The Design Journal — Page 4
Occasional bad takes, mostly good banter, and a few UX/UI opinions worth keeping.
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I Screened Hundreds of 40-Plus Career Changers. Here's What Actually Worked.
A former technical recruiter breaks down what actually separates the 40-plus career changers who get hired from the ones who get ghosted, drawing on the pivot she made into design herself before 40 ever came into it.
I Lost 70% of My Eyesight From Stress. Here's What I Do Differently Now.
Summer 2023. I woke up and couldn't see out of my left eye. A burnout physical symptom I never saw coming. The doctor said stress. Then I got laid off from the recruiting job I hated. My body sent a message my brain refused to read.
What I Actually Look At in a Portfolio Review
What actually happens in the first two minutes of a portfolio review, from someone who's screened hundreds of them as a recruiter and now builds the case studies herself.
UX Case Studies Are Broken. Here's How to Fix Them in 2026.
Every UX portfolio looks the same. The same Double Diamond. The same process screenshots. The same 'I learned so much.' Here's what hiring managers actually want in 2026 and how to stop blending in.
I Thought My Career Was Broken. Turns Out I'm a Spiral.
Sociology degree. Government PM. Technical recruiter. Product designer. It looked like I couldn't hold down a story. Turns out I'm a spiral career type.
Config in San Francisco: A Designer's Guide to What's Actually Worth Your Time
You're at Config in San Francisco for three days. Here's where to eat, what to walk, and how to find side events that aren't gatekept, from a designer who's done it twice.