I've been struggling to get my UX career back on track after being let go from my last role over a year ago. What should I do?

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3 Ways to stand out as a designer

It’s a tough time, even for folks with lots of experience.
In general, to stand out as a designer:

Share your journey

Share and talk about your work, or something your learning — this gives you an edge over others as you’re active on social media.
Even though this quote is cheesy but ‘if no one know about your product, doesn’t matter if you have the best product in the world.’

Be original

Be original with your portfolio and case study.
❌ Don’t use generic terms like ‘empathy’ or ‘user-centric. ❌ Don’t follow the conventional case study structure, instead do something different.
✅ Write things in your own words and tell me what’s special about YOU.
For example, I made a video portfolio to tell recruiters what I want and how to navigate the website.

Quality over quantity

Spend more time catering your job application to a specific company.
So many folks just click apply and send generic emails/cover letters/etc — don’t be one of them.
Research, research, research, and make your application tailored.
Don’t try to apply to 100 jobs, instead getting 5-10 well-done applications will make you stand out.
 

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