Design job market: a hot mess

Hey reader,

If you’ve been active on LinkedIn for the past six months, you can probably skip this newsletter. But if you’ve been hiding under a rock, welcome to the 2025 disaster that is the job market for junior, mid, senior, lead, and manager designers.

From an outsider’s perspective, there are plenty of opinions about the job market. However, those of us living this reality have a deeper understanding of what’s really going on. It’s a shame that many feel the need to hide, embarrassed by their unemployment status and what others might think.

So here I am, ready to share my experiences since I started job hunting at the end of 2024. This is a work in progress, but I’ll provide the final stats once I finally land a job. For now, I hope my advice offers some guidance and support if you’re also struggling to find your next gig.

From boom to bust

Back in 2020, the tech industry was on fire (not a hot mess). Big tech was scaling fast, startups were raising capital left and right, and design roles were in high demand. But in the past few years, that momentum has slowed. The economic downturn led to mass layoffs, forcing companies, big and small, to make tough decisions.

Content designers and user researchers were often the first to go, followed closely by product designers. Those who remained had to adapt, wearing multiple hats and picking up skills beyond their job descriptions just to stay afloat.

And the changes aren’t stopping there. With AI rapidly reshaping the industry, another shift is coming. The question is: are we ready for it?

The comeback of the craftsmen

Here we are, back to making things look pretty. After interviewing for over 20 roles, I’ve noticed a clear trend: companies care more about my UI skills than anything else I’ve done.

Personally, this shift feels like a step back. In recent years, designers were expected to focus on strategy, planning, stakeholder management, and soft skills. Now? Companies want hands-on practitioner designers with strong UI and visual skills who can craft exceptionally beautiful experiences. Out of the 20 roles I applied for, every single one asked me to showcase my UI skills first and foremost.

This realisation hit hard. Before my maternity leave, I was investing heavily in leadership and soft skills, preparing for the next stage of my career. Now, it feels like the industry has moved in the opposite direction.

Blink and you’ll miss it

Timing the market is key, but so is timing the job market. With so few roles available, I check LinkedIn constantly for new job postings. It’s still the best place to find opportunities, and if LinkedIn is dead, well… then there’s no hope.

If a job has been up for more than a week, I don’t even bother applying. The chances of my CV being seen are slim. Companies don’t want to wait too long. Once they hit a certain number of applicants, they start interviewing and move on.

When experience works against you

There are many reasons why you’re not landing interviews, or why they’re not going anywhere. One of the biggest, in my opinion, is that your fellow senior designers are applying for your mid-level roles. And that’s a problem.

Ideally, companies should recognise this and avoid considering leads or staff designers for mid-level positions. It actually happened to me once. I applied for a mid-level role and was told they needed someone more junior. Fair enough.

The real issue is when companies take advantage of the situation, hiring lead or staff designers for senior roles simply because they can. If it’s tough for me, I can’t imagine how frustrating it must be for juniors trying to break in!

Scams

Unfortunately, this is still a reality. I recently applied for a role that had a really scammy vibe just because I’m nosy. I didn’t put any sort of data about myself, and the email I received looked professional at first glance, but it quickly became clear that it was a scam.

Also, be cautious with AI startups. I was hired by one, only to find out they’d brought someone else on board to replace me just three days before my start date. It was a tough lesson learned.

Don’t take anything for granted. Once you get the job, the negotiation part can get tricky. I negotiated reduced hours, and while they initially agreed, I sensed they regretted it and rushed to find a replacement. I noticed the red flags but chose to ignore them, and now I know better.

If you’re navigating the rough seas of the design job market, I’ve got something special coming your way soon! It’s easy to feel overwhelmed and discouraged with so many ups and downs, but remember, you’re not alone in this journey.

I’ll be sharing more ways I can help you sail through these choppy waters and land the job you’ve been dreaming of. So stay tuned and keep pushing forward!

All the best,

Sara