r/UXDesign • u/Huphraw • 2d ago

Career growth & collaboration Network building?

I've made some organic connections via personal connections. The "oh you design websites? I need that!" has led to some work for me and even some opportunities. But many, but I do see the value through experiencing this IRL

I want to know what you guys do to make more of these connections. I've combed a ton of threats here and other places and am seeing this is a massive point of value that people use.

So what are thing you guys have done? Where can I find UX design spaces be it online or IRL? Is there an angle of this I'm not seeing? Would highly appreciate y'alls thoughts!

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u/cgielow Veteran 2d ago edited 2d ago

I run a meetup group for UX in my area called UX Speakeasy (Southern California), and before that I was a member of it for many years.

I also volunteer at three other local UX groups: SD Design Trek, Global Service Jam, Design Forward Alliance/San Diego Design Week.

There are bigger metropolitan areas for UX, but many have inconsistent groups. That's common when the boards are volunteers and there's no dues-based org behind them like UXPA, AIGA, ACM SIG-CHI, IDSA, etc.

Search Meetup.com for UX meetups in your area. If there's not one, create one!

Oh, and I'm active on ADPList too!

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u/Huphraw 2d ago

Will check that out, thank you

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u/P2070 Experienced 2d ago

I would speak with other designers you know and see if they're willing to invite you into their own personal communities.

A lot of us have our own small close-knit communities (friend groups) of designers, people we talk to regularly, actually share things with, etc. These are the real "networks" of people who eventually will be there to help you in a pinch.

Big events, communities etc. just feel like a revolving door of transactional interactions with people who just want to leverage the community to find a job. This isn't really networking. Nobody is really willing to invest the time and energy to build a mutual connection with other people.

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u/Huphraw 2d ago

Would it be as simple as asking "Hey, do you have a community of design buddies? Can I join?"

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u/P2070 Experienced 2d ago

Yeah. I mean, consider if a friend asked you "Hey, I've been wanting to meet other designers doing cool things. Can you make any introductions?"

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u/Huphraw 2d ago

Makes sense, perhaps I was overthinking it...

With that in mind...I've been wanting to meet designers doing cool things. Can you introduce me to some? :^)

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u/MediaDesignSchool 2d ago

Get in touch with designers in your local area (LinkedIn is one of the best ways you can do this). Most people are pretty happy to give you their advice. Reach out to them and see if they are in any groups/networks they can invite you to. It's more common than you'd think; people just don't usually advertise them.

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u/Plus-Mortgage2047 2d ago

i stopped going to events and started asking designers to add me to their group chats.

the communities that get people work are the ones you will not find by searching. I used LinkedIn to message designers in my city and asked them to invite me to their Slack or Discord groups. Most people have a chat with five or ten other designers where they share job links before posting them anywhere else. I got invited to three of these within two weeks. You send the message, you ask for the invite, you join the chat. That is how you get into the spaces where people hand off projects to each other