GOOGLE UX DESIGN PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATE

Course 7 – Design A User Experience for Social Good & Prepare For Jobs

Week 5: Building A Professional Presence

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TABLE OF CONTENT

As the digital world continues to expand, companies recognize that designing good user experiences is a necessity, which is why UX design is a high-growth and in-demand job field. The key to landing one of those UX design jobs is a strong portfolio and online presence. In this part of the course, you’ll start to create a portfolio to showcase your upcoming work. You’ll also learn about the importance of having a personal brand and building an online presence.

Learning Objectives

  • Describe a UX design portfolio
  • Create an online portfolio to showcase UX design work
  • Recognize the essentials of a good portfolio
  • Apply storytelling and branding elements to a UX design portfolio
  • Use writing best practices in a UX design portfolio
  • Explain how to build a professional design presence online
  • Create or update professional profiles on social media
  • Join and participate in online UX communities
  • Explain impostor syndrome and ways to overcome it
  • Explore strategies for reaching out to potential mentors
  • Discuss best practices for building a professional network

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON UX DESIGN PORTFOLIOS

1. How does a portfolio help UX designers find work in their field? Select all that apply.

  • A portfolio includes a 1-page summary on why a designer would be a good fit for an open position.
  • A portfolio showcases a designer’s understanding of UX design principles. (CORRECT)
  • A portfolio can highlight a UX designer’s skills during the job application process. (CORRECT)

Correct: Showcasing an understanding of design principles helps designers find work, and it’s a great way to start feeling like a member of the UX design community. Portfolios also demonstrate the designer’s skills during the job application process.

Correct: A portfolio showcases a designer’s work and skill in the field, as well as their understanding of UX design principles.

2. What is a design portfolio?

  • A collection of social media posts that demonstrate a designer’s work history
  • A collection of work that demonstrates a designer’s skills during the job application process (CORRECT)
  • A collection of design work that includes the top designers in a field
  • A collection of professional references complete with phone numbers

Correct: A design portfolio is a collection of work that demonstrates a designer’s skills during the job application process. It is likely hosted on a website.

TEST YOUR KNOWLEDGE ON BUILDING AN ONLINE PRESENCE

1. Fill in the blank: A _______ is a one- or two-sentence phrase that describes what you do and what you stand for.

  • personal statement (CORRECT)
  • personal brand
  • tagline

Correct: The best personal statements are memorable and catchy.

2. How can your presence in online design communities help you gain exposure to UX design? Select all that apply.

  • You can follow the profiles of non-UX design professionals.
  • You can engage with other UX designers by liking or commenting on their community posts. (CORRECT)
  • You can post your designs and receive feedback from experienced UX designers. (CORRECT)

Correct: Liking and commenting on projects by other UX designers is a great way to connect with UX designers outside of your network. You can also post your designs and receive feedback from other experienced professionals.

Correct: Posting your designs is a great way to demonstrate your skills.  You can also engage with other UX designers by liking or commenting on their posts.

3. Why do recruiters check your social media profiles when considering you for a job? Select all that apply.

  • To test your knowledge of UX design
  • To assess if you have a strong professional network
  • To learn about your interests outside of work (CORRECT)
  • To confirm your work and educational background (CORRECT)

Correct: Recruiters check personal social media profiles to see if you’d be a good fit for the company.  They also use professional networking sites to confirm your work and educational background.

Correct: Recruiters view profiles on professional networking sites like LinkedIn to confirm your education and work experience, and learn about your interests outside of work.

WEEKLY CHALLENGE 5: BUILD A PROFESSIONAL PRESENCE

1. How can a portfolio be used to help further a designer’s career?

  • To showcase examples of their work to hiring managers (CORRECT)
  • To showcase a complete record of their job history
  • To showcase their professional references

Correct: A portfolio can demonstrate a designer’s skills, and help hiring managers accurately assess the skills a designer can bring to the job.

2. What is a benefit of using a website builder?

  • Website builders are only for advanced users.
  • Website builders offer tutorials on building with code.
  • Website builders make it possible to create a functional website without HTML and CSS knowledge. (CORRECT)
  • Website builders have a single template.

Correct: HTML and CSS are helpful languages to know, but they’re not required for designers that want to to use website builders.

3. A good portfolio has which of the following qualities? Select all that apply

  • A good portfolio must be created with an easy-to-use website builder.
  • A good portfolio is concise, and highlights key insights that helped inform a designer’s decisions on a project. (CORRECT)
  • A good portfolio establishes a personal brand. (CORRECT)
  • A good portfolio tells an engaging story about a designer’s process. (CORRECT)

Correct: Supporting text that accompany design projects should be kept clean and concise. Your work should be able to speak for itself.

Correct: A good portfolio should reflect your personal brand, the unique skills you possess, the values you hold, and the public persona that coincides with all the aforementioned.

Correct: It’s important to engage your audience. Telling a compelling story is a good way to do just that.

4. Personal branding is essential to demonstrating a designer’s values, unique skills, and personality. What are the benefits of creating a personal brand? Select all that apply.

  • A personal brand allows you to blend in with the rest of the design community.
  • A personal brand allows recruiters and potential employers to understand who you are, and learn about your passions and your strengths. (CORRECT)
  • A personal brand can help you match with companies that share your values. (CORRECT)
  • A personal brand helps you stand out from the crowd. (CORRECT)

Correct: A personal brand is a visual representation of a designer’s style, personality, values, and so much more.

Correct: When a company looks for a designer, it’s helpful for them to understand a designer’s personal brand—and how it aligns with their message—before making a hiring decision.

Correct: Creating a distinct personal brand allows a designer to stand out from the crowd.

5. It’s important for designers to include a personal statement to reinforce their professional presence online. What should a personal statement highlight?

  • The differences between a designer’s personal and professional life
  • The things a designer does, and what they stand for (CORRECT)
  • The list of projects a designer has completed

Correct: A personal statement should effectively and concisely describe what a designer does, and what they stand for.

6. Identify websites that feature a job board to assist designers in procuring their next job or project. Select all that apply.

  • Medium
  • Behance (CORRECT)
  • LinkedIn (CORRECT)
  • Dribbble (CORRECT)

Correct: Behance features a job board to assist designers in procuring their next job or project.

Correct: LinkedIn features a job board to assist designers in procuring their next job or project.

Correct: Dribbble features a job board to assist designers in procuring their next job or project.

7. Should designers prepare for potential employers to check their social media accounts during the application process?

  • Yes, potential employers typically check social media accounts to learn about a designer’s outside interests. (CORRECT)
  • Maybe, but since it’s not always part of the application process, designers do not need to establish a strong presence on their media accounts.
  • No, designers don’t need to worry about employers checking social media accounts, since a resume and portfolio are typically sufficient.

Correct!

8. Can designers leverage online UX communities to gather feedback on their work?

  • Yes. Designers can post work in popular UX communities online to generate ideas, find inspiration, and learn from other UX professionals. (CORRECT)
  • No. Designers should avoid posting their work online, since it’s possible that other designers may use these ideas on projects.
  • Maybe. Designers can get feedback from people online, but it’s best to use subscription-based services where users are verified UX professionals.

Correct: Designers can post their own work on popular UX communities online provided they do not violate non-disclosure agreements (NDAs). These spaces offer a great opportunity to engage with other designers and receive feedback from UX professionals.

9. Fill in the blank: To convey the value of your work, you should create a story that _____.

  • reflects your professional goals
  • grabs your user’s attention (CORRECT)
  • stands in place of work samples
  • includes the highlights of your resume

Correct: You need to demonstrate your unique value and personal brand through the story you tell. Therefore, it is essential that you tell a story that grabs the user’s attention and helps you stand out.

10. Imagine that a designer writes content for their online portfolio. To come across as knowledgeable about UX design, they include industry terms and buzzwords that are trending in the design sector. What can this designer do to improve their written content?

  • Increase buzzwords and industry terms
  • Add long descriptive paragraphs to hook readers
  • Use brief, uncomplicated language (CORRECT)
  • Replace written content with visual components

Correct: Less is more when writing content for an online portfolio. This designer should use as few words as possible to make their point.

11. What should designers include in the About Me page on their website?

  • Sketches, final designs, and wireframes
  • Creators a designer follows, popular trends, and test results from case studies
  • Work, passions, and credentials (CORRECT)

Correct: About Me pages should include information about a designer’s work, passions, and credentials. It may also include other relevant information that would interest potential employers and recruiters.

12. What is a portfolio?

  • A detailed outline of past jobs.
  • A collection of job resources, past applications, and recommendation letters.
  • A collection of creative work that showcases a designer’s skills in a certain area. (CORRECT)

Correct: UX design is a creative field and it’s important to present hiring managers examples of your work. Portfolios also demonstrate the knowledge and skills you can bring to the job.

13. How might a non-disclosure agreement affect a designer’s portfolio?

  • They help designers display their designs.
  • They help designers demonstrate their design process.
  • They help designers avoid sharing sensitive information. (CORRECT)

Correct: A non-disclosure agreement is a contract an employee might sign when working with a business, in which they agree not to share sensitive information. Designers should keep this in mind when they share designs or processes in a portfolio.

14. Why should personal branding matter to a UX designer? Select all that apply.

  • It enhances a designer’s creative drive.
  • It can help match a designer with companies that share their values. (CORRECT)
  • It helps a designer stand out from the crowd. (CORRECT)
  • It showcases the type of work a designer does. (CORRECT)

Correct: How a designer presents their personal brand is important because it is the first impression potential employers get! First impressions matter.

Correct: Recreating trends in your own style as a designer is a good way to get creative, but you want to have distinct projects and qualities as well. Otherwise, you’ll get lost in a sea of other applicants.

Correct: Showcasing the type of work you do reveals to potential employers what they can expect before they make a hiring decision.

15. Identify why it’s important for UX designers to create and keep up-to-date social media profiles.

  • Social media provides opportunities to build personal relationships
  • Social media provides opportunities to create fan pages of other designers
  • Social media provides opportunities to connect with recruiters and potential employers (CORRECT)
  • Social media provides opportunities to post a company’s design content

Correct: Social media provides designers with opportunities to connect with recruiters and potential employers.

16. Personal branding should be platform-specific.

  • True
  • False (CORRECT)

Correct: Your brand should be consistent everywhere you have a presence online. That includes your social media accounts, your profiles on UX design communities, your resume, and your business cards.

17. Why is it important for UX designers to use a portfolio during the job application process?

  • Because it shows hiring managers examples of work and the skills a designer can bring to the job (CORRECT)
  • Because it’s a great way to start feeling like a part of the UX design community
  • Because jobs in the creative fields don’t accept traditional resumes

Correct: The best way for hiring managers to appreciate the projects you’ve created is to review them! Otherwise, hiring managers won’t be able to accurately assess your abilities and understand what you can bring to the job.

18. Which of the following is required to create a portfolio with a website builder?

  • Domain
  • HTML
  • Designs (CORRECT)
  • CSS

Correct: In order to show off your portfolio to hiring managers and others in the design community, you’ll first need design projects.

19. In order to curate a cohesive personal brand that you identify with, what are a few questions you can ask yourself? Select all that apply.

  • What do I wish I was better at?
  • What do I want people to recognize me for? (CORRECT)
  • What have I learned to do well? (CORRECT)
  • How do other people describe me and my talents? (CORRECT)

Correct: The section that covers personal branding poses a number of questions for you to think about, including, “What do I want people to recognize me for?”

Correct: The section that covers personal branding poses a number of questions for you to think about, including, “What have I learned to do well?”

Correct: The section that covers personal branding poses a number of questions for you to think about, including, “How do other people describe me and my talents?”

20. How can a designer reinforce their professional presence online?

  • Post exclusive content on their preferred social media platform.
  • Keep their design style, professional photos, and personal brand consistent across platforms. (CORRECT)
  • Curate a company’s statement that reflects their brand and work.
  • Post personal opinions about non-industry subjects.

Correct: For potential employers to easily identify your personal brand across platforms, it’s important to keep your style, color schemes, and professional photos consistent.

21. Which popular online community for UX designers focuses on long-form writing?

  • Medium (CORRECT)
  • Instagram
  • Reddit
  • Facebook

Correct: Medium is one of the most popular online communities for UX designers.

22. What should a designer include in their application for a design role?

  • Resume (CORRECT)
  • Personal social media profiles
  • Design inspirations
  • Hobbies and interests

Correct: In order to complete the application process, designers should include a resume that outlines their professional experience and provides a link to their design portfolio.

23. Which of the following can help a UX designer enhance their social media presence?

  • Avoid starting conversations with industry professionals on social media
  • Set personal accounts to public mode.
  • Tag and interact with industry professionals on social media (CORRECT)
  • Don’t worry about what is shared, posted, and liked on social media

Correct: Interacting with industry professionals on social media can help you get acquainted with current trends, start conversations with peers, and learn from industry leaders.

24. What beneficial features do website builders offer UX designers when building a personalized online portfolio? Select all that apply.

  • Detailed instructions on how to code in HTML and CSS
  • Tutorials with guidance on how to add text and multimedia elements (CORRECT)
  • User-friendly editing features (CORRECT)

Correct: Website builders offer user-friendly editing features, tutorials and even some templates so users do not need to start from scratch.

Correct: These builders feature user-friendly WYSIWYG editors, offer tutorials and even some templates to start from. WYSIWYG is an acronym that means: what you see is what you get. Common website builders include Squarespace, Wix, and Webflow.

25. Identify best practices that can help you personalize your portfolio. Select all that apply.

  • Include lots of detail
  • Tell a story (CORRECT)
  • Establish your personal brand (CORRECT)
  • Go beyond the template (CORRECT)

Correct: By telling a story about your design process, you engage your audience and they learn about your personal approach to design. Establishing your personal brand, and going beyond the template are other best practices that can help personalize your portfolio.

Correct: Your personal brand should clearly demonstrate who you are and what value you bring to an organization. Telling a story, and going beyond the template are other best practices that can help personalize your portfolio.

Correct: Customizing your website to align with your brand and story differentiates your portfolio from others. Establishing your personal brand, and telling a story are other best practices that can help personalize your portfolio.

26. Fill in the blank: When working as a UX designer or in any other creative role, your personal brand is important because _____. Select all that apply.

  • it demonstrates your design experience to companies
  • it describes your success
  • it helps you identify with companies that share your values (CORRECT)
  • it is a way for you to stand out from the crowd (CORRECT)

Correct: Your personal brand helps match you with companies that share your values. This is important because it helps companies understand how you could fit as a member of their organization.

Correct: Your personal brand helps you stand out from the crowd because it is a reflection of your individual values and interests.

27. Fill in the blank: As a best practice, your photos should be _____ when posted across social media platforms.

  • dated
  • competitive
  • random
  • consistent (CORRECT)

Correct: Posting photos consistent across platforms helps to build a cohesive professional presence online.

28. What are some ways to overcome imposter syndrome? Select all that apply.

  • Take on extra work to do prove you can do the job
  • Acknowledge your thoughts (CORRECT)
  • Own your accomplishments (CORRECT)
  • Make a list of your accomplishments and skills (CORRECT)
  • Have a conversation with your mentor (CORRECT)

Correct: Acknowledging the thoughts you have about feeling this way is the first step to overcoming imposter syndrome.

Correct: Taking responsibility for the role you played in the accomplishment is a step you can take to overcome imposter syndrome.

Correct: Try writing down five skills that show you’re qualified for the job you are considering or five accomplishments you’re proud of. This writing exercise can help you overcome imposter syndrome.

Correct: Speaking with someone about what’s going on in your mind is helpful for overcoming imposter syndrome.

29. How can designers benefit from online UX communities?

  • Start a design business and file key legal documents
  • Share full case studies
  • Get inspiration from other designers (CORRECT)
  • Communicate with company executives

Correct: Designers may benefit in several ways when they engage with popular UX communities online. These spaces offer opportunities to learn from others, share original work, and find inspiration in others’ designs.

30. Identify a tip a designer should consider when creating descriptions for their website.

  • Add jargon
  • Use complicated language
  • Include complex depictions of projects
  • Inject personality (CORRECT)

Correct: You want to strike a balance, honoring your personality and your public persona.

31. Consider the following scenario:

A UX designer wants to create an updated portfolio to showcase their unique skills and values as a designer. They start by purchasing a custom domain name. To make a great first impression on website visitors, they add projects that highlight the type of work they do well. Then, they add a concise description of their personal design philosophy to help them stand out from the crowd.

This designer is applying what best practice to convey the value of their work?

  • Establish a personal brand (CORRECT)
  • Tell a complex and detailed story
  • Leverage free online resources
  • Use widely available templates

Correct: It is very important to establish a personal brand. A personal brand is the way in which your personality, unique skills, and values as a designer intersect with your public persona.

32. A designer is deciding how to describe their work in their online portfolio. Should they include technical language and buzzwords, since the target audience includes people from the UX design industry?

  • Yes. They should write content that appeals to industry professionals, recruiters, and hiring managers.
  • No. They should write content that is friendly, conversational, and aligns with their personal brand. (CORRECT)
  • Sometimes. They should use technical language if they have more experience, but conversational language if they are early in their career.

Correct: Simple and friendly conversational language is best when writing content for an online portfolio. It is best to minimize the use of buzzwords, complicated language, and technical jargon.

33. When including case studies in a design portfolio, which of the following questions should they answer?

  • What process did the designer follow? (CORRECT)
  • Who were the designer’s mentors?
  • What UX design online communities are featured in the case study?
  • What biases did the designer include?

Correct: It’s important to show your work process so outside parties can get a grasp of the effort that went into the final product.

34. What is a personal statement?

  • A visual prompt that tells the user to take action.
  • A one- to two-sentence phrase describing what a designer does and what they stand for. (CORRECT)
  • A summary of a designer’s work and long-term goals.

Correct: Personal statements should be effective and concise.

35. Imagine that a designer writes content for their online portfolio. To align with their personal brand, they include friendly, conversational language. They write brief and snappy descriptions, and include key details about their professional background. Before they publish, what can they do to ensure the content is as good as it can be?

  • Complement written content with visual components
  • Infuse buzzwords and technical terms into the written content
  • Add long descriptive paragraphs to hook readers
  • Find a trusted editor to review the content (CORRECT)

Correct: Everyone, even professional writers, make mistakes. The designer can ask a friend to check the writing for spelling and grammatical errors to help polish the content.

Previous – Week 4
Next – Week 6

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