Grit Over Glam: The Ugly Bits Between the Pretty Work

Think all you need is a polished portfolio and perfect case study to land your next job? Trevor Alexander says otherwise. In this episode, we challenge the traditional career advice designers are given, and talk about what actually leads to long-term success, resilience, and trust.

What if everything you’ve been told about how to build a successful design career was wrong?

If you’re still clinging to the idea that a polished portfolio and deep Figma skills are your best bet for success in UX, this episode is going to challenge that—hard. I sat down with Trevor Alexander, author of An Ugly Design Career, to talk about why those things might actually be distractions.

We cover everything from the myth of the “pretty” career to the real-world power of trust, communication, and grit. Trevor shares how he’s thrived in UX without a portfolio or job applications, because people keep bringing him along for the ride. Not because of fancy job titles, but because of how he shows up.

From improv classes and Toastmasters to lifestyle creep and living in a founder’s basement, Trevor drops wisdom that hits different in today’s job market. Whether you’re new to UX or 15 years in, this episode is a gut check on what really matters. Give it a listen, and maybe rethink what “better” looks like.

Topics:
• 11:16 The Importance of Soft Skills in Design
• 21:30 The Role of Tenacity in a Design Career
• 27:48 Defining Success: What Does ‘Better’ Mean?
• 32:19 Facing Job Loss and Financial Stress
• 32:54 Managing Lifestyle Creep
• 33:19 The Importance of Fiscal Responsibility
• 35:23 High Earnings and Financial Prudence
• 39:26 Leveraging Opportunities and Networking
• 41:11 Building a Resilient Career

Helpful Links:
• Connect with Trevor on LinkedIn
• uglydesigncareer.com

—

Thanks for listening! We hope you dug today’s episode. If you liked what you heard, be sure to like and subscribe wherever you listen to podcasts! And if you really enjoyed today’s episode, why don’t you leave a five-star review? Or tell some friends! It will help us out a ton.

If you haven’t already, sign up for our email list. We won’t spam you. Pinky swear.

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Get a FREE audiobook AND support the show⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Support the show on Patreon⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out show transcripts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Check out our website⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Apple Podcasts⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Spotify⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on YouTube⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠• ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Subscribe on Stitcher⁠⁠