Please help to review my evidences for exceptional talent (UX/UI designer)

Stage 1
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Hello, I’m a Lead UX/UI designer with 9+ years of experience. I’m willing to apply for a Talent visa as a Leader (called ‘exceptional talent’). I used to work in a startup and a product company.

Please find all the details below. I would love to hear feedback.

MC (evidence 1)
Jury on the Hackathon as a Lead UX/UI designer. A letter from the hackathon organiser, plus images of the winner and screenshots of the invitation. (2024)

MC (evidence2)
Four articles were published in Hackernoon and Smashing magazine. They are all related to mentorship and a project I’ve been working on. The links to the articles with short explanations. (2024)

MC (evidence 3)
A lead UX/UI designer in X company name squad. Projects list I was dedicated and that led to awards for the product. Additionally, a letter of referral from the merchandising director to prove it.

Optional Criteria 3 (evidence 4)
I contributed enormously to the design system for X product, which positively impacted the product in general. I have screenshots of the designs. One of the articles describes the solution I implemented.

Optional Criteria 3 (evidence 5)
Full design for the edu product from scratch for tablets and web applications, together with the design system. The product has been launched in three countries. The impact was mentioned in the Letter of Recommendation (CEO of the company).

Optional Criteria 3 (evidence 6)
Designs for the product that has been launched successfully in the UK. I have design screenshots. Also, the press coverage for the product. It mentioned an impact in the Letter of Recommendation.

Optional Criteria 3 (evidence 7)
List of projects I was dedicated as a designer with commercial impact (screenshots of designs and analytics). Plus, a letter of federal from the Product owner of all the projects.

Optional Criteria 2 (evidence 8)
​​I was a co-founder and one of the mentors of the 4-month design mentoring program. I have screenshots of the mentoring program with the hours and sessions I spent with the mentees. Additionally, a letter from one of the mentees describes her breakthrough success. She got a contract as a designer after passing the program. Also, I prepared and conducted a webinar about the mentoring program, discussing the challenges I faced during the mentoring program.

Optional Criteria 2 (evidence 9)
Participation in AI hackathon as a UX/UI designer, where I proposed using a chatbot to deliver an idea and present it to a jury. (2022)

Optional Criteria 2 (evidence 10)
I was a designer-volunteer in the project to fully redesign the official site of NGO ‘X’. It goes all together with a letter of reference from the director of the NGO.

Letter of Recommendation 1
From the Head of Digital Products for the X product

Letter of Recommendation 2
CEO of the company X. Former employer

Letter of Recommendation 3
Managing Director and Partner of my current company

Thank you for your help in advance!

2

Looks good to me honestly. Make sure to add short captions alongside figures within evidences.

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Thank you @reachusama :slightly_smiling_face:

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Hello! @Francisca_Chiedu @alexnk Could I kindly ask you to review my case as a designer? I would really appreciate your feedback. Thank you in advance.

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This is my opinion, you are applying for talent and not promise. They expect your evidences to be rock solid and no older than 5 years.

Hackathon is a weak evidence for talent.
Mentorship should be for a structured program and if it’s a structured program. The fact that you are a co-founder might give the impression that you designed the program to get an endorsement. To counteract my point. The structured program need to be old enough and of can take out the fact that you co-founded it. It will really help.

Publishing in sites like LinkedIn, medium and any such related area will not be accepted. Check if hackernoon is accepted.

Having a recommendation letter separate from a reference letter will help your case. If it’s possible to look for a way to get a reference letter that will be great. Saying you have it highlighted in your recommendation letter can weaken your application.

Designing a new site does not show exceptional talent unless you are doing so with a new technology that you patented.

Overall, your application is good enough for promise but lacking in talent.
I hope I have helped.

2 Likes
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Thanks for feedback! @LizzyOrji :ok_hand:

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Any recent articlesay not help as the assessor may think you published it to meet the criteria. Also, was your name mentioned in the articles about the product, if not it may not have any value. For the OC3 aside the products built do you have evidence of the product revenue to buttress you claim?

For OC2 , not sure how Hackathon participation.demomstrate that you have advanced the sector?

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Hello Francisca, @Francisca_Chiedu
Thanks for the feedback :pray:

The merchandiser director’s name was mentioned in the article about the product. I was working with him. I’ll attach his reference letter to confirm my contribution to the project.

Regarding OC3: yes, I plan to attach screenshots with user analytics to confirm the impact. Plus, the product owner will mention numbers in the letter. I’ll put it on the third page of the evidence.

For the one product in OC3 that has been launched on the market, with no numbers/revenue in the evidence but goes along with the letter of reference from the CEO that proves my contribution, it won’t count as recognised leadership. Is that what you’re referring to?

The hackathon I participated in was devoted to AI. Using the technology engineers created, I designed the user experience (a chatbot) during the hackathon. I plan to refer to the solution I created in the innovative sector that continues to develop. Do you think it shows enough recognition in the industry?