From a Girl Who Didn't Know What She Wanted to UX: A Self-Taught Designer’s Journey 👩🎨
The Accidental Encounter with UX
Back when I was studying at HCMUT, I accidentally came across the term UX Design. Curiosity kicked in, and I decided to explore it further. My first step? The Google UX Design course on Coursera.
As I went through each lesson, lightbulbs 💡 kept going off—“Wow, so this is how great products are designed!” Every concept, from user research to wireframing, fascinated me. It felt like I had found something I genuinely enjoyed.
The Detour: Trying to Find My Place
But after graduation, I didn’t pursue UX. I doubted myself, thinking, "I probably can’t do this." So, I took a different path.
My first job was as a Business Development Associate at Shopee. Every day was filled with calls—a lot of calls. It drained me. Something didn’t feel right.
I then moved into Employer Branding at KMS and later, Employee Engagement at Buymed, hoping to find something that clicked. But no matter how hard I tried, I couldn’t shake the feeling that I wasn’t where I was meant to be. I wasn’t excited. I wasn’t happy. And worst of all, I didn’t know why.
The Turning Point: Why Was I Ignoring What I Loved?
After months of feeling lost, exhausted, and unfulfilled, a question kept haunting me—
"Why am I forcing myself into jobs I don’t love?"
"Why am I stuck in something that drains me when I know what excites me?"
That’s when it hit me. I loved building products. I loved solving problems, creating intuitive experiences, and thinking about how users interact with a design.
I had discovered UX back in university. I had that “wow” moment. So why didn’t I even give it a try? Why did I let fear and doubt hold me back?
I knew I couldn’t keep running away from what I truly wanted.
So, I made the hardest yet most necessary decision—I resigned. It was terrifying, but for the first time in a long time, I felt a sense of clarity. I was finally going to pursue what I actually loved.
Breaking into UX: From Self-Taught to Product Designer
With no formal design background, I knew breaking into the industry wouldn’t be easy. I spent countless nights learning UX on my own—taking courses, practicing, and overcoming self-doubt. My first major step was Keyframe’s Product Design course, where I created my first project from scratch and graduated as a first-class student.
Next, I applied for Katalon’s Next Gen-K program—out of 3,500 applicants, I was one of just 26 selected and the only Product Designer chosen. This achievement made me Katalon’s youngest-ever Product Designer.
During my time there, I learned what it truly meant to be a Product Designer. Every day was a challenge, but also a chance to grow. I worked on real problems, collaborated with teams, and developed my design thinking. I learned to embrace failure, iterate quickly, and create products that truly make an impact.
What’s Next?
Now, I’m ready for the next chapter. UX is more than just a career to me—it’s a way to solve meaningful problems and create better experiences for people.
I’m excited to embrace every challenge ahead.
👋 Let’s connect and create something great together!