Last month I discovered and joined the User Experience Professionals Association (UXPA). Already I am reaping the benefits of the active and talented community interaction and UX news that comes from this great organization.
I also just received the first quarter issue of “User Experience” magazine and I am blown away by the issue’s relevancy; the topic this quarter is user experience careers. As someone who is in the early stages of a UX career I need all the insight I can get.
One article, “Out of the Classroom and into the Wild: Making the Most of a UX Internship”, has really peaked my interest because I am beginning a wonderful internship opportunity soon. I have decided to start a series of posts dedicated to my internship experience to chronicle what I learn, what works, what doesn’t, and eventually what comes afterward.
Arthur Che and Di Liu, the article’s authors and recent Salesforce.com UX interns, write:
“You want to show that you can make an impact on the organization and that you’re not afraid to work with conviction. Your coworkers will notice and remember you for it. If you don’t take initiative, you can forget about receiving that full-time job offer upon graduating.”
I will focus on my attempts to do just that, I aim to find out how a young UX professional creates value on the team level and beyond at the client level. I hope I can include some words of wisdom from the experienced people I will be working with along the way.
Useful is Usable 