My job history is a bit like being an orphan. Having moved from house to house without ever finding somewhere to call home, but also gaining important lessons from each one.

And now, I’m ready to put the various skills I’ve learned to use and find myself a “job home.”

But how are my skills any different from the masses?

I’ve been lucky to have unique jobs with opportunities to overcome unique obstacles that wouldn’t have come from just any job.

A big portion of my working life has been either in nursing school or running a YouTube channel. But in 2023, I was ready to make a change towards something I would enjoy more. I started my search in software development (I had learned a bit of coding beforehand and LOVED it).

And that’s when I bumped into something called UX Design. As I read more about it and learned the basics through Designlab, I realized my past job experiences weren’t going to waste. It was quite the opposite…

Working towards becoming an RN:

I learned to work in high-stress environments – and to prioritize that work even when I was sick or tired. I’m not afraid to work through the bad days to accomplish what needs to be done.
Working in a team was crucial in the health field, giving me the mindset to work cooperatively on any task in front of me – whether that’s life and death, or optimizing a button to increase user visibility and sales.
Most importantly, I learned empathy on the highest level. No one wants to help an old man bathe and change his clothes – but that’s what was needed. Whether I personally like it or not, doing what the user needs is still my top priority.

My past experiences had formed a toolset of skills destined for UX.

Then as a YouTuber:

I learned a harsh reality: just because I thought my audience would like something, didn’t mean they actually did.
This lesson led to an understanding of how to dive deep into research to discover what the audience really wanted in order to make my channel a success – even if it was something I didn’t particularly want to do.
I had to be willing to let go of my original ideas by taking criticism from my most loyal fans, and prioritize the video ideas that made the majority happy.
I learned to optimize those videos with great storytelling to keep my audience engaged for as long as possible.

Those experiences gave me confidence as I learned new skills in UX. And it continues to grow with the excitement of knowing each project I work on will only teach me more.

The lessons I’ve learned from my past perfectly set me up for the goals a UX Designer must have:

I will always put a user’s needs above my own beliefs and wishes.
I’m open to ideas outside of my own and will admit when I’m wrong (pride will never allow lessons to soak in) - it’s all for the sake of a product’s success.
And my drive to help others is still strong – even if it’s not someone’s health. Seeing the results of designing something that’s useful is just as satisfying.

But how are my skills any different from the masses?

I’ve been lucky to have unique jobs with opportunities to overcome unique obstacles that wouldn’t have come from just any job.

My past experiences had formed a toolset of skills destined for UX.

Those experiences gave me confidence as I learned new skills in UX. And it continues to grow with the excitement of knowing each project I work on will only teach me more.

The lessons I’ve learned from my past perfectly set me up for the goals a UX Designer must have:

I will always put a user’s needs above my own beliefs and wishes.

I’m open to ideas outside of my own and will admit when I’m wrong (pride will never allow lessons to soak in) - it’s all for the sake of a product’s success.

And my drive to help others is still strong – even if it’s not someone’s health. Seeing the results of designing something that’s useful is just as satisfying.