How UX bootcamps & universities fail their students
(And what to do instead)
CONTEXT
A wave of UX grads floods the market
Every year thousands of applicants enter the market.
200+
applicants per role
1000s
of students graduate every year
900,000+
students “graduated” the Google UX Certificate
BIG PROBLEM
Unskilled grads with generic portfolios
Problems grads experience: Critical thinking deficit, generic portfolios, and struggle to stand out.
Ignorable outreach
JOB APPLICATIONS
Ignorable portfolio
GENERIC
PROCESS
Ignorable projects
ASSUMPTIONS
TEMPLATIZED
GROUP
Zero foundation
SKIPPED
Bootcamps & universities
1.
Zero
foundation
Most bootcamps skip the foundation, leaving students doomed to fail before they even start.
Ignoring uniqueness & goals
(Paves the path for a generic portfolio)
Not having a clear vision
(Results in bad project choices due to aimlessness)
Picking terrible case studies
(It's like shooting yourself in the foot before the race starts)
Pre-canned bootcamp projects
The same project prompts are given to everyone in the class and usually don’t tackle real business and user problems.
Not solving a real problem
Solving fake problems is the best way to never make it in UX. Hiring managers want you to solve a real business and user problems.
Dribbble-like projects
Beautiful UI screens without diving into the problem, doing research, and using your critical thinking to get to the solution.
Your frustrations with a product
Thinking your frustrations with a product also apply to users indicates a substantial misunderstanding of UX.
Solution-heavy projects
Projects that start with the end in mind, AKA the solution. They often don’t solve a real business and user problem.
Group projects
When you work in a group, you’re throwing away the opportunity to take a project from research all of the way to visual design on your own.
2.
Ignorable
projects
Generic projects are a snooze-fest for hiring managers.
Following a template
Bootcamp templates endangers critical thinking abilities and makes people less adaptable to real-world scenarios. The end result is a stiff and process-heavy case study.
Assuming problems
Many students who create case studies often ignore if they’re solving a problem—it’s an instant deal breaker for hiring managers. Worse, they’re not taught how to identify real business and user problems.
Partial project ownership
Group projects hurt students’ chances to display ownership and erode confidence that they can be trusted to do the job. Students must go through the full UX process on their own.
Zero real-world experience
Lacking real-world experience is a reason why some aspiring UX designers have a hard time landing a job.
3.
Ignorable
portfolios
Most portfolios are vanilla and unable to stand out.
Stuck in the generic trap
(Without distinctiveness, blending in is inevitable)
Generic portfolios
Cookie-cutter portfolios flood the UX market and make it impossible to stand out in a sea of candidates and to make a strong first impression.
Appearing stiff & fake
(Failing to connect authentically)
Process heavy
Over-emphasis on process makes portfolios look stiff and is a missed opportunity to tell a compelling story that connects with hiring managers.
Generic portfolios have become the norm
(It's hurting thousands of aspiring UX/UI designers)
4.
Ignorable
outreach
Most people apply to jobs and hope for the best.
Mass job applications
Many grads default to mass job applications, unaware it's often the least successful strategy for securing a position.
Aimless outreach
Picking bad case studies creates generic portfolios, turning job searches into random application blitzes, killing chances of landing the desired job.
Screened out by AI
Applying for jobs feels like casting your candidacy into a black hole, unseen by humans and likely flagged by AI systems.
PUNCH A HOLE
in the generic
bootcamp mold
Ignorable outreach
JOB APPLICATIONS
Ignorable portfolio
GENERIC
PROCESS
Ignorable projects
ASSUMPTIONS
TEMPLATIZED
GROUP
Zero foundation
SKIPPED
Bootcamps & universities
Un‑ignorable outreach
NETWORK
Un-ignorable portfolio
UNIQUE
STORYTELLING
Un-ignorable projects
DISCOVERY
INFORMED
OWNERSHIP
Un-ignorable foundation
CASE STUDIES THAT STAND OUT
Our approach
THE KICKASS WAY
Our approach to become AN UN‑IGNORABLE UX/UI DESIGNER
Gain critical thinking and ownership over your UX projects and stand the hell out—even in a crowded marketplace.
Un‑ignorable outreach
NETWORK
Un-ignorable portfolio
UNIQUE
STORYTELLING
Un-ignorable projects
DISCOVERY
INFORMED
OWNERSHIP
Un-ignorable foundation
CASE STUDIES THAT STAND OUT
Our approach
1.
Un-ignorable
foundation
Start your journey strategically and picking projects that stand the hell out.
Define your uniqueness & path
Understand how you’ll be unique on the marketplace.
Past experiences
Draw a bridge between your past experiences and future as a UX designer to help you pick projects that stand the hell out.
Hobbies
Turn your hobbies into the building blocks of your UX career and show your true passion for an industry.
Define future self
Rely on a future career vision to craft your unique path forward and pick relevant unique case studies that you care about.
Envision your end goal
Know exactly what projects will support your end goal.
Identify your target companies
From day one, know what to companies you’ll reach out to.
Pick the perfect case studies
Once the groundwork is done, picking great case studies is a breeze.
UX/UI EXPERT PROGRAM
Pick ux case studies that stand the hell out
Start your UX journey by learning how to pick UX case studies that stand the hell out—all in under 2 hours.
Students sharpening their critical thinking are the ones who truly ace the game and win—it's the golden ticket to wowing hiring managers and landing that dream job. Without it, students appear inexperienced and miss the mark in creating trust.
Real business & user problems
To be taken seriously, students must learn how to identify and address real business and user problems on their own. No more bootcamp project prompts or assuming problems.
Full project ownership
Owning a project from start to finish is a surefire way to show hiring managers you're a UX powerhouse who can fly solo.
Apprenticeship for the win
While conceptual projects are important to learn UX, working with a real team on a real-world project is a major advantage.
Generic UX projects
Un‑ignorable UX projects
(RIP bootcamp & university project prompts)
3.
Un-ignorable
portfolio
Instantly stand out with your uniqueness and expertise. (Even in a crowded marketplace)
Build connections with personality
When you augment your unique edge with a personal touch, you allow hiring managers to get a glimpse of the person behind the portfolio—connection guaranteed.
Stand out with your unique edge
Harness your unique edge (industry knowledge, platform specialty, etc.) to shine in a sea of sameness. Turn your expertise into an unfair advantage and get past candidates with generic portfolios.
Engaging stories to break the mold
Turn your portfolio from process-heavy and stiff into captivating narratives, creating an unforgettable showcase of your skills. Storytelling is your golden ticket to making a strong impression.
Show off your soft skills
Soft skills are ~60% of the UX job. Storytelling is at the heart of it which is great for your portfolio and to ensure hiring managers that you can communicate your ideas clearly and with conviction.
4.
Un-ignorable
outreach
Network like a champ & move past the resume pile.
Smart job hunt
Mastering networking and the timing of job applications is the key to landing your dream job in the competitive market.
Targeted outreach
Use your positioning, unique case studies and portfolio to strategically reach out to the right hiring managers.
Be seen by humans
In today's world, networking is essential. Don't leave your fate to AI. Take control and connect your way to success.
Job applications
We received your application.* Expect to hear from us soon. Thank you!”
*AI instantly flagged you
NETWORK
It was a great chat! I have a role that’s not public yet. It may be a good fit for you.”
UX/UI Expert
Become an UN‑IGNORABLE UX/UI designer.Not just another generic grad.
Finally, there’s a way to stand out from generic crowd and unlock a 6-figure UX career.
