In this week’s Inside Scoop stories, we have Frankie Kastenbaum an Experience Designer at Adobe. Frankie is mentoring career advice, interview techniques, and portfolio reviews. Let’s read to know more!
In high school I discovered a love for coding but by the time I got to college, I learned that what I really loved was my ability to solve problems through code. Through more exploration I was able to discover that I could reignite that love for problem solving through a design lens and this ultimately led me to graduate with a degree in Graphic Design. However, I found that although I could solve problems through Design, I lacked the confidence and explanation for my Design decisions. That is why I transitioned into the UX industry, specifically by attending a UX Bootcamp, since this new field provided me with the data and reasoning behind my designs. Since graduating from Bootcamp, I have worked in the UX industry at a design agency, a start-up and now for a corporate company, as well as some freelance projects.
I would say there are two pieces to this question. The first is that while I was transitioning from Bootcamp student to UX employee I found that there was a lack of resources out there to really help with this transition. And for someone who was coming right from college I had no past network to rely on, so I started documenting my journey so that others behind me would not have the lack of resources too. Once I started doing that I quickly realized that people needed this advice since several asked to set up coffee chats. So before joining ADPList I was organizing my own mini version so when I was able to join it was a no brainer.
The other piece to this question though is that I first learned about ADPList from the mentee side. I saw a post when it first started by one of the early mentors mentioning he was going to open slots for mentor sessions so I instantly signed up. From there I was hooked and thought the work this group was doing was beyond helpful and I honestly dreamed of one day switching to the other side, as cheesy as that sounds.
As someone who is so new in their career, it’s only been two years since I completed my Bootcamp, one session that stands out was one I had with an individual who had been a Product Designer for 15-20 years. I always like to start my sessions having the mentee introduce themselves by giving me their backstory. So I remember sitting in this session being very confused as to why this individual was asking for my help. What I soon learned was something I now tell all my mentees, that being new in the industry is an advantage. We are able to have a more innovative look at the industry. For me this one session stands out since it reminds me of the power of mentoring and reinforces why I dedicate so much time to it.
It’s simple but don’t forget to practice! I find that too often those trying to break into the field get caught up in building their portfolio or writing their resume that they forget that the only way they can increase their skill set is by completing more projects. So I would encourage mentees to be as hands on as possible and to just constantly keep learning!
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