A while ago, I had a great conversation with Chris on his show.

We talked about career switching into UX—but honestly, what I shared then still holds true today.

If you’re switching into UX (or coaching someone who is), this might be exactly what you need to hear.

Here’s the link if you want to watch it:

🎧 How To Switch Careers To UX Design (2025) →

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBVDgbwUcW8

But here’s the breakdown, straight from the transcript—no fluff.

1. Build your personal brand (and no, it’s not just logos and fonts)

Your name, your voice, your online presence—they’re all part of your reputation.

People will Google you. They will stalk your LinkedIn.

The best thing you can do is look like someone who gives back to the community, shares openly, and has a clear story.

2. Map your unfair advantage

I shared my 3-circle framework:

• What the industry pays for

• What you’re skilled at

• What you actually love doing

The overlap? That’s your unfair advantage.

Make that the center of your story.

Let it ooze through your profile, your portfolio, and your interviews.

3. If you switched careers, that’s your story—not your weakness

I love working with career switchers because they bring perspectives others can’t.

A financial crime investigator wanting to become a UX researcher?

Yes, please.

That’s the stuff that gets hiring managers curious.

You just need to frame it right.

4. Worrying about age? Don’t. Leverage it.

I get questions about the age barrier a lot—too young, too senior.

For juniors: Do projects. Volunteer. Hackathons. Anything.

For seniors: Focus on transferable skills (communication, client-facing, strategy).

Tailor your story. Keep your resume focused. And show how you still solve real problems.

5. Use your background to get your first break

Hairdresser? Target companies that build scheduling software.

Ex-teacher? Look at EdTech platforms.

You already understand those users. That’s a huge head start.

One of my favorite things to teach is this:

Don’t hide your past. Use it as your wedge.

This conversation reminded me why I love coaching career switchers.

You all have incredible stories. You just need to know how to tell them.

🎧 Full episode here:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qBVDgbwUcW8

If something from this hit home, feel free to reply—I’d love to hear what part landed for you.

—Joseph

P.S. I still stand by everything I said in this. Time has changed. UX hasn’t. It’s still about people, problems, and making things better.