The Design Road Less Traveled: How to Break Out of Conventional UX or Product Design Career Paths
Feeling unexcited or uninspired about the design career options available to you? Maybe it's time to forge your own.
In this article I talk about a few non-conventional design career paths:
The Part-Time Entrepreneur: Balancing Design and Business Ventures
The Part-Time Educator: Sharing Design Knowledge and Expertise
The Content Creator: Turning Design Knowledge into Engaging Content
The Speaker: Inspiring Audiences and Sharing Design Expertise
The Full-Time Entrepreneur: Building a Unique Design Business
The Individual Contributor: Mastering Design Craft and Collaboration
Thinking Outside the Career Box
The world of design is vast and varied, offering numerous opportunities for creative individuals to forge their own unique paths to success. While traditional roles in design are often appealing, some designers seek to venture beyond the beaten path and explore unconventional career options. In this article, I'll uncover eight non-conventional design career paths that cater to different passions, skills, and lifestyles. Each path includes compelling real-world examples to inspire you to chart your own course in the design world.
The Part-Time Entrepreneur: Balancing Design and Business Ventures
As a part-time entrepreneur, you can maintain a full-time design job while working on a project or business part-time. The goal may be to eventually transition to full-time entrepreneurship or simply to enjoy the side venture as an additional source of income or creative outlet.
Steps to take:
Identify a passion project or business idea.
Dedicate a set number of hours each week to work on your project.
Network with other entrepreneurs for support and advice.
Develop a long-term plan for growth and scaling, if desired.
Real-world example:
Jessica Hische, a renowned lettering artist and designer, has successfully balanced her career as a full-time designer with her side projects, including creating fonts and writing a children's book.
The Part-Time Educator: Sharing Design Knowledge and Expertise
For those who enjoy teaching, consider becoming a part-time educator. This path allows you to maintain a full-time design job while sharing your knowledge and expertise through various educational avenues, such as part-time university courses, mentorship, boot camps, or running your own course.
Steps to take:
Determine your preferred teaching format (in-person, online, group, or one-on-one).
Create a curriculum or lesson plan based on your design expertise.
Network with educational institutions or platforms to find teaching opportunities.
Promote your courses through social media and industry events.
Real-world example:
Chris Do, the founder of The Futur, an online education platform for designers, is also an Emmy award-winning designer and CEO of the design studio Blind. Chris has balanced his design career with teaching, both at his platform and as an instructor at the ArtCenter College of Design.
The Advisor: Guiding Startups with Design Expertise
If you enjoy entrepreneurship but don't want to build something of your own due to time constraints or other reasons, consider becoming an advisor. This path allows you to get involved in the startup community by providing valuable product design advice to budding companies.
Steps to take:
Attend startup events and networking opportunities.
Offer your design expertise to startups in need of guidance.
Establish a professional network of startup founders and investors.
Consider offering your advisory services on a freelance basis or as a formal role within a company.
Real-world example:
Julie Zhuo, former VP of Product Design at Facebook, now serves as an advisor for several startups and venture capital firms, sharing her design expertise and experience to help guide their growth and success.
The Content Creator: Turning Design Knowledge into Engaging Content
For designers who enjoy writing, speaking, or creating videos, the content creator path might be ideal. Leverage your design knowledge to create valuable content for others to consume, either part-time or full-time.
Steps to take:
Identify your preferred content format (blog, podcast, video, etc.).
Create a content plan and schedule.
Develop and share your content on relevant platforms.
Engage with your audience and gather feedback to improve your content.
Real-world example:
Charli Marie, a designer and content creator, has built a successful YouTube channel where she shares design tips, tutorials, and insights into her life as a designer. With over 200,000 subscribers, Charli has turned her passion for design and content creation into a thriving online presence.
The Speaker: Inspiring Audiences and Sharing Design Expertise
Extroverted designers may find the speaker path appealing. This option allows you to network, travel, and position yourself as an expert in the field while potentially earning income.
Steps to take:
Develop a compelling presentation on a design topic.
Network with conference organizers and industry professionals.
Submit proposals to speak at conferences and events.
Build your public speaking skills through practice and feedback.
Real-world example:
Mike Monteiro, co-founder and design director of Mule Design, has become a sought-after speaker at design conferences around the world. His engaging talks on design ethics, responsibility, and the business of design have made him an influential voice in the industry.
The Full-Time Entrepreneur: Building a Unique Design Business
The full-time entrepreneur path is the most challenging but can be rewarding for those who want to branch out and work for themselves. This designer is driven by a larger mission or the desire to build something unique.
Steps to take:
Identify a unique business idea or problem to solve.
Develop a comprehensive business plan.
Build a team, if necessary.
Secure funding and resources for your venture.
Launch and grow your business.
Real-world example:
Tina Roth Eisenberg, also known as Swissmiss, is a successful full-time entrepreneur who has founded several design-related businesses, including the popular design blog Swissmiss, the international lecture series CreativeMornings, and the temporary tattoo company Tattly.
The Design Leader: Managing and Mentoring for Success
Design leaders enjoy managing and mentoring others, often combining many of the skills listed above. They may not want to leave traditional employment but possess many entrepreneurial qualities.
Steps to take:
Build management and leadership skills.
Network with other design leaders and professionals.
Seek opportunities for career advancement within your organization.
Share your knowledge and experience with others.
Real-world example:
Mauro Porcini, Chief Design Officer at PepsiCo, has successfully combined his design expertise with leadership and management skills to oversee a large team of designers and drive innovation within the company.
The Individual Contributor: Mastering Design Craft and Collaboration
The individual contributor is a leader who prefers to leave managing to others. They enjoy design work and honing their craft. This designer also has the opportunity to incorporate many of the skills from the other paths to build a successful design career.
Steps to take:
Focus on improving your design skills and staying updated on industry trends.
Seek opportunities to collaborate with other designers and professionals.
Consider specializing in a specific area of design to become an expert.
Share your expertise through speaking engagements, content creation, or mentorship.
Real-world example:
Aaron Draplin, founder of Draplin Design Co., has built a successful career as an individual contributor, working on high-profile projects for clients like Nike, Ford, and the Obama Administration. His passion for design and craftsmanship has made him an influential figure in the industry.
Conclusion
Whatever path you choose, it's important to know what you like and what you don't. Select the path of least resistance, but one that you still find challenging. Remember, there are many opportunities to combine these career paths and add ones that aren't on the list. Embrace your unique skills and interests to carve out a fulfilling and successful design career.