Despite what many Bootcamp programs insinuate up front, making a career switch to UX Design isn’t always as simple as it may seem. Many companies simply do not have the capacity to develop design talent, and often require years of technical experience for entry-level roles to get around the need to take time to train employees who may be new to the field.

When design positions are hired for at a more advanced level than necessary, and on-the-job training is neglected, burnout can filter up the chain to mid and senior level roles where employees would also like to advance their skills and careers.

In this episode, Jared and Nadia talk about how to structure hiring plans, talent pipelines, teams, and strategy so that organizations can bring employees in at the right level and grow with the organization, rather than against it.

Here’s a look at our discussion:

• 1:07 - Setting up a talent pipeline with mentorship opportunities to create room for growth
• 7:31 - How to assess junior talent for growth potential
• 14:04 - Using the “achiever pattern” to gauge designer experience rather than years on the job
• 21:58 - Understanding the importance of retention rates over time as it relates to developing junior designers and creating a growth pipeline
• 33:44 - Designing a workplace where learning on the job is intentional, not accidental
• 43:27 - Jared’s new program, How to Win Stakeholders and Influence Decisions, and other projects

Links mentioned in this episode:

• The UX Strategy of Hiring Juniors Over Seniors
• WinStakeholders.com
• Jared Spool’s Twitter Account
• Jared Spool’s LinkedIn Account
• Leaders of Awesomeness
• UX Centered Careers
• Center Centre