How can you gain interaction design experience as a recent graduate?

Start to the create animation in figma and after effect with the help of YouTube videos and practice daily at least 1 interaction design

Finding a mentor is a great way to get guidance for your journey, but it's tough at the start of your career. So, watching online videos, taking courses, and joining communities are good free ways to learn the basics. This can help you feel more confident when talking to potential mentors.

As a recent graduate, gaining interaction design experience requires proactive steps. Offer your skills to local businesses or nonprofits, volunteering to redesign their websites or apps. Join online design communities or participate in hackathons to collaborate with peers and build your portfolio. Seek internships or freelance opportunities to apply theoretical knowledge in practical settings. Additionally, create personal projects or redesign existing interfaces to showcase your creativity and problem-solving abilities.

Design is a visual domain so you have to do things to be seen. First thing is you need to design is your own digital habitat. It is your showroom, your office, your gallery. Try to find ways to design a creative yet simple website, instagram account. After that create a digital cabinet of curiosities. Present yourself not only as a designer but a content creator as well. Interaction design is not only design, you need to find and display the content so that there will be interaction and engagement. Then you will have both a portfolio and a showcase. I would spend time on my own projects than pro-bono if the job won't give you a huge recognition.

Take on personal projects or volunteer for nonprofit organizations to build your portfolio and gain practical experience in interaction design. These projects allow you to experiment with different design techniques and tools while making a positive impact.

Once you've mastered the basics, it's time to practice and seek feedback from mentors to identify areas for improvement. Here are some steps to refine your design skills: 1. Practice with Existing Products: Begin by tracing existing products to apply the principles you've learned. This helps solidify your understanding. Remember, this is just practice, not your original work. 2. Analyze and Identify Pain Points: Next, analyze the traced product to identify its weaknesses and areas for improvement. Consider how you can enhance the user experience. 3. Build Your Portfolio: Once you've analyzed and improved upon existing designs, you're ready to create original work for your portfolio. These steps can boost your design skills and portfolio

Look for internship opportunities or freelance projects that allow you to apply your interaction design skills in a real-world setting. Internships provide hands-on experience and exposure to industry practices, while freelance gigs offer flexibility and the opportunity to work with diverse clients and projects.

Take advantage of online resources, tutorials, and courses to expand your knowledge of interaction design principles, tools, and techniques. Platforms like Coursera, Udemy, and LinkedIn Learning offer a wide range of courses taught by industry experts.

Engage in design challenges and competitions to sharpen your skills, build your portfolio, and gain recognition within the design community. These events provide opportunities to tackle real-world design problems and receive feedback from peers and professionals.