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👋 Happy Tuesday, designers

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This morning, I had a coffee chat with my design friend Sebastian (IntoUXdesign community member), who's working from Bali after creating this amazing portfolio. Now, he's building Framer templates to gain a passive income.

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💡 That got me thinking—job hunting can feel like a never-ending waiting game. You send out hundreds of applications, and still...crickets. Meanwhile, the bills keep stacking up. But what if you could ease that pressure?

What if you could grow your skills, keep your portfolio fresh, and earn extra income in the meantime?

I thought I'd share with you 5 ways to get paid and stay relevant in design:

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1️⃣ Idea one: Build Framer templates

Design templates for the Framer marketplace. You’ll earn from sales, and if someone subscribes through your referral link, you get 50% of their subscription fees for a year. Not a bad way to build tech skills and income while working on your portfolio.

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2️⃣ Idea two: Become a user-testing reviewer

Sites like UserTesting, Askable (my favorite), or PlaytestCloud pay you to test products and give feedback. It’s a solid way to practice your design critique skills + earn between $20–$100 per hour depending on the platform.

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3️⃣ Idea three: Pick up freelance web design projects

Small projects like landing pages or simple websites help keep your skills sharp and your portfolio fresh. Even if it’s not deep product work, you’ll improve your UI design, visual hierarchy, and composition. You can start as simple as reaching out to your local network (friends & family to see if anyone needs help with a website) or use Contra as a commission-free freelance network.

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4️⃣ Idea four: Share the IntoUX.design community & get rewarded

Know someone looking for a job and could use guidance from seasoned design leaders (like an ex-Google UX director)? Share the job-hunting community and start earning passive income each month.

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It’s simple → Join the community for free, DM me “I want to join the referral program,” and I’ll send you your referral link.

💸 You'll earn $8.70/month for every person who joins through your link.

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5️⃣ Idea five: Sell digital products (not just for designers)

Think outside the box: Notion dashboards, digital planners, productivity tools - these are all in demand. Platforms like Gumroad or Etsy are great for selling these. Put your product thinking into practice while learning how to package and market your work (skills every product company is struggling to find in designers).

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❓ Which tip stood out to you most today? 🧠 Think like a hiring manager 📖 Tell a story people can't ignore 🔍 Show your unique perspective 📕 Imagine your case study is a book in a bookstore 📝 Optimise for titles and infographics 🎯 Leave them wanting more

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I know the market’s tough right now, and it’s easy to feel stuck or discouraged. But every project, every skill you sharpen, and every connection you make brings you one step closer to the right opportunity.

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Keep showing up, stay curious, and remember—this phase won’t last forever, but the skills and resilience you build now will stick with you for the long run. ✨

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And if you’re feeling stuck or need guidance from design leaders (like an ex-Google UX director Chris Abad), the IntoUXdesign community is here to help you stay motivated and sharpen your skills while you search.

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You've got this, 💪

Anfisa