Born and raised in Woodstock, Eric Goldberg is a tech geek and, for better or worse, a political junkie and quite heartbroken with the recent passing of Alex Trabek. A political science major, Eric made his transition to UI/UX quite naturally as research was an essential part of political science as well.
When did the idea of a career transition to UX come up?
Political Science involved looking at every side of an issue, the data involved, the demographics you are trying to reach. On the account management side, I worked for a small agency that acts as a middle agent for producing concerts focused mainly on the college market. In that field, you are dealing with relationships, understanding the client’s needs from separate angles, focusing on the minor details, and finding creative solutions to complex problems, mostly having to do with your clients’ unrealistic expectations. So being a tech geek, having a curious, researched focus mindset, the hardest decision was not whether I would be able to do it, but taking the risk of leaving a career that I was comfortable in. It was scary going into a field where I would be starting from the bottom again.
What were some of the struggles that you faced?
When I first started my main struggle, which I share with even the most senior UX Designers, is the imposter syndrome. I don’t think I will ever get over it, but it’s also kind of part of being a UX Designer.
It’s all about having that growth mindset, never feeling you know everything, and that you are never done learning and bettering yourself. In my immersive program for UI/UX, many of my classmates were extraordinarily talented individuals that I wrongly saw myself competing against in the back of my mind. That thought quickly changed. They were my team and cheerleaders.
What is the one thing that you miss about your previous career field?
One of the things I loved was the relationships I formed, whether with a talent agent or a student interested in the music agency. It felt good helping people, and I can’t wait to get to a point in my UX career where I can help mentor someone again.
