Student Success Story: Mafalda Lopes

Mafalda completed our 8-week part-time Product Strategy & Management course in March 2o24 and now works as a UX/UI Design Specialist at team.blue

We caught up with her recently to see how the course helped her achieve her goals and if she has any pearls of wisdom for any budding product designers.

Tell us a bit more about what you were doing before you decided to pivot into design?

I was doing UX/UI design but having no input or knowledge on the business side of things. I was simply designing what I was asked to design by my team lead without understanding the overall roadmap, the business impact of my designs or even contributing to ideas on my own – due to the fact I didn’t know what the design process was!

How was training at Experience Haus different from other providers ?

It wasn’t self-paced. Previously I had done the Google Coursera UX Design certification and it was self-paced, which was great at the time, but with Experience Haus it was nice to have a ral instructor to whom I could directly ask questions and have my work reviewed. I think that’s very valuable. 

What was the highlight of your course?

Doing a project for a real client. 

What was the most challenging part of your learning experience?

Starting the course and the learning with a very clear idea of what I would have to present in the end. 

Job Hunting & Your New Role

Where is your current job and what is your role?

UX/UI Design Specialist at team.blue

How did you find the job search process after you finished the course?

I think I became overqualified for UX jobs but under-qualified for product management still.

What did a typical working day look like for you two years ago?

Going to the office everyday from 9am – 6pm. Not being able to choose my holidays (always the same fixed 3 weeks in August!)

What does a typical working day look like for you now?

I work from home 3-4 days a week, I can work remotely a few months out of the year if I want to!

What are your top 3 tips for preparing for a design interview?

1. Be enthusiastic – sometimes it’s not about the content you’re delivering, but how you are delivering it. Anything can be taught, but public speaking and being engaging naturally is a big plus.
2. Leverage your background – just because you studied something else, compared to the type of work you wan today, always highlight the skills your previous background has provided that supports your new journey.
3. Don’t take it too seriously – what I mean by this is that people are interviewing are still people, and people like to have nice conversations that flow instead of a very awkward dialogue exchange. That’s how you stand out.

What advice do you have for anyone breaking into the industry? Is there anything you wish you’d known when you were first starting out?

Don’t be afraid to talk about your ideas, nothing is too much or too crazy. This is what leads to productive discussions towards finding the right solutions. You’re hired to have ideas and speak on it. Just do it. 

Get in touch with Mafalda

linkedin.com/in/mafalopes/