The UX Job Landscape

Jakob Nielsen, partner of Don Norman in the Nielsen Norman Group, expects exponential growth in UX jobs.

UX Market Value

In 2019, Linkedin released a list of the most promising jobs of the year. The role of a product designer came in at an impressive number four, touting a relatively high salary (median of $121.5k) and impressive year over year job growth (86%). Reputable companies like Adobe have even blogged about why it’s important to put the focus on UX designers.

The reason is simple. Designing something first increases the opportunity for a higher ROI later. A UX designer is an investment in the future of a brand. This explosion may also be due to the fact that now, brands are expected to be present in your lives more than ever. The advent of social media has magnified brands so that they are present in our lives at all times. And, also from Adobe’s article, “a company that believes in the power and potential of user experience design is good news for UX designers as well. This commitment can be spotted in the salaries a company offers.”

Like many other jobs in tech, the challenge for many designers starting out may be breaking into the industry. Especially with fears of a future recession due to the 2020 pandemic, companies may be wary about hiring for junior roles for those who are unproven in the field. The truth about this is that work speaks for itself. 50-75% of what is required is usually learned on the job for a designer, because much of the research and testing done is for a completely different client. There is no one-size fits all when looking at design. Rather, jobseekers should have a web presence that includes a structured portfolio that lets employers know they are willing to learn and have the skills to do so.