Read on Twitter
I am a 19yo Design student, freelancer, and mostly self-thought UX/UI Designer.
A few months ago I set the goal of being hired by @GoogleDesign before graduating.
For the past month, I have been thinking about the best way to achieve this.
A few months ago I set the goal of being hired by @GoogleDesign before graduating.
For the past month, I have been thinking about the best way to achieve this.
Now I decided to turn it into a public learning experience.
I'll tweet as I learn and learn as I tweet.
This approach was mostly influenced by @mkobach , @david_perell , @jackbutcher , and @visakanv .
Each in their own way, they inspired me to share the progress.
I'll tweet as I learn and learn as I tweet.
This approach was mostly influenced by @mkobach , @david_perell , @jackbutcher , and @visakanv .
Each in their own way, they inspired me to share the progress.
This is new for me.
It leaves me vulnerable to potential public failure, but I have realized that it does not really matter because life is not zero-sum.
You never fail if you never give up. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1288040744041807873?s=20
It leaves me vulnerable to potential public failure, but I have realized that it does not really matter because life is not zero-sum.
You never fail if you never give up. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1288040744041807873?s=20
In a tweet, the plan is:
Generate social traction with high-quality content with one clear CTA - "Contact me" - and target @Google employees and recruiters
Generate social traction with high-quality content with one clear CTA - "Contact me" - and target @Google employees and recruiters
I thought about several CTAs (Call to action), but for now I'll probably stay with "Contact me".
It's direct and descriptive;
Leaves space for interesting conversations to happen;
Can be done throughout all stages of the plan.
Can you think of something better?
It's direct and descriptive;
Leaves space for interesting conversations to happen;
Can be done throughout all stages of the plan.
Can you think of something better?
I graduate in July, although my classes are expected to finish in March.
This gives me 8 months to execute everything.
However, I'll hopefully move to London in January and finish university there, so I want the bulk of the work done before the flight.
I study in Lisbon, btw.
This gives me 8 months to execute everything.
However, I'll hopefully move to London in January and finish university there, so I want the bulk of the work done before the flight.
I study in Lisbon, btw.
Not sure if this will happen exactly in this timing due to COVID tho.
Nonetheless, I'm aiming to have most of the work done by mid-December.
Nonetheless, I'm aiming to have most of the work done by mid-December.
In simple steps, here is what I'm doing:
- Improve my portfolio ( http://joseg.pt )
- Finish 2 projects that I am now working on and write case studies about them
- Continue Daily UI
- Write a case study about this process
- Improve my portfolio ( http://joseg.pt )
- Finish 2 projects that I am now working on and write case studies about them
- Continue Daily UI
- Write a case study about this process
- Write design-related articles (at least 1 a month)
- Participate in mode design-related communities to get as much advice as possible
- Document my journey
- Film a kickass video
- Continue with my freelancing
- Participate in mode design-related communities to get as much advice as possible
- Document my journey
- Film a kickass video
- Continue with my freelancing
This is what the plan looks like now.
I've identified 4 audiences (blue) and some possible "pain points" (red)
Disclosure: I'm a sucker for graphs and data-viz in general.
I've identified 4 audiences (blue) and some possible "pain points" (red)
Disclosure: I'm a sucker for graphs and data-viz in general.
At least for now, this twitter thread will stay out of the plan, as my goal with it is not to improve my chances of succeeding but to learn other things.
I've now been applying for 3 years to google internships.
I was never chosen.
Last year I passed the first selection phase. Not the second one.
(tweet in Portuguese) https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1241985980862803969?s=20
I was never chosen.
Last year I passed the first selection phase. Not the second one.
(tweet in Portuguese) https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1241985980862803969?s=20
Today I started the redesign of my portfolio.
The whole website is going to be based on full-page sections transitioning in what is called a "background scroll"
Got the effect to work on my main page, although it still needs some fine-tuning.
The whole website is going to be based on full-page sections transitioning in what is called a "background scroll"
Got the effect to work on my main page, although it still needs some fine-tuning.
Got the 3d "rotation on hover" effect to work.
This will be a direct scroll from my main page where users will be able to choose a case study to read from.
I'll probably only include 2 case studies on the main page and the rest on a dedicated page.
This will be a direct scroll from my main page where users will be able to choose a case study to read from.
I'll probably only include 2 case studies on the main page and the rest on a dedicated page.
Also, I want to do something with the background-color changing, but am still not sure of what to do.
Update on the 3d rotation on hover:
I want to incorporate it in a different way, by using background elements.
It no longer works
I want to incorporate it in a different way, by using background elements.
It no longer works
Made quite a lot of progress this afternoon.
Decided to drop the color-changing background because was too hard to have text on it (it would look bad on the case studies.
Instead, I now have a border around the website that changes color.
Also, I love this progress bar!
Decided to drop the color-changing background because was too hard to have text on it (it would look bad on the case studies.
Instead, I now have a border around the website that changes color.
Also, I love this progress bar!
The video now simply sits in the background in between sections. Not sure if that is a wise decision, but it used to have too much attention.
If people want to watch the video they just need to stop scrolling.
If people want to watch the video they just need to stop scrolling.
Aaaaaaand the 3D hover effect works again!
But this time I made it over the whole section.
Why not? Websites should be fun!
But this time I made it over the whole section.
Why not? Websites should be fun!
I'll now start to build the base for the full case studies.
Wanted to do something fun with an interactive navigation menu that guides the user through the page by highlighting the section in which he/she is.
Honestly, I have no idea how that is done.
That should take a while.
Wanted to do something fun with an interactive navigation menu that guides the user through the page by highlighting the section in which he/she is.
Honestly, I have no idea how that is done.
That should take a while.
Ok, I got sidetracked and ended up fixing the progress bar.
It now "changes color" according to the background.
It now "changes color" according to the background.
Found this tutorial that explains pretty well the kind of navigation I wanted to build.
Way easier than I first thought.
Way easier than I first thought.
The navigation works.
The sections will be the different parts of the case study. (Problem statement, research, etc...)
Still need to properly align it.
The sections will be the different parts of the case study. (Problem statement, research, etc...)
Still need to properly align it.
Next up:
The TL;DR version of the projects that will sit at the top of the page.
In this section I'll highlight:
- My role in the project
- Project goals
- Small description
This is what it looks like in my current portfolio ( http://joseg.pt/erasmus-connect.html)
The TL;DR version of the projects that will sit at the top of the page.
In this section I'll highlight:
- My role in the project
- Project goals
- Small description
This is what it looks like in my current portfolio ( http://joseg.pt/erasmus-connect.html)
TL;DR base is done and navigation works.
Images are merely placeholders because I don't have the right images now.
Looking promising.
Images are merely placeholders because I don't have the right images now.
Looking promising.
The end CTA of every page will be some form of "Contact me"
I've always been pretty averse to the use of color, especially in my personal projects.
And suddenly I find myself doing this, inspired by my "daily UI wall" of posts.
This portfolio will have waaaaay more color than anything I have previously done.
And suddenly I find myself doing this, inspired by my "daily UI wall" of posts.
This portfolio will have waaaaay more color than anything I have previously done.
Made changes to the typography of the case studies page.
The thin font works best with the use of color and the amount of "white space" I am trying to create.
The thin font works best with the use of color and the amount of "white space" I am trying to create.
Daily UI page
I'll add images once I'm home. (in like 2 weeks)
I'll add images once I'm home. (in like 2 weeks)
Current footer.
Not sure of what to do with the contact page.
Direct email?
Form?
Both?
The only things I want to include are my email and other links (essentially the information that is already on the footer)
No phone or location.
Direct email?
Form?
Both?
The only things I want to include are my email and other links (essentially the information that is already on the footer)
No phone or location.
This week I'll also be starting to write my first article.
Potential titles:
"Entering the job market, through the browser"
"The importance of online community building"
Or something else that feels right really... https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1292933123177689095?s=20
Potential titles:
"Entering the job market, through the browser"
"The importance of online community building"
Or something else that feels right really... https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1292933123177689095?s=20
Hard to make a contact page simpler than this
Not using pure black nor pure white anywhere on the website to make it easier on the eyes.
I's a slight change that makes quite a big difference.
I's a slight change that makes quite a big difference.
So... I've been trying to do something cool for the "About "page for the past hour and I just can't get it to work.
Will have to improvise and do something slightly different.
Will have to improvise and do something slightly different.
For some reason, the @webflow preview has a completely different result from the actual published piece...
This is the preview:
This is the preview:
It is being hard to find focus to do anything productive in the past few days.
Will now start to sketch my fist essay. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1294258819917320193?s=19
To avoid crowding this thread with thoughts strictly related to the topic of the article, I will share my progress in a separate thread: https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1296101830137720833?s=20
First essay completed! https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1300459006193004545?s=20
Currently working on gathering a list of hundreds of design portfolios of people who work at @GoogleDesign to draw inspiration from.
Some of these portfolios are absolutely amazing!
Back to working on the portfolio for a bit.
The base for all the case studies is done.
Organized structure
Clickable section navigation
Scroll progress bar
Clickable final images
The base for all the case studies is done.
Organized structure
Clickable section navigation
Scroll progress bar
Clickable final images
I just realized that my homepage is way too complex and has too many effects.
Making it mobile-friendly will be an absolute nightmare.
I'll now delete most of it and simplify the whole thing.
Making it mobile-friendly will be an absolute nightmare.
I'll now delete most of it and simplify the whole thing.
Been testing some moving/interacting background.
I'm looking for something with low saturation and abstract shapes.
This is where we are right now.
Not sure where this will go.
I'm looking for something with low saturation and abstract shapes.
This is where we are right now.
Not sure where this will go.
Maybe I like the hold video too much to let it go.
It covers the text too much thought, I'll try lowering the opacity even more. It's now at 25%.
It covers the text too much thought, I'll try lowering the opacity even more. It's now at 25%.
Literally spent 2 hours trying to get this background to work on webflow.
This will me the background of the "Google at 20" website.
This will essentially be the project page that I will be pushing everyone to.
Code by Marco Dell'Anna on @CodePen . Check him out.
This will me the background of the "Google at 20" website.
This will essentially be the project page that I will be pushing everyone to.
Code by Marco Dell'Anna on @CodePen . Check him out.
The good thing about starting to take action a few months before the launch is that I can "waste" this kind of time with almost no pressure.
If it makes the project 0.1% better, it's time well spent.
If it makes the project 0.1% better, it's time well spent.
Yesterday night I took the time to write some more.
This time about reality. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1308416005639753729
This time about reality. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1308416005639753729
Read my second essay on @Medium here: https://link.medium.com/Tk9A16wvZ9
Third essay on medium is up:
"An exploratory essay on silence
The mysterious yet clear messages that come from some silence are pure art." https://medium.com/@josemarquezgoncalves/an-exploratory-essay-on-silence-b69edc9f1f3d
"An exploratory essay on silence
The mysterious yet clear messages that come from some silence are pure art." https://medium.com/@josemarquezgoncalves/an-exploratory-essay-on-silence-b69edc9f1f3d
The fourth essay is ready for you to read. https://twitter.com/jose_goncalves_/status/1309158877456478209?s=20
Something I think needs to be made clear about this thread:
This is not a "How to get hired at google" clickbait thread/project.
This is a thread of discovery and public learning where I share my attempts, successes, and failures.
This is not a "How to get hired at google" clickbait thread/project.
This is a thread of discovery and public learning where I share my attempts, successes, and failures.
It is also a call for help.
There is no way I am doing this alone.
I need feedback from great people, devil's advocates, tips, etc.
Thank you in advance.
There is no way I am doing this alone.
I need feedback from great people, devil's advocates, tips, etc.
Thank you in advance.
