Former Design Head here, Here's my advice to designers today

Can u list down some of the 🤡 influencers here

All true. But the real problem is that best of the design leaders have not been able to set a position for design in companies like product heads did for product managers. I’ve been in the field for 9 years now, for the past 3-4 years with the addition of more and more product managers to the industry, designers are only treated as UI designers. Even if they try to add value to the business or product with stats, research or creative problem solving they are brushed off citing that’s a PMs job, you focus on delivering screens fast. Sadly, the design leaders fail or don’t care to defend their teams and processes they know if they push back their own job might be on the line. Everything is driven by PMs and everything is about pushing metrics and optimising funnels.
What to expect from an industry where 7 years experienced people are becoming directors of design.

Exactly my thoughts! I've been in this field for about 4-5 years now and post-covid this field has become a borderline joke and I feel embarrassed to call myself a PD now.

I hate how these dumbass influencers on Instagram and LinkedIn are glorifying UX as an easy field that involves a lot of Visual Design work, importance to "craft", motion design etc.

The kind of work I do involves a LOT of user research, planning, testing, domain knowledge, technical knowledge and actual hands on design work is like only 10% of my job on a good day. Now because of these influencers whenever I tell people I'm a PD they assume that my work is easy, doesn't take much time, I just have to design screens etc and I keep on explaining to them that you're wrong and there's more to it.

Moreover, a lot of interviews I've given were sooo focused on the UI, VD part and they totally neglected or ignored the research I did and kept on asking me about the "explorations" I did for my design, how my UI looked, inspiration for the UI etc and I'm like bruh, I work in healthcare and not at cred 🤡

Thanks to clowns like Puneet Chawla, Anudeep UX, the head of clowns at Swiggy I forgot his name, kids think if they follow these clowns they can get into FAANG or some top tier company.

I'm really scared of the direction we're headed towards because of these influencers and how they're glorifying UX as a field

Please shed some light on how to improve as a beginner, which area to focus

what does the design head look in a beginner's portfolio to hire them?

Please advice

I am grateful that I work in a place where my domain knowledge and judgement is valued even w just 2 yoe. My manager is truly amazing and she pushes me to do all the stuff mentioned above. She pushes me to act as a pseudo PM and this has actually get my work developed with the PMs pitching it. Very grateful :)