How to land a UX research internship (even if you think you are not qualified)
How I landed my UX research Internship, with tips and tricks of how you could, too.
Why should you land a UX research internship?
How are we expected to have our career paths figured out at 17 or 18 years old? Many of us pick a post-secondary degree that best matches our alleged career interests. For me, that was a Psychology degree. What I didn’t know is that it would lead me to becoming a User Experience Researcher (UXR). It wasn’t until my master’s when I completed a UX research internship that I realized, “Holy Cow! This is the profession for me!”
But I am not here to convince you to pursue a UX research profession. Instead, I want to express that if you have even the slightest interest in pursuing UX research then it is worth your while to get an internship. An internship will provide you with the opportunity to make a better informed decision about whether a career in UX is a good fit for you.
An internship turns the “talk” of what you’d like to do into the “actions” of doing it. It provides a trial period filled with mentorship and hands-on learning to get a feel for the job. You’ll have the opportunity to work on real UX projects, while learning from the pros. From conducting research to presenting findings, this practical experience will grow your skill set and confidence in your career choices.
How I discovered UX research internships:
So let’s cut to the chase; how I landed a UX research internship and how you could, too. I was first exposed to behavioural science and research methods in my psychology undergrad. I also held a few part-time research assistant positions connected to my university. By the end of my degree, I took pride in knowing exactly what I wanted to do: Research, teaching, and delving deep into psychology.
What I didn’t know was that my dream of becoming a university-level professor was going to be ruined. During my master’s, I learned that academic job prospects are far from ideal. There are few permanent full-time professor positions, with the majority of academics being stuck on precarious and highly time-consuming teaching contracts.
After realizing that the career I had been working towards for five years had limited secure job prospects, I explored alternatives. That’s when I stumbled upon a UX research career, and made the transition from academia to industry.
How I landed a UX research internship, and tips & tricks so you can, too:
1. Network with individuals who share a similar background to yourself
I wanted to discover what past students, who completed my program, were doing other than academia. I literally searched up the degree I was enrolled in on LinkedIn (typing something like, “Social and Personality Psychology Master of Arts”). Then, I reviewed the profiles of people who appeared from my search, to see what they are up to, post-schooling. A majority of them became UX Researchers.
I asked a handful of them if they’d be willing to have a short chat over video conference, so that I could learn more about their UXR career. Most were up to it! Before each meeting, I made sure I prepared thoughtful questions. Some examples include, “What led you to a UX career?”, “What does the day in the life of a UX researcher look like?”, “How did your academic research skills translate?”, “What surprised you the most about a UXR career?”, and “What do you love most and least about your job?”
Another way to find UX mentors is on adplist.org. It is a site dedicated to scheduling sessions with UXers for free. You can even filter who you’d like to speak to, such as by their title, company, and country.
Speaking with UXRs is really how I began to discover the meaning of User Experience (UX) research. Not to mention, I was pleasantly surprised to have learned that with my academic research experience, I was qualified for the job.
One of the major pieces of advice I got from the UXRs I spoke to was to try to get a UX internship before the completion of my degree, because:
(1) The UX job market is very saturated, so an internship can be a valuable step to break in.
(2) Most internships want students (not recent grads), so there is no better time than now to shoot my shot.
2. Apply to all the UX research internships you can find
I was told by many UXRs that it is very hard to even get a UX internship. However, they encouraged me to apply anyways because I had everything to gain and nothing to lose.
Another advice I heard is that referrals are key. But, at the time, I really just discovered what UX was and unfortunately I didn’t know someone who was hiring.
Instead, I started to apply to every UX research intern position I could find. I must have applied to about 50 companies, spanning from my country, Canada, all the way to Europe. With every rejection email received, I kept reminding myself that I just needed one hiring manager to take a chance on me.
3. Emphasize how your unique experience translates to UX Research and is an asset for a UX team
I didn’t just apply to places by submitting my current resume. Instead, I engaged in a lot of self learning to inform myself on what UX jobs entailed. From taking free LinkedIn Learning courses on UX to joining related conferences, I educated myself on what the role of a UXR consisted of, as best I could without being one. This ultimately helped me tailor my resume (and know what I was getting myself into).
But, I didn’t want my applications to make it seem like I am someone I’m not. Instead, I marketed why a UX team should take me on because of my non-traditional background of psychology. My master’s thesis was on the psychological outcomes of video conferences, so I used that to my advantage. I expressed how I am deeply interested in researching technology from a human-centred perspective. In other words, I showcased how my academic work would translate nicely to UX, and how I could bring my unique psychology perspective to the table. In fact, the team that I joined did not have any psychology expertise, which played a significant role in their decision to hire me.
And don’t worry if you are not a Psychology student or haven’t researched technology. Instead, you should make your own argument why you’d be a good addition to a UX team. Explain clearly and with enthusiasm why you’d be a good fit for UX and specifically the company you are applying to. It worked for me…And lucky for us, there really is no clear linear path to becoming a UX Researcher, anyways.
4. Don’t give up
Like I said, I got rejected from most of the companies I applied to. It only took one to want me to call myself a UX Researcher for the past year. So just keep applying.
And, if you feel as if you are not a good candidate, then make yourself one! Do your own project related to UX. It’s way more impressive that you conducted your own study than had to do one for school or a job.
Also, please don’t let other people’s opinions get you down. Although I heard that many people didn’t receive an internship even after years of applying, I still got an internship on my first cycle of applying, without knowing anyone! So, don’t rely on other people to do the heavy lifting for you or be your source of motivation.
Also, you don’t know how many times I was asked, “Did your school help you get the internship?” No! My degree didn’t incorporate any sort of internships in the curriculum. But it didn’t matter…In fact, the company that hired me was totally impressed that I found internships for myself, despite not needing one to graduate. So don’t let your schooling be your excuse for not applying.
5. Be prepared for a UX research interview
When I received invitations for interviews, I had a feeling they weren’t going to consist of the standard interview questions, such as what are my biggest strengths and weaknesses. I was right.
More often than not, UXR hiring managers wanted to know what sort of research projects I’ve worked on, such as the one I’m most proud of and the one I was most challenged by. They wanted to know what methodology was used during these projects.
Most importantly, the hiring managers wanted to ensure I could convey a clear and concise summary of my projects that explicitly project key insights. You want to be prepared to walk interviewees through projects you’ve worked on and what to do with this information, because that is what the job of a UX Researcher does regularly.
Also, during my interviews, I was often asked what I’d like to learn on the job and/or what I already knew about UX. My answers were well thought out, stating that I would like to transition my rigorous academic research skills to a quicker paced UX environment and I gave specific examples of such. But remember if you are asked similar questions that you aren’t expected to know everything as an intern, so don’t act like it. No one likes a “know-it-all”.
Most interviews ended with the hiring manager asking if I had any questions for them. Nothing says you are not interested or unprepared like having nothing ready to ask. My go-to question was, “What were the past interns’ biggest learnings and challenges?” I loved posing this question because the answers given provides an insider view of the role, allowing you to know exactly what to expect if you are hired.
Lastly, most UXR hiring managers want to ensure their candidates vibe well with the team and company culture. Nowadays, a big part of the hiring process focuses on personality. I am not going to give any tips on how to be a pleasant person, as it should come organically.
Conclusion
Completing a UX research internship is a valuable stepping stone in your career. Even if you think you are not qualified, lucky for you there is no linear path to UX. That means you can market your unique skills and experiences, and these differentiators may land you the job. But first, you need to really know what UX research entails to best apply yourself, so don’t be afraid to network and self-learn. In today’s hybrid world, jumping on a video conference with a UX Researcher is easier than ever, and so is signing up for free online UX courses. Once you feel confident you know what a UX research role is all about, apply widely to internships. If you can manage it, get a referral. Just remember: Even if you are rejected from most companies, what really matters is that you get that one offer to have a better idea if UX is for you...You got this!
If this blog post inspired you or if you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me on LinkedIn.
