Meghana Navin

"We regret to inform you...”

Email #2,142.

You'd think it gets easier.

It doesn't.

But let me back up.

September 2022, I moved to Birmingham with 3 suitcases to a bunker-sized student accommodation with all ambitions.

I had a polished portfolio. I had earned a distinction in Design Management I quite literally thought it would be fairly easy to get a job.

It wasn’t.

So at that time, you take what you get, right?

I took a role as a teaching assistant while hunting for design jobs. I went about creating freelance projects that paid in "exposure." And I even got a UI/UX role with “promised” payments which am still waiting on.

All I could do at that time was to keep going.

As time went by, my application numbers kept climbing. 20 applications became 200 200 became 2000

Rejections got more creative than the last

"Great portfolio, but..." "Impressive background, however..." "We'll keep your profile on file..."

I almost switched to Customer Success. (Because dreams are nice, but student loans are real)

Then Unimad happened. I never thought something as simple as 3Cs on LinkedIn could change my life.

Connect. Comment. Create.

Suddenly my design journey had a new interface: Less perfect More authentic Better results

July 2024: Application #2,160 goes out Radio silence Life moves on Until it doesn't

I got a call from Astellas Pharma. 5 rounds of interviews 5 months of waiting 1 perfect match

November 28, 2024: Not just any design role Omnichannel UX Design and Channel Specialist

Remember those 3 suitcases? They're still here But now they hold more than dreams They carry proof

That sometimes The best designs Come from the messiest journeys