“The UX Tree Mentorship Program provided me with invaluable skills, a standout portfolio, and the confidence needed to land my first UX job at AIB.”

In September of 2021, I began taking part in the UX Tree Mentorship Program, a four-month course that pairs new designers with experienced industry professionals. The program’s main aim is to build a mentee’s experience by completing a UX design project under the guidance of an experienced designer and presenting a case study to showcase the scope and depth of the project. The role of the mentor is to guide the mentee through the UX process while helping to provide insight into what to expect in the UX industry.

Today, five months later, I decided to write this post and share three areas I improved thanks to UX Tree Mentorship Program:

1. My UX skills

This course provided me with the chance to apply my UX knowledge to a project while learning new skills and techniques with the help of my mentor, Eoin. Building a working relationship over a few months definitely helps to build a strong foundation and skillset for a successful designer. Completing the project provided me with an excellent opportunity to validate my existing UX skills by conducting research, prototyping design ideas, and potential testing users.

2. My portfolio

I am delighted with the portfolio project I created during the program, highlighting the course’s impact on my UX and UI design abilities. I was challenged to complete a full UX redesign of an existing mobile or desktop system. I worked on redesigning the eFlow desktop payment system, developing an improved user flow and interface system.

3. My confidence; leading to landing a job in UX

Completing the course provided me with the confidence to put myself forward as a UX designer, and I am excited to announce that I will be starting my first UX job with AIB in a couple of weeks. I can’t wait to get started and know that the skills I have developed during the UX Tree Mentorship Program will benefit me significantly during the onboarding phase of my new job and beyond. I’m confident that the knowledge and experience I acquired during the mentorship will stand for me as I undertake this new journey in my professional career.

Conclusion

Job hunting as a recent graduate can be challenging, especially with limited experience in a competitive field. However, I am confident that the project I completed as part of the program made me stand out to potential employers during the application and interview process.

Having a solid portfolio is essential to presenting yourself in a competitive industry, so I am grateful for my experience throughout the UX Tree Mentorship Program. I would recommend it to anyone looking to improve their UX skills and add to their portfolio.