Would you consider web design / front-end dev experience relevant to total years of Product/UX Design experience?

New / Design
ozlm13

New Design

ozlm13
5d 9 Comments

New poster here, though I've been lurking for a couple of months and am grateful for all of the insight gained thus far.

The title says it all, but to provide some detail - I've been freelancing as a Product/UX/UI Designer for the last 5 years. Prior to freelancing, I worked as a Senior UX Designer for 5.5 years at a fairly large insurance company. This combo safely provides me 10 years of relevant experience.

However, I actually started my career in 2000 as a Designer / Front-end Developer hybrid. Mainly marketing websites - small to large scale, simple forms, custom WP theme development, etc. - basic agency type work. I worked that role for close to 12 years before shifting my focus solely to design.

I'm currently contemplating jumping back into full time employment and am spending a lot of time researching salaries on levels.fyi and similar sites to get a feel for my worth. I've been making an assumption that my total YOE is at 20+, but have started to question whether that's accurate or not. Any insight here?

#design #ui/ux #yoe

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TOP 9 Comments
  • Meta
    6153

    Go to company page Meta

    PRE
    Airbnb
    6153
    I don’t really find years of experience really relevant, there’s certainly correlation between yoe and level, but it’s not the best predictor. You can have 15 yoe and still be leveled as an L4, or you can be brilliant and be an L5 with 3 yoe at large tech companies. I’ve seen both cases.

    What matters more than your years of experience is your quality of work, your product sense, leadership and drive, and how well you learn and adapt.
    5d 1
  • Dell
    rQqX46

    Go to company page Dell

    rQqX46
    TBH, not much. Unless you can show that what you did was solve user problems for most part and followed ux process which involves research, ixd, vd, user testing and so on.
    5d 1
    • Charles River Laboratories
      exfS67

      Charles River Laboratories

      exfS67
      This, it can be applicable in some way (you understand dev, have worked agile, etc.) but it’s not the same thing.

      I’ve got several years of marketing design experience that definitely help what I do in UX (understand presenting to stakeholders, have worked on larger scale projects) but it’s not UX experience.
      5d
  • New
    yvDw22

    New

    yvDw22
    I think it’s relevant industry experience.
    5d 2
    • New / Design
      ozlm13

      New Design

      ozlm13
      OP
      Thanks! I do agree - I'm just not sure how much of it factors into actual Product / UX design experience.
      5d
    • New
      yvDw22

      New

      yvDw22
      Understanding web technologies lets you propose feasible design solutions quicker and more reliably. The role of a ux designer is a relatively new one so I think coming from web design is a natural career progression for people who have been doing it for as long as you
      5d
  • New / Design
    ◾️◾️

    New Design

    ◾️◾️
    Honestly, it doesn’t really matter how you market it. Having 20 years in design/development, and 10 being in UX is enough to get you considered for any level role you’re looking at.
    5d 0
  • Google
    L7-UX

    Go to company page Google

    L7-UX
    Yes.
    5d 0