Are you looking to make a career change to UI/UX design but you’re worried about having to build up a whole new skillset? Don't worry! While you will undoubtedly need to learn a new set of technical skills, there are several transferable skills you may already possess that can serve you wonderfully in a career in UI/UX design.

Being a career switcher can actually be a great advantage when it comes to the transferable skills and years of experience you’d bring to a role. Your past work experience has most likely given you lots of practice in desirable soft skill knowledge areas like communication, problem-solving, empathy, and maybe even some visual design.

In this article, we’ll discuss how these skills can aid your career switch to UI/UX design and how to get started in your career switch.

Communication Skills

One of the most important skills that a UI/UX designer should possess is communication. As a UI/UX designer, you will be working with various stakeholders, including clients, project managers, developers, and designers. It is crucial to communicate effectively with all these stakeholders to ensure that everyone is on the same page in order to execute a project correctly.

Communication skills also include the ability to listen actively, ask the right questions, and provide feedback to your team members. UI/UX designers use these skills in user interviews with usability test participants, in presentations to managers and clients, or when brainstorming with fellow team members.

If you’re switching from an unrelated field, you’ve probably had to work with others or within teams in your past jobs. When building your new CV for entry-level roles in UI/UX design, remember to highlight how you used your communication skills in those past roles.

Problem-solving Skills

UI/UX designers are problem solvers by nature. They are tasked with identifying user problems and designing solutions that solve those problems effectively. Problem-solving skills involve the ability to think creatively, analyze data, and identify solutions that meet user needs while also considering technical and business constraints.

While your past work may have involved solving different kinds of problems, being well practiced in the processes involved in resolving issues will give you a helpful boost when it comes time to solve problems as a UI/UX designer.

Empathy

UI/UX designers are responsible for designing tools to be used by others, and so having the ability to put yourself in the user's shoes is vital for informing your user-friendly solutions. This not only involves anticipating the struggles of the users, but also actively paying attention to their struggles through observation. Through user testing, UI/UX designers are able to empathise with common user mistakes and find solutions to whatever is tripping users up in the product design.

If you have any prior work experience where you worked directly with clients or customers, you’ve probably developed the ability to understand their side of things and how to use that to inform your interactions with them. This is a great skill to highlight when switching into the field of UI/UX design.

Visual Design Skills

Visual design skills are essential for UI/UX designers. They help designers create visually appealing designs that are easy to use and navigate. Visual design skills include the ability to choose the right colours, typography, and layouts that meet user needs and expectations. Knowledge of design software such as Sketch, Adobe Photoshop, and Adobe Illustrator is also valuable to have.

If you’re coming from a background related to design or visuals, switching to UI/UX design will be a more seamless transition because of your easily transferable skills. You’ll have a more practiced eye when it comes to taking design decisions, giving you a leg up in your new career.

If you don’t have prior experience with visual design that’s okay too!

During your training in UI/UX design, you’ll cover design topics and learn how to apply them. For example, in Code Lab Academy’s bootcamp, students learn about colour theory and typography specifically oriented to user design applications.

Getting Started in your Career Switch

The decision to switch careers might be a little less overwhelming now that you know you won’t be starting from scratch!

If you’re looking for a structured learning environment, personal and peer support, and a schedule that fits your current work schedule, a good place to start your career switch is to sign up for a part-time UI/UX bootcamp. You’ll be motivated and supported by knowledgeable professionals and also get the career support you’ll need for entering a new job market.