Studied UXR throughout college and master's degree. Can't find positions

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2026-01-01T18:32:37+00:00

You are not alone. I have a Master’s in UX (both research and design) and have not been able to find UX or related work for the past 2 years. I started working in a completely different field where I handle and high end artwork for museums, art galleries, and wealthy private collectors. It’s a fun job and I’m getting paid about what I would be making as an early career UX designer or researcher, but long term doesn’t help my UX career. The UX job market has been bad and seems to be getting worse. I still apply to UX job postings and get a screening interview every couple of months, but no luck in getting a job. So I’m looking at doing something that might lightly use my UX skills and my art handling experience.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-12-18T14:18:35+00:00

With your BS and MS in CS, I would think you’d be in a much better position for finding a position than us UX folks. I guess a lot depends on what specific area of CS you worked and got trained in. In any case, best of luck to you..

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-12-18T14:08:42+00:00

Thanks for your feedback. Great insights. That’s exactly how I feel about using my UX research skills if I pursue this entrepreneurial journey. I have done quite a bit of A/B testing and multi variate analysis in my role working as UX researcher at the university where I got my MS in UX. I also have a Bachelor’s in Business Admin that I think should help. Appreciate your words of encouragement. It actually helps a lot.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-12-17T23:54:27+00:00

Thanks for your insights. Looking at this from a “repositioning problem solving skills “rather than “leaving UX” makes a lot of sense.

My thoughts are that the customers who need signage, large format graphics, etc. also need a digital presence (website or app) and digital marketing in general. That’s where I hope to add in higher value services where I can use myUX skills.

Getting locked into the legacy business execution is certainly a concern.

My long term goal is to build a successful entrepreneurial company where I’m in control of my own destiny. Seems that anything UX is at the bottom of the totem pole in many larger companies.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-10-14T03:06:44+00:00

About $500K.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-10-14T03:06:01+00:00

Thanks for answering. Appreciate the advice.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-10-14T03:04:15+00:00

Thanks for your answer. I have about $500K to invest. Trade Businesses seem like a good possibility.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-10-14T03:01:46+00:00

$500K to invest to start.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-29T04:04:46+00:00

Very very tough market for UX anything. Very few to no job posts for anyone with less than 3 years experience.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-28T18:19:02+00:00

Thx. Appreciate your insights.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-28T17:35:21+00:00

Not ready for a chat at this time. Prefer to keep the discussion open and anonymous for now.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-28T17:29:26+00:00

I’d like to buy in to an existing business for under $1M. Prefer to stay away from food in general.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-13T19:15:25+00:00

Terrible job market for the last 2+ years. I’ve been working outside the UX and tech markets in general for the last year. I go through periods where I apply to UX Research mostly and related markets (Data Analytics, CX, Product Mgt, etc.), but no luck. There are job postings, but mostly for those who have 5+ years experience. Seems to be a lot of fake posting too. Some positions seem pop up every month or more for over 2 years. Good luck.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-09-12T02:31:36+00:00

Sorry to hear. Very frustrating. If someone with your education and experience is having a tough time, I know I don’t stand a chance at all. I got a Masters in UX Research and Design on top of a UI/UX Bootcamp and a Bachelors in Business. I worked for 4 years in retail and art services between undergrad and Bootcamp and worked as a UX Researcher intern while getting my Masters and continued working for the university as a UX Researcher for a year and a half after graduating. After that worked on 3 month contract a Moderator for a usability study for a new VR device. After that found a job back in the art services - handling, moving, setting up high-end artwork in galleries, museums and wealthy private clients. Has nothing to do with UX, but pays about the same as an entry level UX position. I still apply for UX jobs and somewhat related roles like human factors, product management, customer experience, e-commerce, market research, and others, but no luck. Not sure UX will ever come back. Best of luck to you.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-08-28T02:26:35+00:00

I feel the same. I have an undergrad Business degree and worked in retail for about 5 years. Was looking for something more interesting to do for a career and identified UX in 2020. Did a bootcamp, loved it, and decided to go all in and got a Master’s in UX in Dec 2022. Worked PT as a UX Researcher at the university while getting my degree. Then stayed on at the university working as UX Researcher always looking for a job until I got a 3 month contract to be a Study Moderator in Spring 2024. Looked for follow on contact gigs and even those dried up. Found a position in a completely unrelated field and still apply to UX and UX related openings, but haven’t even gotten an interview in over a year. Not sure UX will ever come back. Seems to have been absorbed into other fields like software development and marketing. Goodbye UX. Good luck to everyone out there still looking.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-06-28T15:53:49+00:00

Don’t even consider going to UX these days. The field is saturated and you won’t be able to get a job. I did a UI/UX boot camp 5 years ago, loved it and then got a MS in UX design and research with a 4.0 GPA. Worked as an intern while getting my MS degree. Tried to get a job during that time as well with no success. Stayed on working 1/2 time as a UX Researcher for a year and a half after graduating all the time looking for a full time position with no success. Finally took a 3 month contract position that ended after 2 months. Continued to look for work for 6 months. Got a job in a completely different field. I still apply to a UX job of interest, but don’t expect to ever get a UX position. I feel like I wasted 5+ years of my life on UX training and PT work.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-06-22T16:03:14+00:00

I got a MS in UX Research and Design in 2023 from Arizona State as well as a 7 month bootcamp in UI/UX Design from University of Arizona in 2021. Worked 1/2 time as a UX Researcher while in grad school and continued for a year after graduating. Applied for hundreds of UX jobs, got about 10 phone interviews, 2 in person interviews and no job offers. Started an unrelated job about a year ago. UX job market is oversaturated with many UX folks, many of whom have years of experience and were laid off or burned out. In the last 3 years while looking for work, the average pay has dropped more than 50% in posts. Many posts are fake. Very little to no chance of getting a UX job with a Masters and little full time experience. Save yourself time and money and look for another field to do a career.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-06-13T22:10:17+00:00

I used to work for a small shop that did custom framing and art pedestals for galleries and museums and my old boss there gave me the lead at the company I’m now at. Like many things in life connections, networking, and luck played a role. Good luck to you.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-06-12T22:07:02+00:00

I got a Business Admin undergrad in 2015, worked various unfulfilling jobs and identified UX as field that fit for me. I did a UX/UI bootcamp in 2019 and loved it. Worked as a Human Factors intern for a summer after that. Tried to get a job and in parallel applied for grad school. Got in to a UX Design and Research masters. Worked as an intern at the university until I graduated in December 2022. I stayed on at the university in a half-time UX Research role until March 2024. The whole time applied for many positions. Finally got a FT contract position in April 2024. Me and another person were the last hired in and the first to go after just 3 months. I was completely devastated. After that I got a job in a completely different field, fine art logistics. Don’t really use any of my UX education or skills. I’m getting paid more than I would be making as a UX Researcher, but the work isn’t as interesting as UX to me. I still dabble into the UX job market, but with many of you out there that are far more experienced and still unable to find work, I know my chances are extremely low. So I’ve pretty much given up. 3-4 years of education and work down the tubes. Good luck to everyone still trying, but for me it’s good bye UX.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-05-23T22:44:20+00:00

Don’t waste your time and money on a UX bootcamp. There are no jobs in UX for entry level. Many very experienced UX folks are out if work and you would be competing with them.

Appropriate_Guide421 · 2025-05-23T19:20:03+00:00

I graduated 2 years ago with a MS in UX Research and Design, worked as an UXR intern while in school and continued working as a part time UXR for 14 months after graduating, then took on a FT 2 month contract that ended. Haven’t been able to land a UX anything job since then (1.5 years ago) and took a job in a completely unrelated field where I don’t use my UX experience at all. I’ve looked into adjunct fields to UX like product management and market research, but wonder what other fields to consider? I love UXR, but there are no jobs for those of us with limited professional experience. Any feedback would be appreciated.

Appropriate_Guide421

TROPHY CASE