How to become a freelance product designer without experience?

The current state of economics forces people to find jobs that can bring value to businesses. We've all heard companies reducing their teams in response to challenging market conditions.

The current state of economics forces people to find jobs that can bring value to businesses. We've all heard companies reducing their teams in response to challenging market conditions.

I talked about some ways freelance designers could survive the recession in the past. Today, we will focus on becoming a freelance product designer and getting into the industry if you don't have any design experience.

A common myth about product design is that all designers were born with unique skills or grew up with a pencil and notebook in their hands. In fact, most product designers come from various backgrounds: from psychology and social sciences to coding and marketing. I even mentored a 55-year-old restaurant owner who decided to switch careers and get into product design!

The fact that product designers have such diverse backgrounds is one of the reasons why the barrier to entry is so low. If you're proactive and willing to absorb a lot of new information, you can become a freelance product designer within a year.

How to get into product design?

Getting into product design is relatively easy. First, you have to do your research and put together a plan. Then learn the fundamentals and finally — practice as much as possible.

Now, let's break these steps down further.

Do your research

Before getting into courses or buying books, make sure you fully understand the product designer's job. Look at this article to see what to expect from becoming a product designer.

There are a lot of free resources available to help you get started:

1. https://dribbble.com/stories

2. https://www.toptal.com/designers/blog

3. https://www.alexscamp.com

4. https://www.nngroup.com/articles/

Seek opportunities to connect with established product designers and ask questions specific to your situation. Because everyone's journey into product design is different, it's better to consult more people to know what to expect.

Research the websites with job postings for product designers. Here are a few to start with:

1. LinkedIn Jobs

2. Angelist

3. Product Hunt

4. Glassdoor

Write down the skills and responsibilities listed in those jobs. This list will come in handy in the next step.