How long should your UX research portfolio and resume be? (2024)

A UX research portfolio is a collection of your work samples that demonstrate your research process, methods, insights, and impact. It is not just a list of projects or screenshots, but a story of how you approached and solved real user problems. A UX research portfolio should highlight your research questions, goals, hypotheses, data sources, analysis, findings, recommendations, and outcomes. It should also show your communication, collaboration, and presentation skills.

A UX research resume is a document that summarizes your education, work experience, skills, and achievements as a UX researcher. It is not just a list of dates and titles, but a narrative of how you contributed to the success of your projects and organizations. A UX research resume should highlight your research skills, tools, methods, domains, and impact. It should also show your professional development, awards, publications, and memberships.

There is no definitive answer to how long your UX research portfolio should be, as it depends on your target audience, the type of role you are applying for, and the quality of your work. However, a general rule of thumb is to keep it between 3 to 6 projects, with each project having 3 to 5 pages. This means your portfolio should be around 15 to 30 pages in total. You can also create a one-page overview or summary of your portfolio that highlights your key skills, projects, and impact.

Similarly, there is no definitive answer to how long your UX research resume should be, as it depends on your level of experience, the industry standards, and the expectations of your potential employers. However, a general rule of thumb is to keep it between 1 to 2 pages. You can also create a one-page cover letter that introduces yourself, explains your motivation, and showcases your fit for the role.

To make your UX research portfolio and resume more effective and appealing, you should tailor them to the specific role and organization you are applying for, highlighting relevant skills, projects, and achievements. Use clear and concise language, avoid jargon and acronyms, and proofread for grammar, spelling, and formatting errors. Visuals like graphs, charts, diagrams, photos, videos, or prototypes can illustrate your research process, methods, insights, and impact - make sure they are high-quality, relevant, and easy to understand. Additionally, provide context, evidence, and reflection for your work samples. Explain the problem, the goal, the hypothesis, the data source, the analysis, the findings, the recommendations, and the outcomes. Show how your research influenced design decisions and business results - reflect on challenges faced in addition to learnings and feedback. Lastly include a call to action such as a link to your website or contact details to invite potential employers to learn more about you and your work.

When you’ve created your UX research portfolio and resume, you need to find ways to showcase them to potential employers. Uploading your portfolio and resume to online platforms, such as LinkedIn, Behance, Dribbble, Medium, or your own website is a great way to make them accessible, searchable, and shareable. Additionally, you can send your portfolio and resume as attachments or links via email or online application. During an interview or presentation, it’s important to have a printed copy or digital file of your portfolio and resume that are organized, updated, and ready to use.

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?

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