Getting into the UI/UX design industry is harder than it seems. While there’s plenty of demand for entry-level designers, most job applications ask for one thing — experience.

But gaining experience that matters is challenging. No matter how many UI/UX courses you do and how well you master the tools, your potential employers or clients need to see what you can actually do.

Interested in a UI/UX bootcamp that can help you gain the right experience and build a portfolio to land a role in design? Check out Springboard’s UI/UX Career Track.

To prove your skills, you need a design portfolio. But what do you add to it?

Here are 5 ways you can gain experience as a newbie in the UI/UX industry:

#1. Volunteer Projects

The easiest way to get projects as a rookie is to do smaller projects for free. Ask your friends, family, peers, local businesses, and NGOs if they need any help designing or creating an app or website, and do it for them.

Most volunteer projects are free, meaning you don’t earn anything. However, you learn what your career entails. You get hands-on experience into what your future might look like.

Not only are volunteer projects great for developing your skills, but they’re also an excellent indicator of what your career specialty should and should not be. They teach you about deadlines and give you a peek at the actual work process that goes into design.

Once you complete a few free projects, you’ll likely know which area of UI/UX you love the most and want to pursue a career in.

#2. Freelancing

Freelance projects are more welcoming of beginners in the design industry. If you have a basic portfolio, even if it’s just the projects you completed during your UI/UX course, you can apply for one-shot freelance gigs to gain experience.

These gigs will probably pay lower fees, but they will be your first foray into collaborating with other teams. Unlike a free project for someone you know, freelancing teaches you to work with team members in a completely professional setting. You’ll also learn to function under strict deadlines.

Freelance projects can also help you decide if you’d rather work solo and eventually become a professional freelancer or be a part of a full-time team at an organization.

#3. UI/UX Bootcamp

A UI/UX Bootcamp is much more than a basic learning course. For one, they give you the proper foundation via experienced teachers.

If you’re self-taught, you’ve likely watched a few YouTube videos or read some guides, but a full-fledged UI/UX course teaches you definitive principles, concepts, and skills at the hands of industry professionals.

More importantly, a career-focused UI/UX Bootcamp guarantees a job after completion. It also allows you to work on real industry projects for actual companies as part of the course. This helps your portfolio stand out from other beginners, whose portfolios are likely filled with self-made designs or personal projects.

Bootcamps are great for networking and professional development, especially if actual experts in your industry are teaching you. They can give you valuable insights based on real-life scenarios rather than generic online advice.

#4. Mentorships

A mentor is different from a regular teacher. They don’t just tell you what you need to know. They also help you implement it via projects and point you to potential career opportunities.

A mentor is typically a professional in your desired UI/UX design role. They’re already made it through the industry and know how career progression in their field works. This means they can help you with interviews and lay out a career path for faster progress.

If you’ve graduated from a UI/UX course, you can find mentors within the program to help you. You can also reach out to these mentors after the program ends and ask for their help, although this will largely depend on their schedule.

If you’re self-taught, you’ll need to spend some time building connections and approaching people on platforms like LinkedIn.

Online design communities are another place to find mentors. There are plenty of design-focused groups that share feedback, tips, and potential jobs. Join these and form a network that will help you rise.

#5. Side Projects

Side projects are smaller projects that you complete while looking for your main gig. These could be self-made projects for practice and portfolio building, or they could be assisting with UX at your current job.

One of the easiest ways to make your portfolio is to take an app or website you like and redesign it to showcase your skills. Present each of these redesigns as a case study. Write a blog post explaining how and why you made your design decisions.

The blogs show potential employers that you know what you’re doing and have a solid grasp of design concepts.

If you’re already working at another job, you can offer to assist the design team with their projects on a part-time basis. This opens up the potential for a full-time design role at the same company. If that doesn’t work out, you have the experience to land other positions.

Getting started in the UI/UX industry

The UI/UX industry is very competitive and requires some effort to truly kickstart your career. Rather than struggle by yourself as a beginner, you can speed up your professional growth through a UI/UX Bootcamp that teaches you everything you need to know and helps you build the right connections.

This article was brought you by Springboard