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First design job: where to look and how to get hired
How to land a first design job with no experience: which roles to target, how to get real experience, beginner filters on DOU, Djinni and Work.ua, how to apply and keep going.
- Know which roles you can realistically apply for without commercial experience
- Get your first real project before your first job
- Set up beginner filters on DOU, Djinni and Work.ua
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How to find a first design job: 5 steps
- 1
Step 1
Decide which roles to apply for
- 2
Step 2
Get your first real project
- 3
Step 3
Set up your search on job sites
- 4
Step 4
Apply early and selectively
- 5
Step 5
Keep track and search through people
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- messages with questions since July 2024
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This guide is for you if you are
Just finished a course
Your studies are done and you have a portfolio, but every job post says “1+ year of experience”.
Applying without replies
You've sent dozens of resumes and got few or no interview invitations.
Still studying
You want a first job or internship alongside university or a course.
In short
- Don't search only for “Junior UI/UX Designer”: look at Trainee, Intern and roles where design is part of the job.
- A first real project breaks the “no experience without experience” loop: freelance, a non-profit, a friend's business, an internship.
- DOU has a “First job” section and a beginner filter, Djinni has a “No experience” filter, Work.ua has “No experience” and “Students” filters.
- Apply early and selectively: a separate letter for each job and the case study closest to their product first.
- Track your applications and ask for feedback: finding a first job is a marathon, not a sprint.
How to find a first design job: 5 steps
- 1
Step 1
Decide which roles to apply for
Entry-level job titles vary, and limiting your search to one phrase is the easiest way to find nothing. What to look for:
- Trainee and Intern: roles with training, often with a mentor; more in Design internships;
- Junior UI/UX, Junior Product, Junior Graphic Designer: a first full role;
- adjacent roles: designer for social media, marketing materials or presentations, where you can build experience;
- design inside another job: if you already work somewhere, design tasks at your current job count as experience too.
💡 Nielsen Norman Group notes that junior candidates are evaluated more favorably when they build on one strength instead of dabbling in several areas. Pick a direction and build your portfolio around it.
- 2
Step 2
Get your first real project
Nielsen Norman Group calls this the cycle of being unable to get experience without experience and suggests several ways to break it. Having at least one such entry on your resume, they write, significantly improves your prospects:
- freelance: a small project for a real client; more in Freelancing for designers;
- a non-profit: a website, social media or materials for an initiative that needs help;
- your network's businesses: see who around you needs a better website or app;
- internships and training programs at companies.
💡 Community design games are good portfolio material too: the same brief, a deadline and feedback from other designers. How to turn such a project into a case study is in Designer portfolio.
Don't look for your first job alone
In the community you can show your portfolio before applying, ask how others found their first job and get honest feedback on your resume and letter.
Ask the communityFree. 1,504 designers are already in the community.
- 3
Step 3
Set up your search on job sites
Almost every major Ukrainian job site has beginner filters. Set them up once and subscribe to alerts:
- DOU: a “Перша робота” (First job) section with a Design category and a “Курси і стажування” (courses and internships) block, plus a beginner filter (up to 1 year of experience) in the main search; there's also the junior_dou_ua Telegram channel with opportunities for beginners;
- Djinni: a “Без досвіду” (no experience) filter; candidate profiles are anonymous, and a company sees your contacts and full CV once you confirm interest or apply yourself;
- Work.ua: filters for candidates without experience, students and candidates without a resume; new jobs can arrive by email, Telegram or Viber;
- LinkedIn: job alerts and Open to Work status; more in LinkedIn for designers.
💡 For a broader look at job sites and the market, read UI/UX designer jobs and salaries.
- 4
Step 4
Apply early and selectively
Describing its own intern hiring, Nielsen Norman Group writes that applications sent in the first two weeks got a bit more attention: reviewing started before the deadline. How to apply:
- submit every material the posting asks for, even “optional” ones: resume, portfolio, letter, answers to questions;
- put the case study closest to the company's product first in your portfolio;
- write a short cover letter for each job; how is in Designer cover letter;
- check that your portfolio link opens without a password and on a phone.
💡 Silence after applying isn't always a rejection. Work.ua says some employers collect resumes for a week or two before inviting the best candidates to interview.
Looking for a first job? Ask people who've found one → - 5
Step 5
Keep track and search through people
Finding a first job takes time, and without a system it's easy to get lost. What helps you keep pace:
- an application tracker: company, role, date, stage, next step;
- feedback after rejections: politely ask for a few words on what to improve; not everyone replies, but every answer helps;
- connections: Nielsen Norman Group advises students and graduates to reach out to professors, alumni of their school and career services;
- the community: people share job openings, review portfolios and rehearse interviews.
💡 When you're invited to an interview or a test task, prepare with Designer job interview and Design take-home assignment.
You're not alone with these questions
We counted what people ask about most in our community. Jobs and vacancies are among the six most popular topics, next to portfolios and learning.
Messages by topic in Spaceberry Community, July 2024 — November 2026. Keyword search.
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Introduce yourself
Say where you're starting from and ask your first question.
Questions and answers
Didn't find your answer? Ask it in the community.
Can I get a design job with no experience?
Yes, but “no experience” usually means “no commercial experience”, not “no work”. You need a portfolio of two or three case studies and ideally at least one real project: freelance, volunteering, an internship. On job sites, use the beginner filters: DOU, Djinni and Work.ua all have them.
Should I apply if the job post says “1+ year of experience”?
If the other requirements fit and you have case studies on similar tasks, apply. Explain honestly in your cover letter what experience you do have and show the closest case study. Don't apologize for lacking experience; briefly say what you can already do.
Which is better to start at: an agency or a product company?
You can grow in both. Agencies often mean more varied projects and clients; product companies mean one product and a deeper dive into it. For a first job, something else matters more: whether an experienced designer will be around to give you feedback. Ask about it in the interview.
How many applications does it take to get a first job?
There's no single number: it depends on your portfolio, your direction and the market at the time. Watch your conversion instead: if you send many applications and get no invitations, the problem is most likely your portfolio, resume or letter, not the volume. Show them to someone experienced before sending more.
Is the Spaceberry community paid?
No, Spaceberry Community is completely free. It's supported by Spaceberry Foundation, a non-profit public organization. All you need to join is a Telegram account: tap the button on this page, introduce yourself and ask your first question. The community has 1,504 designers who share their work, give feedback and take part in design games with the same brief for everyone. Conversations are in Ukrainian.
A first job is closer with people who've already found theirs
Join 1,504 designers who share job openings and job-search experience. Show your portfolio, ask about a company and rehearse an interview. The community talks in Ukrainian.
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Updated · Spaceberry Foundation
Sources:
- DOU — First job in IT (in Ukrainian)
- DOU — Design vacancies for beginners (in Ukrainian)
- Djinni — job search
- Djinni Guide — First steps
- Work.ua — Designer vacancies (in Ukrainian)
- Work.ua — Why job alerts are useful (in Ukrainian)
- Work.ua — I apply but nobody answers. Why? (in Ukrainian)
- Nielsen Norman Group — Effective Resumes for UX Career Changers
- Nielsen Norman Group — 5 Tips for UX-Internship Applicants
- Nielsen Norman Group — Preparation Tactics for a Tough UX Job Market