I think your portfolio and CV are very good. The projects are well presented, the CV is clear and easy to read, and youâve got decent real-world experience. Iâd interview you if I was recruiting for an entry-level UX/UI person.
I donât know the UX/UI job market in Dublin - I work in Brighton and London - but I suspect itâs not easy for graduates at the moment. Here are some things that might help:
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Talk to recruiters. Phone them up, explain who you are, and ask if theyâve got 5 minutes for a quick chat about the current job market. Youâre not applying for anything, youâre just networking and trying to get some useful information. Is it busy or quiet? Whoâs hiring? What skills are they looking for? Where can you find work? What would they suggest a graduate should do? Recruiters know the job market better than anyone else and theyâre usually happy to chat.
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Research local design agencies and tech companies, reach out to their senior design leads and ask if you can chat to them. Most seniors are happy to offer help and advice - they were once where you are now. Again, youâre not trying to apply for a job, youâre just networking, collecting information and raising your profile.
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Follow up on unsuccessful applications. If you can, try and get in-depth feedback on your applications that werenât successful. Exactly why did they not choose you? Were there particular skills or experience that you didnât have? Was there an issue with your design challenge or your interview? It often requires persistence to get people to give you detailed feedback, and it can be tough to get negative comments, but you often learn a lot about what you can improve for future applications.
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Consider freelance work. If full-time jobs are not available, maybe paid freelance work is possible? It comes with its own challenges, but it might offer a quicker route into paid work, and some companies like to try people out as a freelancer then transition them into a full-time role.
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Consider relocating? This might not be something that you want to do, and it might not be possible (particularly since - sigh! - Brexit), but I suspect there are many more UX/UI roles in London than in Dublin.
I hope that helps. Overall, Iâd focus as much as you can on networking. Make loads of contacts, talk to lots of people, stay open to new opportunities, and eventually Iâm sure that something will work out. Good luck!