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Вікторія ГорбікWork
15 November 2024, 09:00
2024-11-15
What hurts junoir? The story of a sweater-designer who almost, but did not get a job at «Diya», and during a year of searching, registered red flags for employers and refused offers herself
21-year-old Lyudmila Hayduk from Kyiv has been living in Poland for the third year. She decided to change the profession of «Water Supply Engineer», which her parents chose for her, to one that the girl herself likes. Lyudmila chose UI/UX Design.
For another article in the «What hurts junior» column, the designer talked about what led her from engineering to design, what difficulties she faced during the year-long job search, and about the three main cases when she herself refuses offers.
21-year-old Lyudmila Hayduk from Kyiv has been living in Poland for the third year. She decided to change the profession of «Water Supply Engineer», which her parents chose for her, to one that the girl herself likes. Lyudmila chose UI/UX Design.
For another article in the «What hurts junior» column, the designer talked about what led her from engineering to design, what difficulties she faced during the year-long job search, and about the three main cases when she herself refuses offers.
Through engineering to design
After graduating from school, I entered the Kyiv National University of Construction and Architecture to study Water Supply and Drainage Engineering. I don’t like this profession, but then I chose it because my parents said so.
In 2022, due to the war, I moved to Poland. And I decided that it’s time to find myself in a profession that I like. My sister and I lived in Warsaw. It was she, working in the educational Ukrainian courses company Projector, who advised me to choose a course that appeals to me, take it and start working. At that time I was only 19 years old, in my second year of university and the war was on — of course I needed money, but I didn’t know where to get it.
So I began to look at what professions on the market are necessary and relevant, as well as those that, for example, will not be replaced by artificial intelligence (well, at least in the next 5 years). And she also thought: what kind of person am I, what exactly do I like and what benefit can I bring to humanity. It was then that I realized that I wanted creativity, as well as work where a lot of analysis and improvement was required. When visiting various sites, I began to catch myself thinking that this is where I would change the buttons, or add advanced functionality or buttons that would speed up the user’s time on the site. At that time, I did not know that this is exactly the work that a UI/UX designer does. But later this profession interested me.
Moving towards development
UI/UX design seriously interested me, and I started reading a lot and studying information on this topic. But everything I found on the Internet seemed very complicated and incomprehensible. First of all, it was difficult for me to decide which methods or materials from UI/UX design were correct. That’s when I thought it would be great to find a top class with someone who is very well versed in this subject and who can really teach me something. Projector came to mind again, and then I got lucky — the news about the launch of a foundation course in UX design for displaced women in connection with the war. Without thinking, I submitted my application, although I myself did not believe that I would get there. But I passed the selection and was accepted!
In this course, we worked with real customers. I completely immersed myself in work and studies. UI/UX design attracted me so much that I was ready to work even for free. But then, after graduating from the course, it was time to look for a job.
On the way to the dream offer
Along with my studies, I have been doing UI/UX design for about 1.5 years and have been actively looking for a job for almost a year. But, unfortunately, so far I have only encountered private (freelance) orders. I’ve lost count of how many job applications I’ve already submitted and how many tests I’ve taken.
During the job search, a lot of things happened to me: unpaid test work for a week, contemptuous attitude, the desire to hire a person for 5 positions at 2 hryvnias. Once I was even called for an interview at «Diya», but there was a condition — to work only in the office, so I didn’t burn out here either.
Interviews were completely different, some cheap companies don’t care about quality, they only care about money, and it’s very frustrating. The client trusts them, and they hang noodles, pretend to work, and take money for it.
There were interviews where they told me: «We don’t care about your skills, the main thing is that you make presentations according to the template, where you will tell clients what is wrong with their website, IN YOUR OPINION.» This is quackery and inexperience, because before analyzing the site and identifying problems, it is necessary to conduct a number of studies. It is on the basis of accurate data that I can draw conclusions about the site. The same applies to changes to the site — any implementation should be preceded by analyzes and tests that will show how correct the decisions regarding these or other changes will be.
I want to develop professionally and bring to the world a convenient and understandable interface for all people, so that it is not only about a «beautiful picture», but also is understandable for both children and grandmothers. I really like my profession, but unfortunately, everyone wants 5 specialists in one person.
That is why I have already developed three situations in which I myself refuse offers, in particular, when companies:
They want to close 5 positions with one person.
They pay $200 per month for 20 duties.
They give a test like «Make us a site for free».
About payment, terms and money
I qualify for at least $500 a month. With my experience and the benefits I can bring, it’s definitely $800+, but I’m currently a junior, so $500 will be comfortable for me at first.
However, for now they offer either $100–200 per month of work with a fairly large amount of responsibilities, or they offer $1,000 with 5–10–20 years of experience. Here, of course, at least two questions arise:
How to live on $200 a month, if renting an apartment costs at least $500. Yes, in my case it’s life in Poland, but in Ukraine, surviving on this money is also cringe.
Where can a person without experience get that 10-year experience?
Stumbling blocks
Based on my own experience of looking for a job as a UI/UX designer, which has been going on for more than a year, I have highlighted several difficulties on June’s path to an offer, in particular:
Number of vacancies. With 100-1000 applications for one position, most companies don’t even look at your resume if you haven’t managed to get into the first 50. It’s simply impossible to get an interview at expensive and classy companies, because there are 300-800 applicants for one vacancy, and the probability that will open your resume = 0.00001.
Feedback from employers. And about rejections, this is a very fun topic.
There are several types of employer response:
Ignore — despite the fact that I spent time on the test without waiting for an answer at all.
«We’ve added you to our database, and maybe we’ll get back to you sometime in the future,» I read «meaning never.»
Also, of course, there are tactful and adequate refusals with arguments, but this is 1 in 1,000,000.
About test tasks and red flags
I performed various test tasks. However, I realized that it is mostly «monkey work». I’m very happy when they give me this or that feedback, it’s always cool, it’s growth for me. However, in the vast majority, the answer to TK is to ignore. The worst thing is when you take the test for several days, and there are either no answers at all, or they come after two months. There are also cool and well-argued feedbacks. But there are very few of them.
I made the conditions with which I now approach tests in order to preserve my resource and mental health:
Paid test. A normal company will always pay for the test, because it is your time and labor.
I don’t take a test like «Make a site, analysis, design, write the code and start a marketing company» (and there were such, hahaha).
It is important for the employer to be able to answer all questions about the test, to be in touch, because this is very important.
In addition, I have red flags that it is better to stay away from such employers as much as possible, in particular:
«Make us a site from 0, here’s the content (we all know what they want).»
The test is not paid if it is done for more than 1 day.
Ignore the employer’s questions about the test.
The test is sent from the threshold without a greeting and a job offer.
About the dream company
In fact, if we talk about a dream company, I think there are none. But there are close to the ideal, if the employer has:
All work processes are adjusted.
A satisfactory salary that fairly corresponds to the level of professionalism of the employees.
Human schedule, 5/2, 6–8 hours of work per day.
Fulfilling only one’s duties (and not a video editor, photographer, administrator, manager, IT expert and designer in one).
Well-established communication between employees.
Sports subscription for employees.
There is a holiday weekend.
Respect employees' non-working hours (ie don’t disturb them at 02:00 a.m. if it’s not their work schedule).
What hurts June? Junior Frontend developer about war, how to push to find yourself, self-belief and requirements for beginners. And that’s what the bastards are for
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