We’ve all heard about layoffs within the tech industry in recent months. Many tech professionals may have even experienced this contraction directly. While it sounds as if the tech job market is slowing or, worse, shrinking, the long-term future actually looks bright for tech careers, including user experience professionals.
The US Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that tech job postings reached 2.2 million during 2022, which is a 52% increase over 2021. If you consider the bigger picture, the tech industry and the UX design job market remain strong overall.
The recent layoffs in the tech industry predominantly took place at large enterprise companies reducing headcounts at the close of a fiscal year. While unfortunate, this is often an annual occurrence as companies scramble to maximize business revenue.
This guide describes the steps you can take to continue building a UX tech career and how to succeed despite economic and market fluctuations.
Key Takeaways
- What changes are coming to the UX job market in 2023?
- How can you protect your UX career?
- Find out how to strengthen your position in the UX career field.
- Discover the latest trends in UX to learn or apply to keep skills up to date.
What changes are coming to the UX job market in 2023?
Remote work remains strong, with most tech organizations supporting remote working options. Some companies are reportedly trying to lure employees back to the office with higher wages or additional perks and benefits. If you prefer to work remotely only, tech workers, including UX designers, still have clout, as finding exceptional UX designers remains challenging across the tech industry.
Laid-off tech workers remain in demand because of the tight labor market surrounding tech-related skills. 79% of tech workers that recently experienced a layoff landed new jobs within three months of starting a new job search. Some of these new roles happen even faster, with four out of every ten laid-off tech workers starting a new job within a month. Employers are hiring tech workers—although in slightly lower numbers than previous years—and UX designers are no exception.
How can you protect your UX career?
Maintaining career resilience is critical to protecting your tech career. Luckily, UX careers remain in high demand, especially for specific skills and specializations.
Protect your UX tech career by taking the following steps:
- Proactively monitor job openings online and within your existing employer.
- Pay attention to corporate information on company earnings where possible.
- Develop a UX designer network. Get to know other tech workers in UX and within development teams and develop a network of contacts.
- Keep your portfolio, design, and writing samples up to date. If you must, make it a New Year’s resolution to update your portfolio.
- Relax! Spend any off time learning new skills and brushing up on current UX trends.
Keep your UX career resilient and remain in high demand. Learn the current UX skills that are becoming popular, such as an increase in accessibility requirements and visual communication needs. Know what’s going on with your employer and the job market by monitoring UX job openings and creating a strong career network. With a few proactive steps, you will be well-positioned to continue growing your career.