115. The truth about fast-tracking your UX career

115. The truth about fast-tracking your UX career

Episode 115

1:10:23

This week is a candid discussion with Staff Product Designer Florian Boelter about why there are no shortcuts in UX careers and the importance of putting in the work and avoiding quick-fix solutions.

What if everything you’ve been told about fast-tracking your design career is making it harder than it needs to be?

In this episode, I sit down with Florian Boelter, a staff product designer at Juro and founder of Open Doors, a job board and newsletter for junior designers. As a former product manager turned designer, Florian brings unique insights into the reality of building a successful UX career.

We explore the common misconception that there are shortcuts to success in UX design, particularly in today’s challenging job market. Florian shares his experience transitioning into design and how he learned to focus on genuine skill development rather than quick fixes. He emphasizes the importance of identifying skill gaps and working systematically to improve them.

Our conversation covers everything from the role of mentorship to the pitfalls of relying too heavily on social media advice. If you’re looking to build a sustainable career in UX design, this episode offers valuable perspective on why patience and persistent effort are your best allies. Listen in to learn why the “slow and steady” approach might be exactly what you need.

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Florian on LinkedIn
• Open Doors Newsletter

Topics:
• 06:11 – Challenges in the UX Job Market
• 07:13 – The Importance of Mentorship
• 10:03 – Avoiding Shortcuts in Career Development
• 31:38 – Building Relationships in the Workplace
• 33:32 – Finding the Right Job Fit
• 36:17 – The Role of Social Media in Learning
• 37:01 – The Importance of Context in Social Media Advice
• 42:39 – Evaluating Online Content and Courses
• 45:45 – Final Thoughts on Shortcuts and Learning

Florian Boelter
Staff Product Designer at Juro

About Florian

Florian is a former Product Manager turned Product Designer. Currently he is working as a Staff Product Designer at Juro, a Series B legal-tech helping the world to agree more. He is also the founder of Open Doors, a job board and newsletter specifically made for junior designers and those early in their career.

Connect with Florian on LinkedIn

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Meet your host

Jeremy Miller

Designer // Host // Mentor

I’m Jeremy. I’m a product designer from New Orleans. Here are some things I want you to know about me:

I rally around research
I’m dedicated to design
I’m crazy about collaboration
I’m sweet on the soft skills
I’m entranced by the end users
I’m passionate about the product

But most importantly, I know you can’t build great software without great relationships.

So join me here and learn about how to build truly great software.

115. The truth about fast-tracking your UX career