Hey Jared, tell us a little bit about yourself!
At work, I solve complex finance/fintech problems as a product designer. Outside of work I love to draw and paint, as well as create digital collages on my iPad Pro. I'm married, and me wife and I are proud cat parents. I relocated from Australia to New York in 2018 in search for new opportunities, and more cultural and visual inspiration. I enjoy checking out all of the amazing restaurants that NYC has to offer.
Can you tell us what you do as a Senior Product Designer at Yahoo Finance for those who are unfamiliar?
Here I focus on user experience and user interface design. I collaborate with researchers, product managers, engineers and other designers every day to solve complex problems.
How did you decide to pursue your specific career field?
I was always creative growing up, and this led me to study creative arts at university. For a few years after graduating I tried a few different things, like working part time as a "biomedical technician" while I was also working as a graphic designer. During this period of my life I also worked a lot of retail and hospitality jobs to make ends meet.
Eventually I made my way into the startup scene in Australia, and from there I worked at a few different startups on the East Coast. While I was working at a fintech startup in Brisbane, Australia, I started chatting with a recruiter from Yahoo Finance and decided to pursue an offer to relocate to New York. This turned out well, and we relocated in 2018 and haven't looked back. I now have the opportunity to work on very high impact projects that effect millions of people every day.
What programs & tools do you use everyday for work? What do you like/dislike about these programs?
Design: Figma, Sketch, and Abstract for UX and UI design. I have a love/hate relationship with Sketch and Abstract, and have become a big fan of Figma as they've taken over this space.
Prototyping: InVision, Principle, and ProtoPie for prototyping and user testing. Again, Figma has been able to replace most of these tools with their prototyping abilities.
Organization: Notion for documenting my work and showcasing it to other team members. I hold a deep love for Notion and it has become integral for organizing my work, and also my life.
Any advice on how to stand out and get hired for those starting off?
Network early and often. Refine your case studies and practice them to make sure you can share a great story about how you solve problems. Embrace a learning mindset and immerse yourself in the product design space to gain as much knowledge as possible. Join communities of like-minded people.
What are some must-have resources (books, tools, podcasts, etc.) you would recommend for your industry?
Figma or Sketch for UI design, great mentors to share their skills and knowledge, it may be worth investing in some kind of education to understand the process and fundamentals that product designers use day-to-day.
What are 3 character traits that would make someone excel in your field?
Honest and open communication
Cross-functional collaboration,
The ability to sell your work.
Most satisfying & difficult thing about your job?
Managing stakeholders on large projects that have many moving pieces.
What would you like to say to your younger self?
Trust in your instincts and abilities. You will fail, and you will learn, but it will be worth it.
Best advice you've received/heard?
Everyone feels imposter syndrome, but you are your harshest critic. Believe in yourself.
