Get a Mentor

At UXMastery we believe that getting a mentor is a key part of becoming a really great UX designer.
Matt explains the reasons why in this excerpt from his article How to Get Started in UX Design.

[B][B]Get A Mentor[/B][/B]

For me, finding a mentor was a real turning point. Even though we don’t catch up as often these days as when we first formalised the mentoring relationship, when I look back now, many of the big decisions I made career-wise happened soon after I found a mentor and he started encouraging me to step out of my comfort zone. My mentor not only helped shape the process that I use on design projects to this day, he also encouraged me to start giving presentations at conferences and meetups, and to quit the low-paying job that I was in and take control of my career. For that I’m eternally grateful.
Finding a mentor can be hard, but hopefully if you’ve done a good job of Step 4, you’ll at least have more people within your circle and a better understanding of who’s who. Hopefully someone will stand out. Failing that, you could try a more formal program such as [URL=“http://iainstitute.org/en/members/mentoring/mentoring_program.php”]IAI mentor program.

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There is some great information about finding a mentor (or mentor[B]s[/B]) in the ebook that we’re launching next week! I hope to get the designer we interviewed in the book on one of our webinars in the future to talk about this stuff. It’s important!

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When I have already read for about 10 or more books about UX and realized that I already have some knowledge I started to wonder how to use all that knowledge in real life or even better in work. So I started to look for a mentor who would teach me to use all that knowledge and would bring me some new skills. Then I just tried my luck. I emailed one of my favourite and followed UX professionals in New York and asked her to help me being my mentor. Now I am one of the luckiest guys, she agreed and she is still teaching and leading me. Thanks to her.

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Here is a sitel for finding mentors. I tried myself, but I didn’t like the format of conversations. But, of course, it doesn’t meant that it is not a good service. Try yourself, maybe someone will like it.

http://theuxreview.co.uk/ux-mentorship-program-by-uxr/ - I recently came across this Slack group.
It’s a great group. Mentors are fast to respond to questions in the channel.

That’s cool!

We have a less formal thing going on in our own Slack channel.
Everyone welcome!

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@HAWK Can I get an invite on your Slack team or channel? Sorry I don’t really know how to use Slack

Sure thing. slack.uxmastery.com

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Hi Hawk! Could I also get an invite? My email is dnzokten@gmail.com
Looking forward to joining the community!

Hi ya. For sure. Go to the link above and you can auto-invite :slight_smile:

I should say that most of the more valuable discussions happen here though – it’s a more engaged audience.

I honestly really want a mentor. I will find him/her!!

Looks like there is quite a waiting list - I think they must be swamped.

Actually, it looks like the mentee/mentor links have been disabled, even when you have joined. Do you know of anywhere where you can pay for a mentor? Without having to sign up for a course that is.

I would love a mentor!

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Unlocking the Power of SEO: Tips and Techniques for Improved Website Visibility

SEO stands for Search Engine Optimization, which is the practice of optimizing a website or online content to improve its visibility and ranking in search engine results pages (SERPs). SEO involves various techniques, such as keyword research, on-page optimization, link building, and content creation, to improve a website’s relevance and authority in the eyes of search engines like Google, Bing, and Yahoo. The goal of SEO is to increase organic (non-paid) traffic to a website, resulting in higher engagement, leads, and conversions. SEO is an important digital marketing strategy used by businesses and individuals to increase their online presence and reach their target audience.

Here are some SEO tips to help improve your website’s visibility and ranking on search engines:

  1. Conduct keyword research: Identify the keywords and phrases that your target audience is searching for and integrate them into your website’s content, including titles, headers, and meta descriptions.

  2. Optimize website structure and navigation: Make sure your website is well-organized, easy to navigate, and has a clear hierarchy of pages.

3Use descriptive URLs: Create URLs that are short, easy to read, and include relevant keywords.

  1. Focus on quality content: Create high-quality, original content that provides value to your audience and is relevant to your industry or niche.

  2. Use header tags: Use header tags (H1, H2, H3, etc.) to structure your content and make it easier for search engines to understand the hierarchy and relevance of your pages.

  3. Optimize images: Use descriptive filenames and alt tags to optimize your images for search engines.

  4. Build quality backlinks: Create high-quality, relevant backlinks from reputable websites in your industry or niche.

  5. Make your website mobile-friendly: Ensure that your website is optimized for mobile devices, as more and more people are using their mobile devices to browse the web.

  6. Use social media: Promote your website and content on social media to drive traffic and build backlinks.

  7. Monitor your analytics: Use tools like Google Analytics to monitor your website’s performance and identify areas for improvement.

Take our free service

I’m interested in finding a mentor, who can help me further my UX career. Any advice?

I want a mentor asap

Hello! I am from Brazil and need a mentor for Photoshop and to improve my art/design skills. I love having skills, and need a mentor for that thank you all.

Hello! can you please give me an invitation to the Slack Channel? When I click on the link it says my email isn’t part of that workspace. I appreciate it! Email: louisebova@gmail.com

I am new to UX design. My background was in marketing and brand strategy consultancy. From my research, most UX designers have somewhat a background in graphic design and I understand that it’s pretty common for them to pick up UX. On the other hand, my previous experience focus more on the emphasize, define and ideate. My graphical design skill is limited. While I can complete a guided UX project sans problem, it’s quite difficult to find an entry level freelance job with my skillset (I still work my 9-5 brand consultancy job).

I would love to find a mentor that can guide me so that I can become more accustom to the UX design process and have more experience, more at ease with the work and build my portfolio. I’m willing to offer my contribution to any project for free.