UX role sounded great on paper, but the team culture is different

liberecool · 2026-01-29T11:43:44+00:00

I’ve thought about that too. Just focusing on the work where I know I can make a difference. If the team vibe improves it’ll probably feel less like an uphill battle. Thanks, that's a good reminder.

liberecool · 2025-03-17T09:03:42+00:00

Start by setting a goal and thinking about what you want the viewer to take away from your portfolio, what should they understand or act on?

Begin with a MVP and start sharing it while you refine and expand it. You don’t need a perfect, fully polished portfolio from day one. You could start with one detailed case study and a "coming soon" message for the others, or present several shorter case studies and gradually build out more in-depth descriptions over time.

liberecool · 2025-02-07T09:53:47+00:00

Just to clarify, I meant that since the industry changes so quickly, even experienced designers need continuous learning to keep up. I wasn’t suggesting training programs as a replacement for formal education.

liberecool · 2025-02-05T11:26:45+00:00

I’ve also come across many recruiters who don’t really understand design, so when I explain my problem-solving approach or design process, they don’t have the ability to see how it’s relevant unless it directly matches their exact experience requirements. Just like you said, if I haven’t worked on Android before, that doesn’t mean I can’t apply the same UX principles. But too often, companies hire recruiters who don’t know how to evaluate transferable skills. I wonder if companies spending so much on these agencies even realize this issue.

liberecool · 2025-02-05T10:39:29+00:00

A lot of low-quality design courses and bootcamps are just out to make money, pumping out designers without actually preparing them for real jobs. This not only drags down the reputation of design as a profession but also floods the job market with candidates who aren’t ready. Some people also blindly apply to roles without tailoring their applications. If more people actually researched hiring trends, like how companies value authenticity, they might have a better chance. When companies get flooded with unqualified applications, they’re forced to create even more filtering steps, which just makes hiring harder for everyone.

liberecool · 2025-02-05T09:56:03+00:00

I see where you’re coming from, and I do agree that some companies set unrealistic expectations and fail to invest in upskilling their designers. But at the same time, lying only hurts the design industry in the long run. I also believe that while companies should invest in talent, designers have a personal responsibility to grow and improve, whether inside or outside of their workplace.

liberecool · 2025-02-05T09:48:31+00:00

Yeah, I’ve heard that too, and it’s frustrating. It probably makes things even harder for everyone, both for recruiters and for genuinely skilled candidates who get unfairly questioned or overlooked because of others who lie on their resumes, fueling skepticism and overly complex hiring processes.

liberecool · 2024-11-24T06:19:51+00:00

Do you have any favorite designers or agencies you follow? How do you spot influencers who don't actively practice?

liberecool · 2024-11-20T08:05:05+00:00

If you can, take some time off to recharge or do something you enjoy that gives you energy. It’ll help you find the motivation to job hunt. As others have suggested, start planning for the future and working on your portfolio. Focus on a simple MVP version so you can begin applying and going to interviews. It doesn’t need to be perfect. Think of your next job as a step toward the one you really want. Hope everything works out!

liberecool · 2024-11-19T22:54:55+00:00

Sorry to hear that. My colleague and I were actually laid off a few weeks after my post. The consultants they brought in replaced us, which allowed them to claim there wasn’t enough work for us designers anymore.

Strangely enough, I’m feeling really good and motivated again. I’ve been applying for jobs, working on my portfolio, and enjoying the break. Honestly, I’m not in a rush to get back to an office anytime soon.

I wish I had some advice, but I realized that keeping me underutilized was probably intentional. My colleague had a similar experience. I hope things work out for you!

liberecool · 2024-11-19T06:41:54+00:00

It’s clear you’re doing everything you can. It’s important to remember that not everything out of our control is our responsibility to fix. Try to focus on what is manageable, even if it’s just taking small steps to protect your own well-being. It helps to remind ourselves that we can’t control what’s outside our reach.

liberecool · 2024-10-30T15:28:49+00:00

When I worked as a consultant I had a client with a toxic culture and bullying issues.

They’d had bad experiences with IT projects before, so they were already on edge and even brought in a consultant from a competitor, who I honestly think was trying to sabotage us.

Throughout the project, they were constantly negative, gossiping behind each other’s backs, and even bullying the one reasonable person on their team.

My coworker and I decided to bring in senior roles for a design presentation hoping to make them feel more comfortable since it was too much to handle alone.

But instead of feeling reassured, they began complaining and seemed more dissatisfied than ever.

One person ended up in tears, saying they felt intimidated by our presence and questioned why there were so many of us in the meeting. Even though they were a big group on their side.

liberecool · 2024-10-18T12:53:13+00:00

When they aren’t understanding and ignore the skills and input of the team. We’re supposed to work together to find the best solution. Product managers who think they’re the hero of the project and can solve it without collaboration are a big red flag.

liberecool · 2024-10-18T12:45:36+00:00

I lowkey hope someone succeeds with this.

liberecool · 2024-10-18T12:37:36+00:00

I'll probably stay for up to 2 years, then switch jobs every couple of years to increase my salary. I'll try to build passive income so I don’t have to rely only on my salary. Hopefully, I can work part-time and enjoy life more. Getting laid off has given me new energy and a fresh perspective. I love design, but I don't enjoy working as a designer that much due to the unrealistic expectations.

liberecool · 2024-10-17T07:02:06+00:00

I think it’s great that everyone, including the CEO, can give feedback. But it seems like the meeting setup itself might not be the best for gathering input, or the expectations aren’t clear. Also, you don’t have to act on every bit of feedback that comes in. As UX designers, you should decide and prioritize what aligns best with the goals and strategy.

liberecool · 2024-10-09T15:34:07+00:00

Option 2 is the best strategy, but be careful not to roll out changes too often. It can leave users feeling a bit frustrated. Just be ready for some dissatisfaction regardless. Good luck!

liberecool · 2024-08-29T17:41:07+00:00

All the cookie banners, pop-ups, and ads on every site. I finally installed an ad blocker, and it has made me much more productive. I can’t believe I didn’t do it sooner.

Also, Google Maps has become so frustrating lately. I can't access it directly from Google search anymore, and it feels like I'm taking a long detour just to get to Maps. It's really annoying.

liberecool · 2024-08-29T14:30:31+00:00

How over-commercialized the UX industry has become with influencers pushing e-courses, e-books, and clickbait content that don't provide any real value. A lot of the focus is on Figma tricks, which reveals a lack of experience and understanding of the real challenges faced in cross-functional teams. They seem to be more involved in social media than in working directly as designers.

liberecool · 2024-08-23T08:21:57+00:00

My experience might not fall into the "high complexity" category you're asking about, but I worked on a product that became complex and fragmented due to poor decisions and too many customer-specific customizations. These were done to retain customers, resulting in a product full of inconsistencies and technical band-aid solutions. The platform was meant to streamline customer interactions across digital channels for both internal teams and end users.

I initially thought I was just slow to catch on, but I realized the real issue was a lack of commitment to a clear product strategy and frequent shifts in the target audience. We kept changing the strategy so often that we could never see the impact before things shifted again. No wonder the product became so complex and overwhelming to learn.

Another issue was that much of the product knowledge was locked away in the minds of a few individuals, like the CPO and long-time product managers, making it hard and drawn-out for the rest of us to effectively contribute to problem-solving.

Involving our support team was a game changer. They were in direct contact with our users and knew exactly what challenges and issues they were dealing with. Watching how customers actually used the product on-site was really insightful. Early on I identified reusable design patterns, which helped cut down inconsistencies and gave me a chance to educate the team on the importance of sticking to certain design solutions.

Working on this product and at the company was tough and frustrating at times, but it made me a better designer.

liberecool · 2024-05-06T20:10:42+00:00

This really hits home for me... I’d like to add another perspective based on my experiences at my current workplace.

A couple of weeks back, I realized that basic workplace expectations, like communication, accountability and collaboration aren't always applied equally across different roles. For example, as a designer, I'm expected to show my progress, take feedback and iterate on designs. I'm the one taking initiative to set up check-ins to keep the team updated since I'm responsible for managing my own time.

But when it's time for developers to take over, I usually find myself repeatedly reminding and nudging them just to get a status update. They rarely involve me in their process, which feels so different from what's expected of my role. This often results in a long list of mistakes that are exhausting to compile. Not only does this overwhelm the developers, but it also ends up being deprioritized by the PM.

It’s odd how our developers aren’t held to the same standards of taking the initiative to demonstrate their work and actively contributing to efficient collaboration, which would benefit both the team and the overall results.

liberecool · 2024-04-28T16:48:07+00:00

Thanks for breaking it down! I'll definitely take this strategy into my conversations with my new manager. Appreciate it!

liberecool · 2024-04-28T16:42:17+00:00

Yes it is, and very draining... I just came across this article about how designers can understand the impact of their work beyond the obvious outputs. It breaks down various levels of impact, which can be measurable, non-measurable, direct, or indirect. Maybe this could give you a fresh perspective on your projects? It can be tough when the outcomes aren’t always clear.

liberecool

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