I was reading Frost's "The Road Not Taken" this morning while my coffee got cold.

You know the poem. Two paths in the woods. Most people quote the last line about taking "the road less traveled."

But here's what hit me:

Frost actually says both paths were "really about the same." The speaker just convinced himself later that his choice was special.

Sound familiar?

Most UX designers take the same path: LinkedIn job boards, endless applications, hoping someone notices their portfolio in a pile of 500 others.

They tell themselves they're being "strategic" because they customize their resume for each application.

But they're still on the crowded path.

Everyone else is doing the exact same thing.

The actual road less traveled in UX job searching?

Building relationships with hiring managers before positions get posted.

Having coffee chats with design leads at your dream companies.

Creating value for teams you want to join, months before they have openings.

Most designers avoid this path because it feels uncertain.

It requires reaching out to strangers.

It means having conversations where you're not immediately asking for something.

But that's exactly why it works.

While 500 people apply through the standard process, you're the one person the hiring manager already knows and trusts.

You're not in the pile.

You are the pile.

Joseph

P.S. This relationship-first approach is the foundation of everything we teach in Career Creators. If you're tired of competing with hundreds of other applicants and ready to become the only candidate they're considering, reply "Details" and I'll share how the program works.