Have an M.Des from one of the IITs. This is going to be my first switch. Is having a WITCH org going to screw my chances of getting into a product based org. If yes, how can I work on this?
Could you talk a bit about why you chose to join a WITCH after M.Des and why you’re looking to switch now? I’m assuming you graduated in 2020 which means you had placements in 2019
I made a few wrong choices when it came to choosing projects during my masters. So was desperate for a job and had no choice but to join WITCH. I wasted 1 year in WITCH by not working in a UX role. I worked in a project related to industrial design/3D modelling. I didn’t upskill at all since 3 years. Was in my comfort zone. Did what the client told me to do. Haven’t got a promotion since 4.5 years. There’s no growth in the kind of projects I’m working on. I’m stuck. So want to get out of my company ASAP.
I didn’t work on my skills at all. I can reason out my design decisions by mentioning the user’s needs and the constraints I faced from the business team and the tech team. But the current market conditions and the competition is freaking me out.
Well, if you come from a service based companies, most of the recruiters and hiring put you on second preferences.
It’s sad, but now that’s how what’s the current situation is.
What you can do is join a small startup of anywhere you can show a product based company experience.
Also, try have one really good your own project and get that validated by numbers. Be a product based companies look for some quantitative numbers in your portfolio.
So what you can do is make a small case study of any idea which you can, then make a good prototype and do a usability testing of that product and show that results as number.
Trust me it will help a lot
Y is that,service designers are 2 preferences.
I’ve done usability testing for the products I’ve worked for the client. I have the feedback documented. But I don’t have the metrics or numbers. Plus, both the products I’ve worked on are redesign projects. I don’t work for that client anymore. So can’t go to them now
IMO the best way to handle the WITCH curse is by creating a portfolio kind of thing where you can showcase your skillsets which will set you apart from the competition and prove that you are capable of changing the UX game for product(s).
I have a lot of friends who joined WITCH companies post graduation from design school, and moved to product companies. You can try to focus on your strengths and demonstrate how they will be useful in a product company. People keep shifting between product and service companies all the time; and not just designers.
I will recommend trying to get into a good startup. It will teach you everything good (and bad) about working at a product company. Your growth and learning will be also be faster.