The Hidden Framework Behind 6-Figure UX Design Careers
Here’s the truth about UX design careers in 2024:
Most designers are doing it wrong.
They’re obsessing over the latest Figma plugins, perfecting their visual designs, and endlessly tweaking their portfolios.
But after 10 years in Silicon Valley’s design trenches and coaching countless designers to land roles at companies like Google, Airbnb, and IDEO, I’ve noticed something different.
The designers who truly succeed follow a counterintuitive path.
Let me show you why.
From Bootcamp to Dream Job: A 6-Month Transformation
A few months ago, a designer (let’s call him Justin) came to me after completing a General Assembly bootcamp.
His situation:
- One mediocre case study
- Mounting debt
- Rapidly depleting savings
- A dream of working in fashion tech
Most coaches would’ve told him to polish his portfolio 24/7.
Instead, I told him to get a part-time job.
Counterintuitive? Yes.
Effective? Absolutely.
Here’s why: Financial stress kills creativity. And creativity is what lands dream jobs.
Fast forward a few months:
- Justin landed his dream role at KITH
- He’s financially stable
- He’s doing the work he loves
How?
The 80/20 Framework of Design Career Success
Through my experience leading design teams and coaching designers, I’ve discovered that 20% of actions drive 80% of career success.
Here’s what nobody tells you:
1. Design skills are table stakes
Most designers obsess over mastering every feature in Figma. But here’s the truth: Once you hit competency, additional design skills face diminishing returns.
2. The real differentiator?
Your ability to sell the business value of your solutions.
In my decade of experience leading design teams and shipping products, I’ve never seen a designer fail because they couldn’t create the perfect gradient.
They fail because they can’t answer one simple question:
“How does this design make money, save money, or reduce risk for the business?”
3. The holistic advantage
The best designers I’ve worked with don’t just design screens — they design their lives.
One of my clients insisted she did her best work late at night before bed. Her work suffered until we fixed her sleep schedule. Sometimes the biggest career blocker isn’t your portfolio — it’s your habits.
The Truth About Landing Dream Design Jobs
Here’s what actually matters:
- Not your pixel-perfect designs
- Not your mastery of design systems
- Not even your years of experience
What matters is your story.
As a hiring manager, I never hired someone because their portfolio was prettier than the rest.
I hired them because they could articulate:
- The unique value they brought
- The business impact of their work
- The transformation they created for users
The Framework That Actually Works
Want to land your dream design role? Focus on these:
1. Clarity over polish
Document your process. Show your thinking. Demonstrate business impact.
2. Networks over applications
Every major career breakthrough I’ve seen came through relationships, not job boards.
3. Holistic growth over tunnel vision
Your health, relationships, and mindset aren’t separate from your career — they’re the foundation of it.
The Next Step
If you’re tired of:
- Endless portfolio tweaks with no results
- Generic advice that doesn’t move the needle
- Feeling stuck while others advance
And you’re ready to:
- Get clarity on your unique value proposition
- Build a strategic plan for your design career
- Land roles at companies you actually care about
Then let’s talk.
I work with ambitious designers who are ready to take action. In the past my clients have landed roles at Google, Airbnb, IDEO, and leading civic and climate tech companies.
Want to be next?
Book an intro call with me: https://mentorcruise.com/mentor/geronimoramos/
— -
I’m a Product Design Leader who’s shaped products used by over 50 million Americans, working with companies like Chime, Outdoorsy, and Scale AI. After building and leading design teams in climate tech, and having my journey from working in food tech to being the sous chef of Tiger Woods featured in the Washington Post, I now help ambitious designers land their dream roles through a holistic approach to career development.
