In this conversation with Tiago, a student of our Bootcamp MID, he shares with us some curiosities about his journey to migrate to UX, and how the Aela community contributed to winning his first opportunity and boosting his career.
Listening to these testimonials makes it clear how important it is for you to follow what is good for you, what has to do with your personal journey and your unique abilities inherent to your personality.
Therefore, pay attention to the activities that give you the most pleasure to guide your professional path. If you are looking for career information, this report can help you with insights that you can transform into actions to evolve your trajectory as well.
Take advantage of our interviews with students to hear from those who have experienced this, and continue studying!
So I think that being inserted in communities helps you both in terms of contacts and some opportunities. Tiago Amorim
Tiago, tell us a little about yourself so that people can get to know you better!
I'm from Rio de Janeiro, so I come from a transition of those people who are outside the design area. And I discovered myself as a designer during this transition, so it was also great because my background is Management.
But a little bit of everything I've ever done during the more focused jobs with management, and also other career changes, all of this helped me a lot to move towards this part of UX design.
Although I came from another area, many things that I used to do in my daily life helped me a lot, and I'm very excited to talk a little more about that as well.
I have been with Aela for a year and joined in January, which is when I started studying more. It was my first more formal contact with UX Design and I am currently working at Globalweb, focusing on the Caixa EconÔmica Federal team as a UX Designer.
Reading tip: I Migrated To UX Design With The Support Of The Aela Community — Interview With Maria Luiza
And how is it for you, to have come from another area, to mix it all up, and apply it to your daily life?
It was very satisfying. After graduating, I worked for a few years in the area of Quality Management, which focuses a lot on processes, on understanding the root cause. And I was from a support area, so I also had this issue of being a facilitator, I was always helping other areas to find the root of their problems.
So it was cool because when I came across UX Design, that's what we really need to do the most. It's not just about delivering the ready-made solution. It means having this step of being able to consolidate, to have a more systematic thought to try to understand what is actually causing friction in our users.
It was very cool to be able to bring this vision to the administration, including seeing parallels with some tools that we use in our daily lives as UX Designers. I think that greatly eased my path, to have more maturity in this matter of understanding processes and facilitation.
Then I also had the opportunity to work as a strategic planning consultant, and throughout my career I always put myself in a position of wanting to help and understand people's problems, to learn together, and not simply arrive trying to apply already consolidated knowledge.
And that's what I do today, in the first few weeks, when I enter a new project, I really try to learn a little more about the business vision, to understand what obstacles the new projects are going through, to see inside my tools, how I can help, even within the process part.
Your professional luggage will never be wasted!
Having this vision of management, administration and quality helped me and continues to help me a lot.
I think that's an interesting point. My career wasn't as planned in the long term, but a lot of the things I did were connecting, that thing about connecting the dots right and being really open to opportunities.
And also the fact that I am always studying, to see how it would be the best way for me to adapt along this path.
In one of the classes, you showed a graph to show the evolution of your career, mine is very similar to a saw (laughs), but I think that, at the end of the day, those back and forth were making sense, they were flowing down the same path.
You hit some great points. Now, why did you decide to make this change? Why UX, why Product Design?
It was like everything in my life, these were consequences that I'm not sure where it came from, but I was aware of the opportunities in the universe. It sounds kind of mystical (laughs), but it's the truth.
Before making this transition, I was starting an e-commerce business. That's where I really had more contact with the design part, because I both adapted the layout issue and also made the physical product.
I worked with schedules focused on planning. So I did every part of building the product and worked hard with Design Thinking, trying to understand with my client what I could adapt and improve the product to always deliver news.
As it is a slightly saturated market in Brazil, I was researching the best way to make a product that is very classic and focused a lot on design.
I worked as an entrepreneur for six years and I realized that after doing the same thing over and over again and not having that desire to continue learning more, I no longer saw the meaning of what I was doing.
And even as entrepreneurs, we also feel that way, because we end up getting caught up in more bureaucratic issues than the creation part, which attracted me the most.
Then I began to realize this need to really return to the market. So, without even expressing that desire to friends yet, a friend called me to do an interview, to work in an innovation consultancy, and I went through the first phase.
It was the construction of a case, and it wasn't a UX Design vacancy, I didn't even know what UX was at the time, the vacancy was for a sales manager more or less. But it was something that I didn't see myself doing, because, in particular, I really like this phase of being able to materialize solutions, of talking to clients.
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The first encounter with UX
One of the things that this innovation agency did was the UX Design part. So when I was building their case, I blinked my eye and said, “Wow, that's it.”
This was catharsis, because it brought together precisely this issue of product, as well as the part of strategy and management. Something I used to do that I really enjoyed when working as a strategic planning consultant.
So for me it was very natural, because it was something I was looking for without knowing that it still existed. And I even joke, it was a way to remember Tiago from childhood, because I was always a very curious child, I always liked to research. One of my favorite shows was Beakman's World, I loved to do various experiments and played around being a scientist.
It's not just a speech, I have a microscopic one that I won in the fourth grade of elementary school, to remind me also of the importance of keeping Tiago curious. The one who liked to study and spend the day and afternoon just looking at the garden and playing around experimenting alone.
So, I think it was a really cool way to reconnect with that more analytical and scientific vision that I had in the past.
What did you do to improve, to play in this area and to better understand if it was worth it?
I think that, as a good enthusiast and scientist, I started doing my research and that was when I entered other communities as well.
It was a survey of videos and communities, for try to understand the people who are inserted, the people who are trying to enter this market, what is necessary or what are the recommendations. Because it really was something completely new to me.
Then I even took a free course, just to try to feel and see what everyday life is like, if that would really be the path to follow.
And then after I was sure that it really was what I had imagined, that it made sense of the competencies, and the people who are in that market, I saw that I can add it. It's not going to be something totally out of the curve. I will not be making a U-turn in my life and it will be a complement to my trajectory.
That's when I decided to actually make the investment in Aela. And then I also did a lot of research to see what are the Favorable points, both from Aela and from other courses as well.
Telling the scale and doing mine competition analysis, I saw that Aela had a greater affinity with what I identify with, with what I was also looking for at that moment.
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You joined the MID in January last year, still in the turmoil of the pandemic. What did you do to ensure that your mind was good for studying, for focusing, and not allowing external factors to hinder you?
In the case of my business, it was a shock, sales fell a lot, so I already had that pressure. In addition to the fact that my wife and I are partners in this venture, so all of the family's income was earmarked for a venture that was not generating stability.
It was a very complicated period in that regard as well. That's why I think the first step is this issue of financial planning.
So much so that when I was working as a consultant and decided to dedicate myself to entrepreneurship, it was one of the points that gave me the most peace of mind. I already had an income so I wouldn't stay So affectionate and distressed, because when I stopped working as a strategic consultant, I didn't even have my business validated yet.
So that was even more of a shot in the dark than when I made the transition to UX Design. But then I had already learned that lesson, of the importance of having an emergency reserve and of having at least one guarantee. Because unfortunately the bill doesn't pause when we're in transition right (laughs).
Another point was also this issue of understanding how the MID works to fit into my study planning.
At first, what I had planned was to actually stay in that first year, in that first period, without having to worry about entering the market or trying to apply, because this selection process is something that stresses a lot.
So since I was really trying to consolidate my knowledge in the UX design part, I made a plan to spend at least 1 more year dedicated to studies.
And then, next year, would be when I was actually going to start dedicating myself to vacancies. Well, planning is like a trail. It gives you direction but it doesn't have to be a rail that's plastered.
Planning really helped me to have more peace of mind in my studies, and I ended up getting an opportunity ahead of schedule, which was very happy for me.
Organization is very important. What advice would you give to someone just starting out, including how to overcome personal obstacles and external factors and get back on track?
Cool. During this period that I studied it was very cool, because I recovered a lot the issue of the habit of reading. So it was something that always accompanied me and continued to accompany me. I don't think I've read so much book as during this period.
And it wasn't even something I set as a goal, it was really due to the fact that I was always wanting to learn. And the design part fascinates me. So the more I learn, the more I see that damn it, there's a lot to keep learning.
One thing I did both for reading and also for studying, was to determine blocks of time.
So I said that every day, starting at 07:00am, I would study for 3 hours, after I had more consolidated.
In the beginning, even to avoid this issue of anxiety, I set much smaller goals. The book issue, for example, planned to read three pages a day, because I was still in the business of exercising my muscle.
And then, of course, you ask for more pages, So I would set a minimum so that I could have the satisfaction of seeing that I am moving forward with reading, but always with a fixed commitment to be dedicating myself at that time.
Because when you put these fixed time blocks For you to dedicate yourself, you create this question of undertakings And second, because if you don't designate something at that time, other things will end up taking over the time of what would be yours priority.
It has to start with ourselves, put this as a fixed commitment.
You gave a summarized class here, on habit-building. And in fact, that makes all the difference! You mentioned that you had more than one opportunity during the migration, tell me a little about that, what happened?
So, during this period, one thing that helped me a lot was the Aela community. And that you even mentioned, that I am always present in the community, and I really like to be “giving my penny” there right, of giving back to the community everything it has ever given me. There are a lot of cool things, incentives and people that I really admire, that I met in the Aela community.
And besides that, one thing that eased my path was the issue of volunteer work. Last year I also joined an NGO that was supposed to have a first case, practical and real, and also to see, as it is in everyday life, working with other developers. There are many NGOs that, despite being small, have a very cool structure.
I was lucky to join an NGO called Artesol, and even the one who interviewed me to join Artesol was an Aela student. I also participated in other challenges, Vagas UX had a championship to help other NGOs and the group I was part of was one of the winners.
So I think That being part of communities helps you so much when it comes to contacts, How about some opportunities, whether for a company, or for NGOs.
Becauseand Today there is this competition, to join an NGO that has a good structure, you have to have some preparation as well, as well as in this sense of participating in these challenges, things that helped me a lot.
I participated in at least a few Three of these challenges spread over the internet. It is always worth researching so that we can gain more “calluses” in the profession.
And it was participating in these challenges that I think helped both to further consolidate the knowledge acquired at Aela, and also to acquire the aplomb to present research to stakeholders.
A The first opportunity I had was even posted in the Aela community, where I joined COBlue as a UX Designer.
It's a startup so it was really cool because I had the opportunity to take it from end to end. Startups are a very dynamic environment and it was where I was able to have exponential growth. It was the direct contact with the PM (Product Manager) until the delivery was made to the developer. Having an environment that favors experimentation was really cool. To have that openness, that flexibility.
I spent six months at this startup, but the growth and consolidation of that knowledge, for me, seems to have been much longer. It's really cool to see that the results we achieved in that short time will continue to reverberate for a long time to come. So it was only 6 months but it was quite intense.
Congratulations on all your success. And how did you end up in this vacancy that you are now in, one of the largest banks in Brazil?
Then you'll like to hear once again that it was thanks to the Aela community, once again (laughs). I think that's why it's important that we really be active and looking to make connections, not just because of connections, right?
But I always put myself in that position, of trying to learn from the other people at Aela and also trying with what little experience I have and to help in a genuine way, because people understand.
So there's no use there with a community of 1000 people, if you can't do it, you're not absorbing knowledge there. That's also not distributing. I think, naturally, people will recognize you.
I joined CoBlue as a Junior UX. I have always had this concern also to make my deliveries, but also to think about how I can help to make the design processes more systematic.
I think that my vision of administration and management processes helped. So I played a role that was always beyond that delivery that I was destined to make. I was finishing the deliveries but I was also thinking how can I help consolidate a design activity here?
I think that recognition also helped me a lot when Raema recommended me to Globalweb.
I think that because of all my history, of having more consolidated experiences, and of taking a stand, also with humility and truly recognizing the points where you can or cannot speak up, but also bringing in addition to what would be the basics to be done.
So I've always had that concern. I think that helped her to indicate to me where I went through the interviews. It was a very smooth and very natural process as well. I think all of this helped me.
I'm sure your community mates will love to hear about this and will get a lot of tips here. And do you have any tips about interviews? What have you learned from your experience?
Well, really cool, I even remembered a point. Since I came from management, I think that in the beginning I did some interviews where I put myself much more under the hat of someone in management who is doing UX than actually putting myself in the role of UX designer who knows management.
This may seem like a small thing, but it changes a lot in our minds.
In the first interview that I did and which I didn't pass, but I reached the end of the process, at the end of the interview the recruiter, who was in the product area, told me: “I think that suddenly you would be much better as a Product Manager.
Then that existential crisis hit. Should I be a PM then? I didn't know where to go, but then I researched more about this area and it was interesting that I was actually more sure of the path I want to follow, which is actually UX Design.
That's why knowing your strengths and really knowing how to use them, and making that key change of actually wearing your UX Designer hat is very important.
As we said yesterday, the way in which we position ourselves and position ourselves ends up actually interfering with how people see us. So, after that interview and after doing some research, I started to put myself much more into the role of UX Designer.
And then the perception of other people has already been differentiated, right? The first interview I had at CoBlue was to present a case. Instead of making the case on some other tool, I made it on Figma, also using the company's own visual components.
So these are small details that help us stand out and always think: “how can I differentiate myself from other candidates?
And those are things that I do naturally on my Medium. I always try to write texts - which are things that Aela herself encourages us to do when setting up the case. So I always try to share those teachings and learnings.
These are also ways for us to show how our evolution is going, both for the market and for other friends. And, once again, I think that, despite being a strategy for how you are seen on LinkedIn, it also ends up being a genuine way of sharing what we learn with the community.
I think that when you do this naturally, and part of yourself, it doesn't become an extra task.
Reading tip: Storytelling: Learn How to Tell the Right Story
Once again you have touched on wonderful points. We have to be seen, but in the correct way, without saying what we don't know, something that I've seen a lot.
To the point where my capoeira master talks to us (laughs), which is precisely in this sense that we find our truth too. We can't be subservient. We confuse humility with this sense of subservience.
You don't have to put yourself down on paper below what you are. When I started doing my interviews, I think that was the way it was. I emphasized my management skill much more, because I didn't believe in myself much. I put myself much lower.
As my studies and content evolved, I realized that I had a good level. I also had to have the humility to know how to recognize that I was better than what was judging me.
The humility that I preach is a lot in this sense, to recognize that I have many flaws, and a lot to learn yet, and that's good, but I also cannot fail to highlight the favorable points that I have.
Perfect. I think that's a lot of why you succeeded pretty quickly too. And tell us a bit, what are your career plans?
I think I will continue with the strategy that I adopted in recent years, which is not to make concrete plans (laughs). But I see even as you said, I had rapid growth and I don't want to keep the pace too fast.
I think you have to respect the moment of maturity. It's a tip that you gave me when I was just asking about the next steps to follow, what I could do and I applied this to COBlue as well.
It is also necessary to understand what the needs of the company I am in today are, if what the company needs is something that I see myself doing a lot in the future and, based on that, seek to specialize.
I think it would be natural for me to take the path to strategy, UX Strategy, is something that I have more for the long term.
But in that first moment I really want to continue consolidating myself and taking advantage of the fact that I have already reached a position that in my planning I would actually take longer to achieve, but it is to take advantage of that moment, to continue studying.
There are many, many specific areas of design that I want to delve into.
When I was doing the selection process for CoBlue, a friend called me to do a selection process. And then it would basically be going back to what I was doing as a strategic planning consultant. But within a company.
And in that entrepreneurial pressure, of seeing the market as unstable. I thought, “I don't think I'll be able to refuse this opportunity.” It was also a much better financial opportunity than that of COBlue.
I was very doubtful and I was almost signing my documentation at the other company when COBlue called me.
Questions during the career transition
But it was cool, because that indecision took a few hours, because for me it didn't make sense not to follow this UX Design path.
When I received the Globalweb proposal I was very happy to see that I am really on the right path.
When I left consulting to enter entrepreneurship, it was a bit of a blind eye and I followed a bit of my intuition, but I also already had a vision of what this could generate in my life in the long term, because entrepreneurship is something that develops a lot.
As an entrepreneur I learned digital marketing, design, and customer service. If I stayed in consulting, I wouldn't have the range of learning that I had.
And I wouldn't have another time to learn that. Nowadays I'm married and there's no way to shoot completely blindly. So I think intuition is good when you also know that it has a foundation. It means feeling, perceiving, but also seeing if this is consistent with your story.
Last question for us to close. If you had a time machine, what would you say to Tiago from the past?
Something kind of philosophical, but I think I would say: “Live, throw yourself into the illusion. That all these points are going to be important to reach who you want to be in your future.”
