Finding culture fit
This post is part of a larger series of posts aimed at helping designers present themselves online. Learn more about “Crafting Your UX Portfolio” here.
Getting a job is more than just a paycheck. You’re going to be spending time — valuable stuff that you’re never getting back — with this job, so it’s important that you think about everything you’ll want to get out of it, including personal growth.
Before you start working on your portfolio, or looking for the next gig, you should spend time thinking about your future. (Seriously, do this.)
Here’s a few questions to ask yourself (when you’ve got a nice cup of coffee and a cozy spot to spend ~30min thinking) to get your thoughts swirling:
- Where am I in my career? Do I know design is where I want to spend the next 10 years, or am I exploring? Am I fresh out of school, or do I feel comfortable in my design practice?
- Am I still learning how to make things (e.g. how to use the tools + techniques)? Or am I comfortable with my toolset?
- What skills do I want to grow in? Visual skills like typography and use of color? Research skills like designing experiments and interviews? Technical skills like prototyping and coding?
- Do I want to spend more time hands-on, contributing individually? Do I feel comfortable mentoring others?
- How involved do I want to be with the business vision? Do I want to worry about things like revenue strategy? Do I want to be responsible for a company’s brand?
Answering these sorts questions will help understand where you’re at, and what sort of work you should find for yourself.
It will also help shape the type of work you should be showing off in your portfolio. If you want to move into a mentoring role, focus on the skills you have to prove you can fit that role. If you want to focus more on brand strategy, show-off work that highlights your strategic chops.
The stereotypical company culture list
Choosing a company is just as important as choosing a role.
Companies differ in more than just size: there are drastic differences in culture, values, and processes. These differences mean that different types of people (in different parts of their lives) will feel much more comfortable in different types of companies.
Let’s explore a few of the common company “stereotypes” that us UX-types are drawn to.
Note: I’ve used the quotes around the word “stereotypes” intentionally. These caricatures are just that — stereotyped patterns of companies you might find. You’ll certainly find much MUCH more out there, but using this list as a base comparison will prove useful.
1. Big Tech company (Apple, Google, Microsoft, Facebook, Amazon)
Big team, more defined role and responsibilities. Amazing design talent you can rub elbows with, great for the resume, usually long-term focused on a specific team/app, a chance to experience an amazing design process that is tried and true at each company, and the chance to touch millions (billions?) of people with your designs.
2. Agency (IDEO, Frog Design, AKQA, local design firms)
Dive into the trenches of applied design by heading to agencies; exposure to so many different types of projects, the thrill of working with a new team for each project, shorter project timelines, tons to learn, at times you have little guidance/direction and are expected to stand on your own. Employee benefits are the norm, and there’s usually opportunity for travel.
- IDEO Design jobs
- Frog Design jobs
- AKQA Design jobs
- Google “Local web design agencies/firms”
3. In-house design team (Disney, Capitol One, Nike)
The cherished in-house team. Usually split between marketing and digital products. Lots of hats to wear between communication design and app design. Potential to evolve the brand from one entrenched in traditional industry to one more comfortable in a digital world. You’re seen as “the expert” and treated as such, but in most cases you have to teach the value of design and the design process. Employee benefits, slower more corporate 9-to-5 lifestyle (although most are catching up to start-up-y flex.)
- Finance: Capitol One Digital jobs
- Entertainment: Disney Digital jobs
- Apparel: Nike Digital jobs
- Government: 18F jobs
- Auto: Tesla jobs
4. Startup (Pinterest, Fitbit, Houzz, Slack)
Fast crazy. Opportunity to work on new technology and be at the cutting edge of tech + design. The culture is almost that of a devoted family that lives and breathes to make it’s dent in the universe.
You could go the popular consumer startup route, or the enterprise startup (which is gaining more popularity with their complex challenges.) Ping-pong-and-beer bro culture is (unfortuantely) typical, but it’s changing. Long hours and quick turn around times may be the norm. Work very closely with your developers, sometimes developing the prototype yourself, depends on the size of the startup. Pay is usually less (sometimes much less) than “market rate”, but you get the chance for prized equity (but don’t let that give you delusions of grandeur.) Mission over money.
Most importantly, you could be wearing the hat of Designer, Product manager, UI developer, and more. You have more flexibility to learn on the job, cause that’s the environment of a startup — everyone is learning on the fly. You have the chance of being involved with the next world-changing company.
5. Freelance
There is so much freelance work out there. You can pick and choose what projects you work with, what your schedule is like, when you take vacation. If you want to do that yoga class at 10am and then work from 11–3pm hang with the family and then continue from 7pm-11pm you can do that. Want more start-up work? Grab it. Want more enterprise work? It’s there. More interdisciplinary service design work? You can find it.
As long as the client’s work is done, and all expectations have been met (or managed properly), the time is yours. It’s a liberating experience!
But it can also be a dark experience, filled with stress, as there’s no assurance of a steady paycheck or employee benefits, and ultimately you hold all responsibility for the success or failure of your relationship. You will have to master both your craft and manage your company.
As a designer, you have many options in where (and how) to work. Decide which you’re looking for before you start, and keep referencing your motivations as you learn about different companies and positions. You will be spending a lot of time with fellow co-workers, working along a path towards a the same goals, so make sure you look for a team that jives with what you need.
Next up, let’s hop into the “Preparing Your Work” section.
We’ll get started with → “You need a portfolio”
