The demand for UX designers keeps growing.
Currently, Glassdoor alone has over 4000 UX design positions across the U.S. only. And, according to Dice, the demand for UX designers will increase by 14.9% over the next 5-10 years.
Because of the growing popularity of this job position and the general shortage of skilled professionals, companies are willing to offer more money to UX designers, as their skills are currently in demand.
In Australia, for instance, UX designers with a medium level of experience are paid over 110,000 AUD (about 90,000 USD) a year.
With the growing popularity of UX designer jobs, it’s natural that more and more people will be looking for opportunities to get into this field. Besides, the popularity of this job position is not going anywhere in the upcoming future.
If you want to try on a new role as a UX designer, you might be interested in starting with an internship.
Benefits of UX Design Internships
There are many benefits of exploring this option first instead of switching to the full-mode career right away.
- Gaining work experience. Whether you’re a student or someone looking into changing careers, an internship is a great way to smoothly introduce yourself to a new field. If you haven’t worked in this field before, getting a UX design internship will help you jump-start your career in the field with the relevant work experience.
- Acquiring and refining your UX design skills. UX design is a relatively new field, and there are only a few universities around the world that offer degrees specific to this field. But to become a UX designer, it’s not necessary to have a degree. Having strong skills is what matters to employers, and the best way to get these skills and practice them right away is through an internship.
- Getting valuable connections. Even though you might not get a job after completing an internship, it still gives you an opportunity to get connections that will help you get a job in the future.
Getting an internship will slowly introduce you to the field, and it doesn’t make you attached to the job. You can still pick up other projects to improve your skills and add them to your work experience while doing an internship.
Apart from that, it also gives you a competitive advantage in your career. Even if you decide not to follow the path of the UX designer career, you will still have a great experience to add to your resume.
Where can you get UX design internship opportunities?
Here are the top 5 websites for you to explore.
1. Chegg Internships
Chegg Internships is one of the most popular resources to explore internship opportunities in different fields. There, you can find 10,000+ internships for professionals from different industries.
To search for an internship that fits your needs, you can adjust the filter to get internship offers from a specific company, in a specific location, and select the compensation type you’re interested in.
Apart from that, you can search for a UX design internship by category –summer internships, remote internships, or even high-school internships. If you are planning on doing this internship in off-work hours or while studying, you can set the filter to find suitable UX designer internship options.
One of the benefits of this resource is that the majority of internships posted there are paid. This is great for those who cannot afford to lose time and money, but still want to explore the career of a UX designer.
However, even if the internship is unpaid, you still can get a lot of benefits from it. As you improve your UX design skills, you can also start a freelance career and complete projects, while working as an intern for a company that can later offer you a job position.
2. WayUp Internships
WayUp is a subscription-based service, where you can get exclusive access to internship opportunities across the U.S.
To get access to the internship offers, you need to fill in your personal information, including your first and last name, location, and whether you are enrolled in the university.
After you set up your profile, you can search for UX design internships in a specific location or the entire country.
You can also create a search alert, and the system will send you relevant internship alerts if there are currently no options. The website is updated quite frequently, so setting an alert will help you keep track of relevant internships.
The advantage of this website is that there you can find UX design internships not only from web design and development companies but from businesses that operate in a variety of industries, including educational facilities, best writing companies, manufacturers, etc.
3. Global Experiences
For those, who are looking for relocation opportunities connected to a job, a paid UX design internship can be a great idea to start your career outside of your home country.
If this is your intention, you can apply for Global Experiences – a subscription-based resource with global internship opportunities. Global Experiences connects with employers from around the world, who want to attract talented UX designers and other professionals from foreign countries.
To become a member, you need to fill out a form and provide your personal information, contact details, education status, and what internships you’re looking for.
After completing your application, you can browse available UX design internships.
The subscription to the Global Experiences platform isn’t free. However, the participants get an admissions counselor and help from the placement team to guide them through the process of applying for an internship. All the internships on the platform are also verified to eliminate the risks that a company lists false details about an internship.
Global Experiences also support all their interns until the internship is finished. So, if you are willing to relocate to another country, it is a safe and secure way to start your UX designer career abroad.
4. Idealist.org
Another resource, where you can find UX designer internship opportunities from around the world is Idealist.
This resource operates similarly to Chegg Internships and WayUp. You enter the position you’re looking for, the desired location, and search for internships.
Similar to WayUp, you can create your profile on Idealist, create an internship alert based on a certain location, and the platform will pick the relevant internships for you.
5. LinkedIn and Glassdoor
If you’re searching for a UX design internship either locally or globally, you can get relevant opportunities on Glassdoor.
Glassdoor exists primarily for job search, but there are plenty of internship opportunities there as well.
You can also easily apply for an internship with one click if you have an active profile on Glassdoor, the platform will instantly send your resume to the employer. The website also contains relevant up-to-date information about every employer that places a job ad there, which makes it easy for you to pick the company that fits your needs.
If you’re considering a UX design internship at a particular company but it doesn’t have any relevant internship programs yet, you can follow this company on LinkedIn for updates.
On LinkedIn, you can also search for UX designer internships in general, either locally or globally. The platform also sends you notifications, when relevant internship program opportunities appear.
Get Ready to Skyrocket Your UX Designer Career!
There are many benefits that an internship can offer future UX designers, from perfecting necessary skills to getting the desired job offer.
Whether you’re a student exploring career opportunities or someone who wants to change their career, starting your path with an internship is a smart way to boost your UX designer career.
There are plenty of UX design internship opportunities around the world, so you can make your first steps as a UX designer somewhere abroad, while also learning a foreign language and culture.
To expand your search and get as many internship options as possible, we encourage you to actively explore all the above-mentioned resources. These platforms are updated quite frequently, so there is a high chance that this way you will find the UX design internship you’re looking for faster.
You May Like:
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- UX Design – What it means and why you must pay special attention to it
- Promising Interaction Design Principles For Boosting Current UX Designs
FAQs
How do I find my UX internship? ›
You may be able to find UX design internships directly through your school. This can be an excellent way to find local businesses looking for a UX design intern. But you can also check job boards where UX design jobs are posted. That includes places like Dribbble, LinkedIn, or more specialized design job boards.
Which country has most demand for UX designer? ›The most favorable countries for UX developers are the United States, Canada, Australia, China, Germany, and the United Kingdom. These countries are known for design agencies, technical centers, and communities.
Where can I find UX design mentors? ›- Ask around. The first thing you should do when looking for a mentor is ask the people who are already in your network. ...
- Local Slack Channels. ...
- Local Networking Apps. ...
- CLUBHOUSE! ...
- BetterUp.
Some of the best companies that UX designers work for include Microsoft, IBM, Amazon, SAP, Google, and Cisco Systems. Higher pay tends to come from sales and tech companies.
How much do UX interns get paid? ›The average hourly wage for a UX Design Intern in the United States is $37 as of September 26, 2022, but the salary range typically falls between $33 and $41.
How do you land a design internship? ›- Having an online portfolio immediately increases your chances.
- If you don't have experience, experiment.
- Update all your design and social accounts.
- Have a memorable About page. Show personality.
- Curate your projects.
- Keep your case studies concise.
- Enthusiasm counts for a lot.
UX is oversaturated with average/low skills designers with not a lot of in depth qualifications or experience. Strong designers will always be in demand no matter the job market.
Who gets paid more UX or UI? ›The average salary of a UX Designer in the US is $115,743 per year. This can increase to over $134,395 for more experienced designers. Entry-level UI Designers make an average of approximately $73,040 a year and $100,559 at mid-level. When you gain more experience, you can earn as much as $103,026 a year.
Why UX designer salary is high? ›There are a few contributing factors in terms of the salary gap between UX and UI. Traditionally, the skills needed to become a highly-skilled UX designer are much higher than that required for UI design. This is why the salaries of UX designers tend to be higher than the salaries of UI designers.
How do I become a good UX mentor? ›As the mentor:
Show appreciation for work your mentee has done and how they are growing. Provide examples, domain knowledge, and advice related to your mentee's topics. Create improvised scenarios your mentee can run through related to their topic. Help your mentee problem solve and ideate.
Which company is best for UX designer? ›
IDEO. Established in 1991, IDEO is the leading user experience design firm in this field. IDEO specializes in digital products and UX design. Specifically, they are famous for building websites, mobile apps, enterprise software, and other high-quality digital experience for users.
Are UX designers highly paid? ›A mid-career UI/UX Designer with 4-9 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹8.1 Lakhs per year, while an experienced UI/UX Designer with 10-20 years of experience earns an average salary of ₹11.7 Lakhs per year.
How much are Google interns paid? ›How much does an Intern make at Google in the United States? Average Google Intern yearly pay in the United States is approximately $80,000, which is 96% above the national average.
What is UX design? ›User experience (UX) design is the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. UX design involves the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product, including aspects of branding, design, usability and function.
How do you land a UX internship with no experience? ›To get a UX internship with no experience, you need to at least be enrolled in a degree-earning design program or related field. Ideal candidates are design students or recent graduates with a portfolio that demonstrates knowledge of UX design, Microsoft Suite, and prototyping tools such as Adobe Creative Suite.
Can I apply for internship without portfolio? ›The answer is YES, you need a portfolio for internship application! In case you're wondering why do you need one if you're not pursuing career in creative field, you should get rid of that idea. These days, it's not only creative professionals need portfolio.
What do UX interns do? ›What does a UX Design Intern do? UX Professionals leverage empathy, creativity, and problem-solving to create beautiful and easy-to-use products, apps, and websites. Interns work with product design teams to assist with current projects and activities.
Will UX design be replaced by AI? ›Probably not. Lower budget jobs might be more and more automated in the future because companies with fewer resources won't be able to hire the best UX designers and UX design agencies. But the gold standard in user experience will likely be achieved by human beings in the foreseeable future. So good news!
How much do Google UX designers make? ›The average Google UI/UX Designer earns $139,508 annually, which includes a base salary of $108,778 with a $30,730 bonus. This total compensation is $42,275 more than the US average for a UI/UX Designer. UI/UX Designer salaries at Google can range from $70,000 - $195,000 with equity ranging from 10-100K+.
Is UX design too competitive? ›UX design is a highly competitive field, and being a first-class UXer requires you to wear many hats. As well as mastering a whole host of technical skills, you'll also need to become an expert in human empathy.
Does UX require coding? ›
No, most UX Designers are not required to code (at least, not at an advanced level). However, it's still to their advantage to develop an understanding and appreciation for what Developers do.
Is UI easier than UX? ›Some people find the hands-on, design aspect of UI design easier than the psychological, research aspect of UX design. Learning UI design is really about understanding the many rules of visual design and mastering the array software design tools that will help you create those designs.
Should I go into UX or UI? ›To summarize: UX design is all about identifying and solving user problems; UI design is all about creating intuitive, aesthetically-pleasing, interactive interfaces. UX design usually comes first in the product development process, followed by UI.
How do I get a UX job with no experience? ›- Take at least one UX course. There's a ton of UX courses to explore. ...
- Shape your existing experience. Most UXBs come into this field thinking they have absolutely no UX experience. ...
- Fill in the Gaps. ...
- Gain UX experience. ...
- Finish your UX Portfolio and Apply.
While UX can be a difficult career, most UX/UI designers are happy in their roles. According to Career Explorer, UX designers are happier than average, rating their career happiness at 3.5 out of 5 stars. This puts UX in the top 30% of careers.
Is UX designer job stressful? ›UX design is a field that can be very stressful. Many times, there are tight deadlines, and the designer must create a product that meets the needs of the client while also meeting their own personal standards.
How do you start a conversation with a mentor? ›Here are a few discussion ideas to get you started. Introduce yourself and ask protégés about themselves. Talk about your hobbies, favorite movies, books, music, family, community where you live, etc. Ask protégés about their hobbies, favorite books, music, family, school, academic and career plans, etc.
How do I ask my mentor to be my mentor? ›- Schedule an initial conversation. ...
- Clearly describe the guidance you're seeking (The Ask). ...
- Confirm your willingness to do the necessary work and follow-through. ...
- Acknowledge and respect the individual's time. ...
- Note: If you don't hear from them, follow-up, but don't hound him or her.
Good Mentors Have Good Connections.
When people seek mentors, they do so not only for the quality of advice that mentor will offer (and the wealth of experience they bring to that advice) but also for the connections that mentor might have. Connections are everything in business, and sometimes you need to pay for them.
Although some individuals do charge for mentoring, we believe that mentoring should be free and easily accessible for all. By offering free mentoring it helps remove any monetary bias, reduces any malicious intentions and ensures that the mentor is focused on actually helping their mentee grow and flourish.
How do you mentor junior UX designer? ›
Provide your guidelines to junior members, and explain them the importance of consistent experience throughout your products. Ask them to follow the guidelines while working on design tasks. “Welcome their feedback and suggestions that you may like to incorporate within your standards.”
How do I mentor a UX internship? ›- Step 1: Know what you are looking for. ...
- Step 2: Craft the job description. ...
- Step 3: Spread the word. ...
- Step 4: Assessing the candidates. ...
- Step 5: Set the framework: Goals, rules and projects. ...
- Step 6: Onboard your intern. ...
- Step 7: Give and take feedback. ...
- Step 8: Don't forget to have fun.
- Do your homework. Get yourself to a baseline level of knowledge so that you can get guidance on things that actually matter. ...
- Work your network. UX Meetups. ...
- Mentees drive the relationship. ...
- Do something. ...
- Follow up using the “drip” approach.
- Working alongside experienced UX researchers.
- Collecting data regarding consumer information and preferences.
- Assisting in making product design decisions.
- Using consumer research to create popular products.
- Performing product usability testing.
UI interns work on the visual design of user interfaces, while UX interns work on user experience research and design. UI interns should not be confused with UX interns, and vice versa. UI UX internships can provide valuable experience and skills that can be applied to a wide range of careers.
What do UX designers do? ›What is a UX designer? The UX designer role is to make a product or service usable, enjoyable, and accessible. While many companies design user experiences, the term is most often associated with digital design for websites and apps.
Is UX design worth? ›UX design may be a good fit if you aspire to a creative and analytical position, a decent salary, long-term job security, a chance to branch out skill-wise, the possibility of freelancing, or just the chance to do some meaningful work that makes the world a better place.
Why do you want to pursue an internship as a UI designer? ›One of the best ways to learn the practice of UI design is by getting an internship. It will give you hands-on experience, working on real-world projects, collaborating with professionals, maybe even being paid for it!
What is UX design? ›User experience (UX) design is the process design teams use to create products that provide meaningful and relevant experiences to users. UX design involves the design of the entire process of acquiring and integrating the product, including aspects of branding, design, usability and function.
What do junior UX designer do? ›What do Jr UX designers do? conduct user research and usability testing, organize and analyze research findings for a better understanding of user insight, assist in wireframing, sketching, prototyping, and creating user flows.
Does UI design require coding? ›
If you are considering getting into UX/UI design, you're probably wondering the same thing. The short answer is no. UX design does not require coding. Nonetheless, there are occasions where learning to code can give you a leg up on the competition.
What is required for UI UX designer? ›Good communication skills are essential for a UI UX Designer. They need the ability to ask others what they think about designs or projects before even starting work on them. They also use empathy to understand their users, develop solutions that solve their problems, and listen effectively.
Who gets paid more UX or UI? ›The average salary of a UX Designer in the US is $115,743 per year. This can increase to over $134,395 for more experienced designers. Entry-level UI Designers make an average of approximately $73,040 a year and $100,559 at mid-level. When you gain more experience, you can earn as much as $103,026 a year.
How do you become a UX designer with no experience? ›- Find your area of interest. UX design is a broad discipline. ...
- Get educated. ...
- Find a mentor. ...
- Master the right tools. ...
- Get practical skills. ...
- Create a portfolio. ...
- Write about design. ...
- Connect with others.
UX design can be challenging to learn for several reasons, including: Degree of difficulty. The skills needed to become a successful UX designer are fairly advanced, even for people who have a bachelor's or master's degree in design-related subjects.