This is a story about my journey from web design to a UX Designer. I talk about my time at KSU getting my masters degree, working at General Motors, and then how I ended up relocating to North Carolina.

1. JESSICA KAINU
Working in UX: Masters to
automotive to everything else

2. WHO AM I
● Graduated from KSU in August 2017
● Worked in the automotive field for close to 5 years
● Originally from Detroit, MI
● Moved to Charlotte, NC for a new opportunity

3. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
LOOKING FOR A UX JOB
• Starting out was very difficult
• I followed up on all leads
• I needed to design a better portfolio
• I had to research the recruitment process

4. PORTFOLIO EVOLUTION 2012-2016

5. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
SUCCESSES & FAILURES
• I had many many interviews and they didn’t go anywhere
• Over a long period of time my portfolio and resume improved and so did my interviewing skills
• Although I felt I finally had an idea of what I was doing, when GM contacted me I figured I
wouldn’t get the position anyway

6. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
OUTCOME
• Phone screening led to a phone interview which led to an onsite with the mobile UX team
• Personal project showed my interest in the company
• Getting rejected repeatedly led to one success

7. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
TAKEAWAYS
• Be very persistent in improving your communication skills and portfolio
• Extra work demonstrating your skills is never a bad idea
• Don’t give up, even if you really want to

8. GENERAL MOTORS
● Worked on the myChevrolet mobile app
● Started to transition to in-vehicle apps near the end
● Projects included:
○ CarPlay & Android Auto
○ Electric vehicle trip planner
○ SmartHome integration
○ Accessories catalog on mobile

9. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
WORKING AT GM
• Incredibly huge company yet I worked with a very small team
• Slow moving projects
• Multiple UX teams on different campuses
• Siloed environment

10. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
WHY I LEFT
• I have been wanting to move out of state for several years
• I wanted to try a new work environment
• Upward trajectory at GM didn’t meet what I wanted long-term

11. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
BACK TO INTERVIEWING
• I felt comfortable with interviewing at this point
• I had a new problem, how to discuss work projects
• Looking for work out of state presented its own problem

12. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
TAKEAWAYS
• Discussing work-related projects should be handled delicately
• Be clear about your role and how you contributed

13. RED VENTURES
● Located in Fort Mill, SC
● Digital marketing company
● Quick paced
● Covering more than one type of business
○ Home services, finance, health

14. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
INTERVIEWING AT RED VENTURES
• Phone screening and interview were similar in process to other interviews I’ve had
• Onsite interview/project was very involved
• I had to take in as much of Charlotte as I could in 48 hours

15. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
WORKING AT RED VENTURES
• Started on an internal program, healthcare, and am now a fin serv resource
• Small “global” team
• Varying levels of involvement on different finance-related businesses

16. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
PROS AND CONS
• Quick paced with a variety of projects
• UX is a newer department at Red Ventures
• Culture fit is great
• Charlotte has even worse traffic than Detroit

17. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
TAKEAWAYS
• Do your research on a company when you are planning a big move
○ You are interviewing them as much as they are interviewing
• RV and GM are very opposite, both have their pros and cons. It just matters what pros
and cons you think you can live with

18. WORKINGINUX:MASTERSTOAUTOMOTIVETOEVERYTHINGELSE
QUESTIONS