’s to us growing together, Wes #jobsearchtips #careercoach #businesscoach 🎥 @bouboudesign_

The job search these days is not as simple as just applying for a role. Unfortunately there are several other steps that have become a “requirement.” Following this steps will increase your chances, but sadly I can’t guarantee that this will always help you land that role (I wish!) Here's 4 steps I’d highly encourage you add into your job search process 1️⃣ Network Whether you do this in person or online, connecting with other individuals in the industry is a helpful step. Look for Designers in roles or companies you are interested in. Reach out to them to learn from them. DO NOT ASK FOR A JOB. Yes, that was intentionally in all caps. This step is not to ask a stranger for a job, but rather to create a relationship with them to help you get one in the future. 2️⃣ Tailor application A big part of the job search is understanding if you are a good culture fit. Meaning, they are interested to see if you would meld well for the team. I call this out, since I believe it’s vital to show your passions and interests. So tailoring each application slightly not only allows for you to show these connections to your life, but also show the level of effort you put into the application. 3️⃣ Be strategic about role Playing the numbers game is not an effective method. On the other hand, being strategic about the industries you want to do UX within is. Pick 2-3 areas that interest you and connect to your passions. Find 30 companies within those areas that are new to you and that you would be interested to work at. Look at their websites to see if you they have any openings and apply! This way, even though you still are applying to a number of roles, each one will relate to an area you already are interested in. 4️⃣ Continue to learn and practice your skill sets The field is constantly changing and growing so you should be too! Find new projects, either client or passion, to work on. Practice the skills that you struggle with or areas you just learned about. This way, you have enough to showcase on your portfolio but also you stay actively practicing! If your on the job search right now, let me know in the comments which number you are missing out on!