I was trying to switch from IT support to web design for 8 months with no luck.

I kept sending out my resume and a basic portfolio, but got zero calls back. The moment I saw a job ad asking for 'experience with Figma and responsive design projects', I knew my old, static screenshots weren't cutting it. What's one thing you had to add to your skills that finally got you an interview in a new field?

2 comments

2 Comments

avery38923d ago

Hot take: It's the story, not the software. Yeah, I was stuck in that same loop. Learning the new tool feels like progress, but it's just a checkbox. What worked for me was redoing one portfolio project from start to finish and writing out my whole thought process. Like, why I picked that font, how I fixed a layout problem, that kind of thing. It forced me to have a real answer for why I made choices, which is what they actually want to hear in an interview. The tool just lets you show that.

johnb9523d ago

Honestly, I had the total opposite experience. I spent months learning Figma and building these fancy interactive prototypes. Still got nothing. What finally got me a call back was going back to basics and just writing a really clear, simple cover letter that explained my IT support background in a way that made sense for a design team. I mean, they told me later they were drowning in portfolios from bootcamp grads all using the same tools. Showing I could actually talk through problems and work with clients from my old job is what stood out. Sometimes the new skill everyone says you need is just noise.