My story: From journalism to UX

When I first delved into the user experience (UX) world in 2020, I was unsure if it was the right field for me. Back then, I was a journalism-trained writer and editor working in a publishing agency and my bread and butter was using my journalism skills to create stories that help companies connect with their audience.

When an opportunity came knocking for me to switch to UX content strategy, I was scarecited (scared but excited at the same time). I did a lot of research to understand more about the field, for example by reading books and watching videos or webinars from experienced content strategists.

While the information I gathered gave me a sense of what was to come, a lot of my growth took place as I learnt on the job. I’ve also come to realise that my time writing journalistically equipped me with transferable skills and traits that made my transition into UX smoother.

While hard skills such as writing and editing are useful, the softer skills or traits I picked up over the years have made all the difference. Some examples include:

1. Putting people first

As a journalist, I always start by thinking “What’s in it for the reader?” Even when I switched hats to a UX content strategist, I found it natural to put myself in the users’ shoes and prioritise their needs (or at least balance that with the business needs).

2. Digging deeper

One trait I developed as a journalist is to always question everything. Things may not be how they appear and we might discover something more as we peel back the layers. This has helped me question assumptions and use data to back up my decisions, which are good UX practices.

Also, when I conduct user interviews as a content strategist, my experience of interviewing newsmakers in the past comes in handy. It helps me strike the right balance between empathy and curiosity, and ask questions that pave the way to the root of the matter.

3. Engaging through storytelling

People don’t just want facts, they want to find out the story behind the information. This idea has stayed with me and proven useful in the UX world. Through content design, we craft a narrative for users in different ways – from the content patterns we use to structure content in an optimal way for users to understand, to decisions we make about what to include, exclude or prioritise on a page.

Tips on transitioning into a fresh discipline

If you want to break into a new field (whether it is UX or something different altogether), these could help ease your switch:

• Leverage your existing skills and strengths. Even if your prospective career is not similar to your current one, you can still find transferrable traits. Use these as springboards to get to where you want to be and benefit from the synergies, just like I did.

• Do your research – whether it is desk research or by speaking directly with people already in the field, it will be helpful to get a clearer picture of what you are getting into and what to expect.

• Keep an open mind and enjoy the journey!

For more tips on making a career change, I found this article by NPR useful. If you are interested in getting into user experience content, get in touch to find out more from my experience!