Are You Recession Proof?
With more layoffs and talks of a looming recession, what can Design Professionals do to protect themselves?
This is a đ Free Edition of the Dexign Newsletter. I try to publish a few pieces of free content each month about the design industry, career tips, product advice, startups, or answers to your questions.
Hereâs what youâll learn in this article:
Meta, Twitter, Robinhood, Stripe, Chime, Redfin, Opendoor, Better, CompassâŠthe list goes on. Tech layoffs are happening by the thousands. Itâs normal to be on edge. If youâre fearful of being laid off yourself, here are a few things you can do.
NOTE: In my opinion, you can do any of the following even if youâre not afraid of being laid off. They will only help your design career.
Building Your Personal Brand (Seriously)
Your personal brand is your most valuable asset. There are so many ways you can start to do this. Write content (see below), speak at conferences (in-person or remote), create something, add projects to Behance or Dribbble, or improve your personal website.
âBut isnât this shameless self-promotion?â
Yes and no - if you can find a way to bring value to others, people wonât see it like that. Building your personal brand will do so many positive things for you in the long run. And you can make it fun. Get excited about finding your voice, creating a visual brand for yourself, and having something to continuously improve over the years.
More on how to build a killer personal brand:
Within the first month of posting 2x a day on LinkedIn, my content impressions skyrocketed, I was bombarded with connection requests, and my profile views went from 0-5 per week to over 1,000
Content Marketing
Content marketing is so powerful. It gives other people a window into your brain. Publish content on your website and repurpose it as social media posts on LinkedIn, Twitter, or your favorite platform.
PRO TIP: You can also apply to design publications for guest posting opportunities. This will give you an extra level of clout. It will also drive traffic to your personal website, LinkedIn, or wherever else you link the article to.
You may even discover that you enjoy writing as a creative outlet (I know I do).
Resources for getting started with content marketing:
LinkedIn Strategy
LinkedIn is the most powerful networking tool on the planet. It should absolutely be a part of your content strategy. If you donât want to write full-length articles on your website, just post on LinkedIn. Look at my post activity to get a feel for what that looks like.
TAKE ACTION: Turn on LinkedIn Creator Mode right now â
Within the first month of posting 2x a day on LinkedIn, my content impressions skyrocketed, I was bombarded with connection requests, and my profile views went from 0-5 per/week to over 1,000/week. See below:
Always Be Interviewing
Even if you have a stable job, you should make it a point to interview a few times a year. It will keep your interview skills sharp and force you to update your résumé and portfolio. This is a form of networking too.
âBut what if my company finds out?â
If they do, use that as an opportunity to talk about your future there. Plus, you canât get fired for exploring other opportunities. Be loyal to yourself, not your company.
Teaching and Mentorship
UX, UI, and Product Design courses, classes, and online schools like General Assembly are popping up everywhere. Many are looking for part-time instructors and offer paid opportunities.
Alternatively, traditional Universities are also looking for UX and Product Design Adjunct Professors as Design classes become more prominent.
As for mentorship opportunities, paid mentorship platforms are also on the rise. Sites like Mentor Cruise allow individuals or startups to pay for mentorship. Design professionals can apply to be a mentor on many of these platforms.
Places to find teaching and mentorship opportunities:
I guarantee this wonât be the last downturn we experience and itâs always better to overprepare.
Where to find work in a pinch
If youâre laid off abruptly, you might need to find work immediately. There are the obvious places to find salaried positions like LinkedIn, Google, Indeed, and Glassdoor - but while youâre interviewing, try these places for quick design work to fill the gaps:
Upwork
This freelance network has a wide array of design job postings. It can get competitive, so if you donât get something right away, just keep applying. You can also respond to multiple job listings at once.
APPLY: Here is UpWorkâs freelancer application â
Toptal
This is a more exclusive freelance network where you can find opportunities from top companies. The application process is a little more involved - compared to UpWork, where almost anyone can create an online freelancer profile.
APPLY: Here is Toptalâs freelancer application â
Turn on your âOpen to Workâ badge on your LinkedIn profile. This will let recruiters and hiring managers know you are looking.
HOW TO: Hereâs how to turn on your Open to Work badge â
You can also post on LinkedIn that youâre open to freelance opportunities. People may share your post with others they know.
Freelance Engineers or Agencies
This is something that has worked for me in the past. Partner with software engineers or dev shops so they can refer clients that need UX or Product Design work. Many of their projects will. They may already be working with a network of Designers - if they are, offer to stay in touch for future projects.
Donât Wait
Recessions are never fun, but theyâre a reality. Use a combination of the above strategies to make yourself recession-proof. I guarantee this wonât be the last downturn we experience and itâs always better to overprepare.