Anderson Borges is a student of MID and migrated to UX Design without having a background in design or technology.
In addition, he tells us about his entire process to get the first opportunity and how the support of other people was very important to achieve his goals.
Check out this trajectory that, in addition to being successful, is a family one!
Anderson, tell me a little about yourself
Well, for those of you who don't know me, I'm Anderson.
As Felipe said in the introduction, I didn't come from the world of design, I came from the world of Call Center. This is a very cool area that I value a lot because it was from where I got a lot of things, knowledge, and especially the issue of being able to talk to people and have a little bit of empathy which is very necessary in the UX area.
I worked for almost twelve years in this area. And I was able, thank God, to migrate to the UX area, which is incredible, guys. Incredible!
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Over a decade in this area! But what happened that you wanted to migrate to UX Design?
Well, first there was curiosity.
I have two brothers who were already working in the area, the Andre And the Alexandre. And they introduced me to some of the UX area.
When they began to explain to me what they did on a daily basis, I said “what now, I want to learn that too!”
In the beginning, I took some courses to understand how the area worked. I found it very interesting and cool, mainly because I realized that I could bring some things from the call center to the world of UX Design.
Everything worked out, and here I am!
Very good! You commented that your siblings are also from the area. Tell me a little more about this, are you doing UX as a family?
Oh yes!
My brothers were already working with UX Design and they gave me a great deal of strength.
I earned a low salary working with a call center, but thank God I was always able to do my thing with that money. I never complained.
But after deciding that I wanted to migrate to UX, they told me that they would pay for the course for me. So they gave it to me 100% support and that was fantastic.
With that call center salary, I didn't have the resources to be able to afford a UX Design course. So that support from my brothers, from my family, was essential.
Not only on the financial side, but also on the emotional side. The call center area is very stressful and I arrived home very upset, not wanting to study.
And then they would come and talk to me. They always told me not to give up, to do the projects and everything else.
If it weren't for that support from them, I don't think I would have entered the UX world. So I owe a lot of my professional life to them.
That's really cool, congratulations on your success and all the support you have as a family!
Now, you joined the MID during the pandemic and that period was very difficult for many people, in terms of anxiety and focus.
What have you done to ensure focus on your studies, even during this difficult period?
This question is very interesting and cool because for me to be able to focus on studies, something happened before.
One thing that my family and I have a lot of is faith. We believe a lot in God. And sometimes things happen that we don't understand right away, we'll only understand later!
In 2020, the pandemic broke out. I had already started studying, but I wasn't so focused because I was always so tired.
I'd come home from work and couldn't handle studying. My mind was totally tired.
But what happened was that I was sent away from work.
Of course, with that my wife and I were very concerned because we had bills to pay and a house to keep. Because of the pandemic, the government made concessions and provided aid and this helped us a lot.
After that, my wife was able to keep the household bills alone, while I was focused solely on studying.
So, during that period, I was able to study about 6 hours a day without worrying about anything else. It was a very difficult period for my wife, because she stopped doing many things to help me migrate my career.
Being able to focus on my studies, I also asked my brothers and friends for help with my portfolio, tools, and work. Then, after I was sent away, I was able to have that focus to spend 6 to 7 hours studying every day.
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Very good, very cool to hear this and to see the support that you had. After you were able to focus on your studies, when did you feel ready to seek an opportunity in UX Design?
When I finished level 1 I wanted to make a portfolio, but I didn't know how. I also didn't know how to put together a resume.
So, during this period, my brothers helped me a lot, advising me how to do it, what had worked for them and what didn't.
I think it took me about six months before I finished all of this and started looking for an opportunity.
And how was the process of starting to look for a job? Because a lot of people think this process is easy, but it's not.
This is an interesting topic because the crowd really thinks this process is fast. But I say for myself that it's not. It's really hard, actually.
To get my first chance, I went through 29 interviews. That's not counting the emails.
In the thirtieth interview, I confess that I was already discredited, but I still continued.
That day, that interview, I remember that I had no desire to do it, I was tired. And so, I stopped by the church in the morning and asked God for that opportunity, if it were His will.
When I got home, I sat on the couch, my dog sat next to me and started poking at me with his paw, as if he were calling me.
That's how I remembered that I had an interview to do!
I went there, I did it, I passed the first stage, but I was very discredited.
But I went through the phase and on Friday, I remember well, I received the yes. And it was a great happiness!
I called my friends and brothers here at home to celebrate!
But again, it wasn't easy. It's very difficult. It's rewarding, but it's not easy. You have to have a lot of dedication and support. As we have already said, it was great to have the support of my family throughout this process.
Those who don't have that at home are looking for communities, a friend. This not only helps with motivation, but also with studies. Being able to study together is very rich. It's a good exchange of experiences and ideas.
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With 30 interviews behind your back, you were left with a beautiful experience on the subject. Do you have any tips to pass on to the staff about these processes?
I think what helped me the most was keeping the calmness And to have tranquillity. After a while I wasn't even so anxious about the interviews. And I think that was good too.
Anxiety gets in the way a lot. So, the first tip I can give to the crowd is: calm down.
Another thing that is important is to have Mastery over the work you've done and that you put in the portfolio. I was always asked a lot about my work and projects. So, knowing about them is essential.
But the main thing is to always keep your peace of mind, during every interview and process.
At first I was very anxious to get the vacancy. I was very fluffy, I stuttered, I was nervous. That gets in the way a lot.
Then I was able to be more relaxed and I see that having been through all of this was also good for my professional growth. Even more so because I don't come from the technology or design area. So that process helped me mature.
If you had a time machine, what would you say to Anderson before the first UX interview?
I think I would tell Anderson from the past to really calm down.
I remember my first interview, I was very anxious, fluffy. And it's normal, you get anxious. Damn, you went through so much to get to that moment, it's too cool!
But it's important to be calm. You don't have to be flustered. I think understanding this helped me the most, both to get my vacancy and to conduct projects within the company. That's the point, calm and control.
I would say that to the past self.
Staying calm is very important. Not only to think better, but also to have more waist circumference during the interview.
It helps a lot. I say for myself how calm helped and has helped me.
Doing things more calmly gives a more relaxed work rhythm and everything is better. At work, at interviews, keeping calm helps a lot.
How long have you been in that position?
1 year!
1 year working with UX Design! What is that experience like? Is that what you expected?
I can define in one word: terrific!
The company I'm in is fantastic, the people welcomed me very well, from the CEO to the developers are amazing!
When I joined the company I met two fantastic people who taught me a lot of things and helped me a lot in my beginning.
I was already taking part in a giant project with a lot of fear, and it seems that it gave me a blank check on everything I had ever learned and studied. But those people helped me, they calmed me down, and I was able to regain control.
Another really cool person I met was Tiago, and he's even from Aela community. We learned a lot together. He was an extraordinary person who added a lot.
So, many of the things that I bring today as a designer I learned from all these people, taking a little bit from each one.
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You commented a lot about the strength of individuals and the community to help with studies and processes. What advice would you give to people, including those who have just joined Aela, so that they can make the most of the community?
When I joined the community I think the thing I did the most was to “piss off” you.
So the first thing I can say is: ask questions, don't be afraid and focus on projects.
Another cool tip is to talk to the community, without shame! I asked for a lot of help and received a lot of help from nice people. Sometimes you think that people won't answer your question, but no, they answer yes! The crowd helps a lot.
So use the community a lot because it's so strong. She helped me and she still helps me a lot. Any questions I have, I put them there.
So use the community, ask questions, get annoyed with teachers and mentors, don't go without talking, without questioning. Don't keep anything to yourself. Ask any questions there!
But that's right! And it's not annoying, because the community is there for that!
Now I'm going to ask a different question because a little bird told me that family barbecue and UX are increasing!
What tip would you give to this new person, your relative, who is about to enter the world of UX?
I think the central word that I carry with me is: calmness! There are times when anxiety will hit, when doubts will arise, but as time goes on, things will happen.
So calm down and don't give up!
And I say that not only to that particular person, but to the entire community. Don't give up! You're going to get there! Just like I arrived, how did Felipe arrive, and like so many other professionals arrived.
I repeat: It wasn't easy for me! I did 29 interviews and only got my place in the thirtieth! Almost after two years of study.
There were moments when I thought about giving up, but I always remembered what my brothers went through and I knew that I had to go through that too. They supported me and I couldn't throw that away.
Then, take the difficulties and transform them into moments of pleasure, because you will be able to get something good out of it all. I did it and I didn't give up. It wasn't easy, but I think it all comes down to calm and patience.
In closing, do you have any last message for the people who are watching?
I want to thank the entire Aela community and thank you Felipe. You helped me a lot with the questions I had, it was really cool.
I don't think I even need to say much, but I also want to thank my brothers and Elivelton, a friend from the Aela community.
Another person who helped me a lot and whom I want to thank is Tiago. The time we worked together was fantastic, he taught me a lot of things too.
That's it. I just have to thank. Thank you for everything!
