Networking for UX/UI Designers

If you’re a student, coffee chats might feel intimidating. “How do I even ask?” "Who should i reach out to?" “What if I don’t know what to say?” Trust me—I’ve been there. But the truth is, coffee chats aren’t about asking the perfect questions or landing a referral. It's about learning what other people's career paths are like and applying their advice through years of experience to 𝘆𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗼𝘄𝗻 𝗰𝗮𝗿𝗲𝗲𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵. Coffee chats are 𝗻𝗼𝘁 𝗺𝗲𝗮𝗻𝘁 𝘁𝗼 𝗯𝗲 a two-way street. If you're a student, professionals aren't going to expect to be 'learning' from you. They're going to be sharing advice based on the 𝗿𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 questions that you ask. That’s why for #3 on my list of 44 'productive' things to do this summer, we’re tackling how to actually do coffee chats. Check out the full list here: https://lnkd.in/g9W5BCWa Here’s a simple roadmap 👇 1️⃣ Start small Message someone from your school, a club alum, or a professional you admire. The worst they can say is “no,” and most will say yes. 2️⃣ Reach out with curiosity, not an agenda The message should focus on learning, not asking for opportunities. People can tell the difference. 3️⃣ Prepare a “conversation starter” list What inspired you to choose this career? What does a day in your role look like? What do you wish you knew as a student? 4️⃣ Do your research Read their LinkedIn, browse their projects, and prepare tailored questions. This shows respect for their time. 5️⃣ Let it be a conversation, not an interview Ask open-ended questions, share your own experiences, and let the dialogue flow naturally. 6️⃣ Listen more than you talk Take notes if you want—but focus on truly listening. Sometimes one sentence from them can change how you see your path. 7️⃣ Express gratitude Send a thank-you note within 24 hours. Mention a specific insight that resonated with you. 8️⃣ Keep it going Relationships are built over time. Share updates, engage with their content, or reconnect in a few months. ✨ Bonus tip: Use LinkedIn’s “Alumni” feature to find professionals from your school who’d love to support students like you. Or if you have companies that you're interested in, go to their 'People' tab on LinkedIn in their company page, type in your school as a filter and find your alumni working at that specific company to coffee chat! 🔔 Follow me to keep up with this series of 44 'productive' things to do for your early career journey before the summer ends + recruitment ramps up! _____________ 💙 Like or share the post! ☻ Follow Arlina Yang to join my journey as a non-technical major pursuing tech

Over the years, I’ve used LinkedIn to connect with many professionals for coffee chats and have also been approached by many students and early-career individuals looking to do the same. Having experienced both sides of the table, I’ve noticed a few key practices that can make your outreach stand out: • Personalize Your Message: This is nothing new. Take the time to craft a personalized note, referencing something specific about the person’s profile. There are plenty of great templates available online. • Take Ownership of Scheduling: After agreeing on a time, ask for their email to send a calendar invite. I’ve noticed that some people don’t follow through on this step, which naturally filters out less serious inquiries. • Confirm the Meeting Ahead of Time: A quick confirmation message a few hours before the scheduled chat shows respect for their time and yours. It also leaves a positive impression, making them more likely to help you in future. • Come Prepared with Specific Questions: Well-researched, thoughtful questions make for productive conversations. Avoid vague or overly broad inquiries, for example, “How was your experience at Harvard?” Instead, focus on specific aspects you’re curious about, such as: “I noticed you took [Course X] at Harvard—how did it help you in your career?” These tips have helped me build deep meaningful connections online. What has worked for you in coffee chats? #networking #linkedin

☕ My coffee chat response rate went from 20% to 70%. Here's what I changed: I stopped treating networking like collecting business cards and started treating it like product discovery. 👉 The shift: Old approach: → Spray and pray with generic messages → Lead with what I need → Disappear after one conversation → Only reach out when job hunting New approach: → Be intentional about who I connect with → Lead with curiosity about them → Follow up with purpose → Build relationships before I need them The framework I use now: 1. Before the conversation • Research their specific work (not just their LinkedIn headline) • Reference something concrete they've done • Make the ask clear and respectful of their time 2. During the conversation • Ask thoughtful questions about their experience • Listen 80%, talk 20% • Make it about their journey, not just my job search 3. After the conversation • Send thank-you with specific takeaways • Implement their advice • Update them on how it helped Here's what surprised me most: 👉 You have value to offer even as an aspiring PM. You can: • Share relevant articles you come across • Make introductions to others in your network • Offer your unique perspective from your background • Provide fresh eyes feedback Networking isn't one-directional. Value flows both ways - always. The PMs who've helped me most? I connected with them 6+ months before I needed anything. I engaged with their content. I shared insights. I asked thoughtful questions. By the time I was ready to apply, they already knew my story. Relationships compound. Start building today. What's your coffee chat strategy? I'd love to hear what's working for you. #ProductManagement #Networking #CareerAdvice #ProductWithSai

I spoke to a group of UX/UI Design students at the PROG Foundation Development Center - all about connecting on LinkedIn to get a job in the UX/UI space. Here are some of the takeaways: 🔆 Make new connections weekly 🔆 Search for your role or the role you want to be in, connect, connect! 🔆 People want to help, send a genuine message to see if there is interest Your LinkedIn account does nothing for you if you don't have a goal to connect. I have talked to too many people who say, "I wish I started connecting with more people on LinkedIn BEFORE I was laid off." It takes some intentionality. My advice ⬇️ Find a time of day where you typically have about 15 minutes uninterrupted Set a weekly reminder for that time and change it as needed During that time you can do any of the following: ☑️ Search for roles you want to connect with ☑️ Connect with several people without much of an additional filter - no need to add a note ☑️ Send two messages to new connections (don't overwhelm yourself) Here are some examples of messages (PLEASE STEAL THESE): Interested in learning from an early stage of getting your feet wet: "Hi [Name], great to connect with you. I'm currently in a UX/UI design cohort and am really loving what I'm learning. My goal for connecting is to learn more about people who have experience in the space. Would you be open to a conversation where I can ask some questions to understand if a company like [their company] would be a good fit for me down the road? No worries if not, I'm also happy to send some questions over DM if that's easier for you as well. Hope to hear from you soon." Interested in learning from people with more experience in your space: "Hi [Name], great to connect with you. I'm currently working as a [Your current role] and am really enjoying it. My goal for connecting is to learn more about people who have experience in the space. Would you be open to a conversation where I can ask some questions to understand if a company like [their company] would be a good fit for me down the road? No worries if not, I'm also happy to send some questions over DM if that's easier for you as well. Hope to hear from you soon." Interested in a career pivot into another type of role: "Hi [Name], great to connect with you. I'm currently working as a [Your current role] and am interested in a possible career change. My goal for connecting is to learn more about people who have experience in [their job title] space. Would you be open to a conversation where I can ask some questions to understand if a company like [their company](or you can replace company with role) would be a good fit for me down the road? No worries if not, I'm also happy to send some questions over DM if that's easier for you as well. Hope to hear from you soon." Baby steps and this isn't a race. But I will say that if you take a small amount of time each week to intentionally connect, finding a job will be much easier for you.