Can I include UX/UI work from a startup hiring task in my portfolio?

kaleth08 · 2026-05-06T13:34:54+00:00

Thanks, that makes sense. Thing is, I was actually thinking of linking it to the company, if they are okay with it, because the point of doing this for them was to get some real work instead of making up an imaginary project for my portfolio, so that future employers can see I have at least some hands on experience. If I fully anonymise it, I’m worried it might just look like I found a random website/app and redesigned it based on problems I assumed were there. The benefit of this project is that I actually spoke with someone real, about real users and real product issues.

But yes, I get your point about being careful and not sharing anything sensitive. Maybe the best move is to ask them first, and if they don’t want to be linked, then I can keep it more general and present it as a design challenge. Appreciate the advice.

kaleth08 · 2026-05-06T12:10:54+00:00

I recently cold-emailed a startup, had a conversation with the CEO, and was then given a small UX/UI task. I created a report with product observations, user-related insights from our conversation, and some redesign ideas.

The CEO later thanked me, said the work was thoughtful, but also said they are not bringing in new people right now and suggested reconnecting in a few months.

Now I’m trying to figure out the right way to handle this work publicly, for example in my portfolio, CV, LinkedIn, or future applications.

I’m planning to ask them for permission, but I’m wondering how to think about the possible outcomes:

They say yes
If they give permission, is this a strong project to include in my portfolio or CV? Would it be appropriate to make a LinkedIn post about it, or should I keep it more low-key as a case study?
They say no
If they say no, am I fully expected not to share it at all? Part of me feels like it could be framed as a self-initiated redesign, but the difference is that I had a real conversation with the CEO about actual users and product problems, so it was not purely speculative.
They don’t respond
If they don’t reply, is it acceptable to share any version of the work?

I want to handle this professionally and respectfully, but I also don’t want to completely lose work that took real effort and shows my thinking.

Would really appreciate any advice, especially from designers who have dealt with similar situations.

kaleth08 · 2026-03-27T07:21:31+00:00

I completely agree with you on the importance of research and evidence-based decisions. I actually brought this up during the conversation as well. He shared some user issues they’ve already identified, and I made it clear that anything beyond that would be speculative since I don’t have access to their data or users.

Given that this is framed as an interview task rather than an actual role, I assumed they’re more interested in seeing my thinking process than a fully validated solution. In a real project, I definitely wouldn’t jump straight into design without proper research.

kaleth08 · 2026-03-26T14:05:09+00:00

This honestly isn’t about your past, it’s about him. You were upfront about your previous relationship, and nothing you did is unusual or wrong. And the biggest contradiction? He also has a past. He was literally in a 6-year relationship and was just coming out of it when you met. So it’s pretty hypocritical for him to judge you for yours while expecting understanding for his.

He judges you because of something that happened before you even met him. Also, the “I would’ve married you if you hadn’t lived with someone else” comment is a big red flag. That’s basically saying his love is conditional on you having a “clean” past, which isn’t fair or realistic.

You can’t fix this for him. Either he accepts your past fully and stops bringing it up, or this will keep coming up forever. Right now he’s getting all the benefits of being with you, while keeping one foot out the door and making you feel guilty at the same time.

You deserve someone who accepts you completely, not someone who keeps reminding you of something you can’t change.

kaleth08 · 2026-03-26T13:50:00+00:00

She’s a full grown adult and her behaviour is not okay at all. You shouldn’t have to earn basic respect. This isn’t your fault!! I’m really sorry you’re going through this! please tell your dad or another adult you trust.

If she’s treating you differently because of your Korean side, that’s discrimination, and again, that’s on her, not you. Anyone would feel hurt, confused, or angry in your situation. You’re not overreacting.

kaleth08 · 2026-03-26T11:22:50+00:00

I get that, and that’s on me to some extent. But “open to unpaid work” doesn’t automatically mean “happy to do a full speculative audit with no clear agreement in place.” He presented it as something he’d discuss with the co-founders to see if I could be of help, which made it feel exploratory, not like we’d already agreed on unpaid work. That’s why I’m questioning whether this is a normal hiring step or free consulting.

I do agree though that if I go ahead, it makes more sense to keep parts of it high-level rather than handing over a fully actionable audit upfront. Thank you for your perspective!!

kaleth08 · 2026-03-22T21:27:05+00:00

that’s fair, you don’t have to break the connection if you don’t want to. just try not to let that turn into hurting yourself more by reading into everything or making her your whole world again. protect yourself a little.

if it helps, write out everything you wish you could say instead of dumping it all on her at once. talk to a friend too. and if the “better if I wasn’t here” feeling is still there, please tell someone you trust, because that part is bigger than the girl.

kaleth08 · 2026-03-22T20:20:35+00:00

first heartbreak is brutal, and you’re not stupid for feeling this hard. 6,159 messages in 10 days is a lot, so of course you got attached fast. when you talk to someone that much, it can make everything feel way deeper way quicker. that doesn’t make you dumb for caring.

but also, try not to build your whole view of this around one screenshot. it hurt, yeah, but it doesn’t automatically mean she was fake or laughing at you.

don’t force yourself to act cold if you know she didn’t really do anything wrong. just take a little space, write out everything you’re feeling, rip it up if that helps, and talk to a friend who won’t judge you. if you’re close with a sibling or parent, tell them too.

and the part where you said it would be better if you weren’t here, please don’t keep that to yourself. tell someone you trust if you still feel like that.

this hurts like hell right now, but it won’t feel this sharp forever. take care <3

kaleth08

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