In recent weeks, I've encountered not only reports of designers losing their jobs but also observing a growing supply of UX designers in the job market, likely due to the proliferation of UX bootcamps.

Month after month, numerous bootcamp graduates invest a significant amount of money and time, hoping to secure a well-paying UX job. However, some of the bootcamps they enroll in turn out to be scams or fail to adequately prepare them for the industry.

Getting a UX job in 2024 is exceptionally challenging.

If you're a designer just starting out or have recently been laid off, there's only one way to secure your next position, and you may not find the answer to your liking. -

You need to 3x your output as a Designer using AI and become proficient in the end-to-end process

In his blog, Jakob Nielsen refers to a Unicorn designer as someone who can handle the entire end-to-end process. Unicorn designers have consistently been in high demand.

But today being a unicorn designer alone isn't enough to land a job. Designers must blend UX with AI to truly set themselves apart. Watch Jakob Niesen explain this in his Fireside chat.

How to 10x your output as a Designer

1. Faster and better research with AI
2. Innovative concept exploration using ChatGPT
3. Elevate your portfolio with compelling mid-journey and persuasive copywriting
4. Begin sharing your ideas to establish yourself as an authority in a niche.
5. Consistently show up and work in a public every day

Faster and better research with AI

If you give AI a problem statement, it has the capability to generate discussion guides, synthesize responses to create insights, transform them into compelling presentations with effective storytelling, and even propose potential solutions for addressing these issues.

Furthermore, AI has the potential to conduct UX research by autonomously interacting with users, although we may not have fully reached that stage yet.

Here's the thing - researchers used to spend days, if not weeks, on each phase of the process. With AI, the same tasks can be accomplished in a matter of hours.

The essential question boils down to this: have you updated your workflow by using these tools? By merely showcasing that you have, you gain an advantage and position yourself as a 3x AI-designer.

Innovative concept exploration using ChatGPT

Creating explorations is a time-consuming task. While AI presently cannot generate explorations for you, you can readily generate numerous ideas by articulating your problem in words.

Here's an example :

I have a product listing page that needs to improve the user experience. I observed a user problem where users experience choice overload when browsing products. Suggest 10 ways I can enhance this design.

Elevate your portfolio with compelling mid-journey and persuasive copywriting

During my early days as a designer, creating visuals was not easy. I used to invest hours scouring Unsplash and other stock image platforms to find the perfect image. However, things have changed significantly since then.

Nowadays, you can generate images with AI in a consistent style that aligns with the concept you are exploring.

Images have the most significant impact on your UI and, consequently, your user experience. Incorporating carefully chosen and aesthetically pleasing images in your customer journey can instantly amplify your output by tenfold.

Furthermore, staying updated with the latest design trends has become more challenging. Take 3D design, for instance; it demanded a substantial amount of time just to grasp the basics of using 3D software, let alone crafting designs with it.

In the mid-journey era, keeping up with trends is easier. Just stay informed and let AI create. Having the skill to come up with ideas and know how to use them is more valuable than being an expert in a particular software.

Begin sharing your ideas to establish yourself as an authority in a niche

Companies would start to prefer individuals who are not only skilled (as AI can replace them) but also recognized as thought leaders and experts in their fields.

How can you become a thought expert? Through writing and sharing your knowledge.

Writing serves as a catalyst for clear thinking about your ideas. As you put your thoughts into writing, you delve deeper and strive to address any gaps in your knowledge.

You set in motion a flywheel of both consuming and creating, a powerful mechanism that propels you toward becoming an expert in your field.

It also helps you build a personal brand as you become an influencer in your field.

It shows your audience what you think, and if you focus on a specific interest, companies are more likely to find you instead of you applying to many companies and hoping one hires you.

Consistently show up and work in a public every day

Many of us, myself included, are afraid of working in public because we don't want to reveal our imperfections.

What if our designs aren't flawless? What will it do to our reputation? The more you value your reputation, the more challenging it becomes to work in public.

But here's the reality that successful creators consistently emphasize: You don't have to be an expert to teach. You simply have to teach what you do and openly share where you are on your journey.

There are always individuals a step or two behind you who will benefit from your content. When they engage with your content and you find a way to connect with them, it provides an opportunity to refine your thinking through the questions they pose.

Similarly, when hiring managers read your content, they aren't simply judging whether you're an expert or not. Their goal is to grasp your thought process. This insight helps hiring managers understand how you would tackle any problem, rather than focusing solely on the final UI of your case study.

Conclusion

To sum it up, in today's crowded job market for UX designers, it's really important to get better by using AI tools. This means using AI for quick and smart research, coming up with new ideas easily, and making your work portfolio look great. Also, sharing what you know often and showing your work to others can help you stand out. Doing all this not only makes you work smarter and faster but will also give you an edge in the competitive field.