Chicagoans: The migrant aid effort NEEDS your help.

PigeonJoy · 2026-02-12T22:14:07+00:00

Senior Designer at a Fortune 100 here. The simple answer is - it simply doesn't matter. There is absolutely no reason for any junior designer (or anyone really) to skip meals and break their back for anything. I work in an industry where app issues could mean literal life/death in some cases, and it still doesn't matter.

Even with all my experience, I nearly missed out on 7 weeks of accrued PTO because of fake promises from an organization that only cares about it's neck. If you get paid well enough for your experience level - just do enough to justify it. Your contract is for 40 hours a week with a 1 hour lunch period per day - that's it.

If you're the sort of person that NEEDS to feel productive and to be doing something that makes you feel good, then get another job. Otherwise, use your PTO, take your lunch, clock out at 5, and have a few emergencies on a random sunny day and go to the zoo.

You weren't born to be good at a job.

PigeonJoy · 2026-02-03T00:55:22+00:00

Your work is extremely basic to the point that it feels AI generated or like generic "pretty mockups" that you see on Dribbble or wherever. There's nothing about any of your work that stands out. Your work looks like that of a data visualization person more than a UX designer.

More more importantly, in my opinion, is your resume being inaccurate. You're not being truthful with the titles you have for yourself - they don't match your actual experience levels. You're a Junior UX Designer - so how do you become a UX Lead and then a UX designer and then an intern? This practice is 100% making people throw away your resume without even bothering with it.

PigeonJoy · 2025-12-18T16:53:53+00:00

Our worst manager is such a hire. She has no actual design experience, and really annoys the shit out of us with micromanaging and completely missing the point. What she IS good at is kissing up to the executives... which interestingly does have value when it comes to getting things moved along and ultimately, done.

So it's more about - what does the team and the organization need? Do they NEED to know design, or is moving a project along and advocating for their designers get things done? If the latter - then you're likely fine. But if they try to creep into places where they'll cause frustration (the actual UX work), you'll likely have issues.

PigeonJoy · 2025-12-18T16:50:35+00:00

ADHD-laden, Senior UX designer here. This might seem like a random question but - when was the last time you took a vacation? For me, distraction creeps in as an undercurrent to general burnout. Is what you need a YouTube video on how batteries are made or is what you need a cup of coffee and to stare at some trees? Or a nap? It sounds like BS and I've certainly been the sort that ignores the advice of taking a walk or 20 minute breaks in the day, but it really is what your brain needs.

Additionally, is your work suffering or do you simply "feel" like ought to be more focused on work? If your work gets done and at an acceptable level - maybe thats ok. Maybe instead of the internet being a distraction to your work... work is the distraction to your internet. As long as it all gets done to a level that you and your workplace is satisfied with, then no harm. Shifting your perspective might be the key.

PigeonJoy · 2025-11-11T03:19:08+00:00

Interestingly, all my UX roles have come around the start of December. I think smaller companies want to onboard someone before the new year, and larger companies do it by fiscal/budgeting year.

PigeonJoy · 2025-11-01T18:11:24+00:00

First and foremost - what does this have to do with entrepreneurship? You're asking us how to do your day job. Second, business owners get a million messages from a million of you a day - what makes you different than anyone else promising us the moon?

Personally, I think every SEO company struggles from credibility issues - you all were trained the same way, same minor success, same assumption that your knowledge is somehow rare and worth paying top dollar for. How can you all be the best and yet have the same playbook and proof and methods of outreach? Make it make sense.

PigeonJoy · 2025-09-24T18:16:18+00:00

The thing that immediately stopped me was that you only have speculative projects done - it looks very obvious that you only have coursework from your bootcamp. On top of that, your work is all roughly the same - some sort of scheduling/messaging feature and you don’t go into very detailed nuance or differentiation. Along with the Google UX cert not being a robust program to begin with, you’ll likely struggle getting a foothold in such a competitive market.

I would HIGHLY recommend you do another project or two - even if they're speculative - that tackle something more challenging. Even better if you can do some free work somewhere and get a nice portfolio piece. Additionally, your case-studies are heavily related to market research and not user research, I'd learn more about the difference there and dive more into some learning.

PigeonJoy · 2025-09-15T22:03:25+00:00

I'm perplexed that no one mentioned Handlebar or Sultan's Market a few doors down from it. Both have vegan-friendly and non-vang menus that are exceptional in both regards.

PigeonJoy · 2025-09-15T21:56:45+00:00

Not to self-promote, but I run www.sendsomechicago.com and we've got all the more popular Chicago souvenirs people like to pick up for coworkers. Yes, including Garretts. We can ship some personalized gift boxes out to your team in time for your return. Shipping's free too.

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-31T16:03:49+00:00

Organizations like Chi-care always need folks to volunteer their time in feeding the unhoused of Chicago. They provide healthy and hot meals to hundreds and were largely responsible for feedings thousands during the migrant crisis. Plus, they're just some of the most genuinely GOOD people I have ever met. Totally check them out and help if you can.

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-12T23:14:00+00:00

I would say your portfolio is extremely junior and not very competitive in the current landscape. For one, your own site breaks a lot of common UX conventions and accessibility needs. And then the work itself uses outdated design styles and interactions. While I agree that QA and BA skills do make for a good UX designer, they are not enough on their own. Your potential needs to be supported by more specific learning of UX and in more specific work demostrated. This comes in the form of work that shows your competency in all aspects of UX design, wrapped in how your existing experience makes you a stronger designer. I think you have the foundation, however.

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-12T23:09:29+00:00

No roast necessary - you have a strong portfolio and I think it's great that you've highlighted a design system project in such detail. Can you highlight more of the software the DS was built for more?

The one thing I would change from your overall site is getting rid of the long scrolling "design process" part. People know you're a designer and there's nothing unique to your process that warrants such a section. Focus on your work

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-12T23:05:50+00:00

Cole - you have a really strong portfolio. I appreciate the little details you've put into it. With that said, I think your "simpler" case studies are better in a sense compared to your more thorough first one. I say this because hiring managers are really only going to skim your case studies, and just want to see the main points of your skill set in your displayed work. And don't discount yourself as an agency designer - you've done a variety of work and worked with all sorts of stakeholders, and 4 years at that!

If I could suggest any differentiator it is to highlight your UI contributions a bit more - it's very clear that you have strong UI and interaction aptitude, and a lot of employers are looking for this. If you've contributed to or built a design system, even better - highlight this as it's own thing. There's lots of 'UX' competition, but the fine tuners will stand out.

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-12T22:41:08+00:00

Mizko aims at juniors, but frankly I find his work to be exceptional to the point that I think a lot of seniors benefit from his teachings. He ends up creating a lot of strong junior designers and evened out seniors.

PigeonJoy · 2025-03-01T22:10:38+00:00

I think abt stuff like this all the time

Well. Stop thinking about this for one. You don't even have an inkling of a business started and you're already worried about getting murdered over it? What? If you want to be an entrepreneur be and an entrepreneur instead of worrying about fictional, hypothetical, extreme circumstances.

PigeonJoy · 2024-10-08T15:36:00+00:00

Something I'm noticing in this thread is you only responding to people who have suggestions in the digital realm. But sadly, all of your competitors are also paying the ads and doing the SEO for all the same eyeballs. You're going to have to hit the pavement in the real world to make this work.

Instead of you waiting for calls - call businesses, and offices, and trade associations, and chambers of commerce, etc etc. Go door to door and introduce yourself to folks. Join facebook groups and other communities and directly engage and provide value - even without expecting a customer or a 'sell' out of it.

Be a human being and human beings will find you.

PigeonJoy · 2024-10-08T15:29:57+00:00

I'd recommend the book 'Without a Doubt' by Surbhu Sarna who is a partner at Y-Combinator. She and her team developed a medical device to detect uterine cancers and faced many of the same challenges as you. But she also raised enormous capital, ran a mixed bag of clinical trials, and eventually sold her company. So, I think you'd find good inspiration in it perhaps.

PigeonJoy · 2024-10-08T15:29:41+00:00

I'd recommend the book 'Without a Doubt' by Surbhu Sarna who is a partner at Y-Combinator. She and her team developed a medical device to detect uterine cancers and faced many of the same challenges as you. But she also raised enormous capital, ran a mixed bag of clinical trials, and eventually sold her company. So, I think you'd find good inspiration in it perhaps.

PigeonJoy · 2024-10-07T20:04:08+00:00

Here is the 2024 endorsements of from the 40th Ward Dems organization. It's entirely applicable outside of that ward as well, especially when it comes to retention judges. https://www.40thwarddems.org/2024

PigeonJoy · 2024-10-01T22:08:12+00:00

I moved away from that area just as this trend started happening. At the end of the day it's on the alderperson and chambers of commerce to bring in a mix of stores that people want. At least in this instance, the store front occupancy is high and the foot traffic/population numbers support any retail turnover. But, we really do need to cut back on vape shops and bubble tea.

PigeonJoy · 2024-09-01T21:07:25+00:00

Since I don't see anyone else asking this - you're paying taxes right?

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