tradecraft

I completed the Tradecraft program almost exactly one year ago to this date, and one year later, I couldn't be happier with my investment. In the months leading up to my applying, I was trying to make the transition to product design on my own by self-studying and self-learning, but wasn't satisfied with the speed at which I was progressing.

There are many reviews that already description about the product design track and what prospective Tradecrafters can expect. I'll focus on a few points where I feel the experience was particularly valuable to me:

• Project experience: Tradecraft gives you access to opportunities to do design work on real projects from different early-stage startups. Client projects were invaluable in allowing me to grow and learn as a designer, and to have as pieces to include in my portfolio
• Career development: I was a recent college graduate, so a lot of the professional world was foreign to me. Tradecraft does an excellent job and walking through strategies to build a professional network, outreach to companies/contacts, interview effectively, and more. Ariane, the Head of Careers, is amazing.
• The people and the environment: The Tradecraft space is just teeming with smart and motivated instructors, students, and graduates that push you, both directly and indirectly, to strive for greatness. 
• The instructors: The product design and career development instructors are genuinely experts at what they do. Every single question I had for, they had answers for, and often went above and beyond in providing feedback. They're a huge reason why I had such a great experience.

Overall, a year removed from the program, I can say I'm very happy with where I'm at today. And I don't think I'd be where I'm at today without the Tradecraft experience.

Tradecraft is a one-of-a-kind program in the tech world and I couldn't be more happy with the decision I made to go through this SF-based career accelerator.

 

After spending 4 years in NYC as a tech/software investor, I decided to leave my awesome career at Goldman Sachs in order to pursue a more exciting and dynamic career in the enterprise software sector. It's not a path that many embark upon, so after doing tons of my own research and conducting interviews with folks all across the tech sector, I decided to move out to the Bay Area and enroll in Tradecraft. It's one of the best decisions I've ever made.

 

I moved to SF with only a handful of friends and family members out here, and Tradecraft instantly became my home away from home. Not only was the program/curriculum exactly what I was hoping for, but it's an amazing community to be part of. The instructors and students truly embody the "work hard, play hard" culture that I enjoy most -- it was a great way to enter a new city and career at the same time. Some of my best friends in SF are my fellow TC students/instructors, and I am incredibly thankful for getting to be part of this amazing program.

 

The curriculum is great for those who want to start their own companies, join high-growth startups as early hires, or for anyone interested in testing/building/scaling up businesses that are in some way impacted by the tech sector (i.e. nearly every business). Coming in with a traditional investment analyst skillset from wall street, I was never bored with Tradecraft's extensive curriculum, which covers a wide range of growth topics such as SEO, paid acquisition, social media, cohort analytics, email marketing, B2B sales frameworks, and more! This all comes in handy not only for building and scaling startups (in my current role), but also in the context of being a technology-oriented investor as well.

 

I'd recommend Tradecraft to anyone who has a desire in commiting themselves to a career in tech, plain and simple. Tradecraft's instructors and career mentors are extraordinarily resourceful and well-connected in the Bay Area and will get you from point A to point B in your career faster than any business school will. 

In addition to getting a job and making the transition from graphic to product design, Tradecraft was the catalyst for a great deal of personal change that I'm still benefiting from (and working through.)

The nature of the environment is one where you're surrounded by people questioning things: their future desired role and how to get there, user experience problems, the various degrees of ennui one experiences when transitioning), and in general how to be a better human.

The last point is something I found particularly wonderful. Tradecraft forces you to take a step back and look at things about yourself that you may have not considered before.

• What is your relationship with other people, and why might that have led you to where you are now?
• How can you begin to approach something like "networking" in a way that doesn't make you both want to use a bleach wipe on your brain?
• What are you projecting in interviews and how might that affect how others evalute you?
• How can you understand what other people want, and give it to them in ways that benefit you both?

These are but a few things that I learned about in the program (in addition to all the design stuff :) and it may be totally different for you. The one thing I can guarantee though, is that it'll be impactful for you as a person – for where you are in life. See Christine and Jasmine Rosen's reviews (two of my colleagues) for a better overall analysis, they were always better at this stuff than me.

While we're on the subject of friends/colleagues: the concentrated timespan of the program will help you develop surprisingly strong, genuine friendships during your time there. I've shared a pretty large spectrum of human emotion with peers + the staff. As for the staff, every damn one of them has gone above and beyond for me, at various times and in various ways, and probably in many that I'm not aware of. I want to emphasize that, because I something still look back at it and am baffled at how much everyone gives a shit about you.

Something you'll commonly hear is that you'll get out of Tradecraft what you put in. This is not an easy program, and it isn't designed to be. If you truly dedicate yourself then what everyone else is saying is absolutely true – the rewards are vastly greater than any time, money, and energy you'll put in.

The beauty of Tradecraft is that it simulates an actual startup environment. You are intentionally given more opportunities for impact than you actually have time for. Program instructors, mentors and your colleagues help you determine which opportunities to focus on given your individual career goals. 

Before starting the program, learn how to use various design tools as well as the fundamentals of art & design. This way you can get a head start and jump into project work right away which accelerates the portfolio building process. Building a portfolio is your biggest hurdle in securing a role quickly after graduation so take this very seriously. 

The most valuable thing I learnt at Tradecraft was a new perspective. A different way to think, to learn, to network. 

The bootcamp was not taught in a traditional, textbook-driven, spoon-feeding style. The intructors were not academic professors, but successful practitioners in their fields. Classes did not assign outdated textbooks and were not held as lengthy lectures. And sadly, it would not miraculously figure out one's career :) But apart from what it was not, it gave me everything I was looking for and more whenever I showed up and put in the hard work. I learnt where and how to find resources to supplement for what I didn't know. I learnt how to get the skills I would need in order to be qualified for the job I wanted. I learnt how to strategically meet and network with the right people. I learnt how to negotiate my offer and re-evaluate the offer that did not meet my expectation. And throughout this whole process, Tradecraft staffs always made time to meet me on an one-on-one basis and extended their help and network generously. Their career support was the best I ever had. I had nowhere near the attention, the help, and the personalized network from traditional institutions that I spent a great fortune on.

Apart from all the career-related stuffs, the real treasure lay in having the opportunity to meet people who shared my view of the world. My peers were highly driven, extremely ambitious, and ridiculously talented. We came from a great variety of backgrounds, which opened doors to each other into different industries and network pools right off the bat. As an East Coast transplant, I did not find my community until I became a part of Tradecraft. 

If you are an independent learner and hardworking professional who want to crack the code of Silicon Valley, I think you will have a great experience here. 

 

 

If I had to sum up the major things I gained from my time at Tradecraft, it would fall into 3 buckets: 1) The community, 2) getting pushed out of my comfort zone with networking, and 3) access to a physical/virtual space that encourages constant learning throughout your career.

(1) The peers that you start with are one of your biggest assets (but only if you make the effort to invest time and energy into these relationships). I’ve met some amazing people and built friendships and connections with those in my cohort/class and even to this day, we stay in constant touch and share advice, support, and design events with each other. The more you all support each other (either through collaboration, emotional, or mental support) the more you all grow and benefit during your time here.

(2) Networking is scary for some people and for others, it feels contrived. One of the biggest things I gained from my experience at Tradecraft was getting comfortable with reaching out to people completely cold, and a big part of that was reframing what networking meant to me. Everyone approaches it with a different mindset based on their personalities and goals, and while for some it’s about building relationships, for others it can purely be about exchanging knowledge and learning. What really helps is to be surrounded by peers that can empathize with how difficult it is at first, and that in a way makes it easier for you to get out of your comfort zone. Everyone is doing it together. 

(3) The skills you gain from Tradecraft are largely based on what you make of the experience there. You have constant access to a virtual community on slack that is always sharing resources related to design/growth/career development/etc, and people ask each other questions and give advice. The physical space also hosts events and bring in speakers nearly every other week or so. You’re always encouraged to come back into the space even after you graduate and take advantage of these learning opportunities. It's a great space that breeds and encourages learning throughout your career, but you gotta take advantage of it.

Tradecraft is by no means a perfect program. Things can feel messy and unstructured, and sometimes it feels like there could be a lot more transparency between staff and students. The lack of structure might be by design and one could argue that working in tech is messy too. People seem to be across the board in how they feel about the structure at Tradecraft. Some have strong expectations of structure and demand it, and some just work around it. I think it’s important to keep yourself in the middle and give feedback where you see room for improvement, but also understand that Tradecraft in a way a startup too and you sometimes just have to work with what you have. Push for improvement, but do your best to manage your frustrations and be constructive with your feedback. 

Having graduated from the program about 5 months ago, I will say this. I’m *really* glad I went with Tradecraft instead of the other competing alternatives. I got to practice skills in design yes, but I wouldn’t trade the friendships/connections I made and getting pushed out of my comfort zone for anything. 

I completed Tradecraft back in April and was able to find work within my first month out of the program. Prior to it, I was working in the field of architecture for over five years. I came to it through recommendations from colleagues who similarly felt dissatisfied with the profession. I was deciding between a few different options but what makes Tradecraft stand apart from the rest are its learning-by-doing framework and supportive network of highly motivated and intelligent people.

Could I have made the career transition by myself? Yes, but it most likely would have taken substantially longer with many more obstacles. The Product Design program at Tradecraft was my 'north star' for this transitional phase, helping me filter through the sea of resources and tools – good and bad – out there and spend precious time focusing on building the skills and experiences that really matter. Unlike a traditional top-down academic environment, both peers and instructors are present to hold you accountable for your work, and vice-versa. That is the definition of a real community.

With Tradecraft, it doesn't end right when you land your first gig – in fact, that's just the beginning. The skills and mentality I gained in my three months there are continually used in my work today. I feel supported to seek advice from the community when needed, as well as attend guest lectures that keep me up to speed outside of everyday work. There is also a great sense of relief to know that if I ever feel dissatisfied with any position in the future that I have somewhere to go.

Design is a messy process of trial and error, but if you're willing to put in the work and open to learning from both successes and failures, then entering the startup world through Tradecraft will prove to be one of the best investments of your life.

As someone who had transitioned into design (from operations) at a small startup, I was looking for a place to accelerate my learning. Tradecraft provided this not only through great mentorship from their Design Leads, Zac and Jake, but also through a supportive and open community of designers (current and alum).   As others have mentioned, the client projects and job interview prep at TC are critical parts of getting a job in product design. The support continues past graduation—since my job search process was longer than most (and this was not for lack of offers), the guidance through this months-long period was amazing. The weekly meetings for design alums provided structure and helped me remove the inevitable roadblocks, whether personal or external. Since I was new to the rigorous interview process for designers, it was helpful for me to practice whiteboard challenges with peers and review outreach emails with the Head of Careers, Ariane. I couldn’t have gotten through it without the incredible support of Ariane and my friends at TC!

I’ve researched (and even tried) other Product Design programs, but Tradecraft provides the ABSOLUTE BEST experience for the following reasons:

1. Cutting Edge Curriculum:  As UX lead at Education, I’ve interviewed many candidates, read through many portfolios, and observed many whiteboard challenges.  I can honestly say that Tradecraft prepares you with the tools to really stand out. Thanks to the amazing instructors that are real thought leaders in the design community, TC students know current tools and trends and that many people in the industry never heard of.

2. Real Experience:  Tradecraft is set up so that you are working on real client projects right away.  Look on any product designer description and the requirements will be filled from any TC project.  You will learn amazing process, agile, dealing with difficult clients, and working in diverse teams.  It’s set up just like a startup agency experience, but here the stakes are lower and so can you fail here, instead of in the real world.

3. Genuine help that never expires:  The Tradecraft network is huge, powerful, and filtered for quality people.  TC people are driven, talented, yet humble students who understand exactly what it’s like to struggle in your first role or land your first job after a career switch.  Many alumni referred me to jobs, connected me with others in their network, and take time to help you proofread an article or critique a design. Tradecrafters just get it.  It’s rare to find such a great network fully saturated of awesome people. Also, the career development person (and really everyone in the TC family) will help you at every stage of your career; getting your first job, struggling through your first job, negotiating your salary, and looking for your 2nd, 3rd, and 4th role.  #FamilyFoLyf

I turned to Tradecraft to cultivate better professional opportunities for myself. I was already working professionally as a product manager, but feared that I would be pigeon-holed in the vertical I was in. Recruiters from that same vertical kept reaching out to me, but I wasn’t getting any leads for the top tier startups and tech companies I aimed for.

 

What TC helped me do:

• Build a network, learn the hows and whys of networking in granular detail, way beyond just going to a bunch of meetups like I’d been doing for years

• Cultivate the network I already had and help me get over mental roadblocks holding me back from reaching out to my existing network

• Clarify what I wanted to get out of my career and what I hoped to gain from it, especially at this mid-level stage

• Take on projects to identify my own professional strengths and weaknesses while working with teams of talented, motivated people

• Get better at the skills I wanted to improve upon

 

What TC offers:

• Cohorts of interesting, talented people who want more out of their careers- this alone was great in order for me to transition out of burnout, especially because you get to know them on a more consistent basis beyond jumping from weekend hackathon to weekend hackathon

• Opportunities to connect with industry professionals who host intimate talks on campus, a great alternative to competing with mobs of people at 300-person meetups

• Career coaching for the duration of your program and beyond; sooooo much more effective strategically than the career coach I had for a few sessions. Peers will also give you great feedback on your strengths that a standalone career coach might not have insights on

 

Yes, like everyone said- Tradecraft will not put in the work for you. I’ve considered other product design programs where the students churn out a templated portfolio and are spoon-fed the exact format to fill out, and this is NOT the place for half-baked templates. (I also checked their LinkedIn profiles and didn’t see them getting hired after graduating from their programs either…) You will grow as a designer and gravitate towards the work that YOU want to do, not get a rubber stamped outcome that’s the exact same as all of the other students.

 

I went through this program and attended weekly check-ins after I graduated, landing a role at a rapidly-growing tech company a few months after. The skills I gained in whiteboarding challenges and product design had a direct impact on my ability to get this role, where I use a blend of UX and product management skills for my daily responsibilities.

Less than 6 months after deciding to make a career switch, I began working as a product designer at a startup.  I couldn't have made the switch so quickly without Tradecraft. 

At TC, you get out of it what you put into it. If you want a structured program with lectures and projects to keep your learning on-track, TC is not for you. If you want to set your own path and have access to amazing design mentors and colleagues, TC is for you.

During my three months (plus an extra two weeks to finish out my last projects), I was able to build out a portfolio with four real client projects, get valuable design feedback, and create a practical strategy for the job hunt. Most importantly, I got to work with other highly-motivated people who challenged me to work harder and aim higher.

You can make the switch to product design without Tradecraft, but it will take longer and you won't have access to the active network of TCers who are quick to offer advice and referrals. You might not have a job directly out of TC (or even 6 months later), but TC will accelerate your career timeline.

If you're interested in working for -- or even starting -- a startup, product design is an invaluable skill. I had previously invested significant time and resources into a side-project-turned-startup. It was fun and I learned a lot, but I ultimately realized I still had a lot to learn and needed to accelerate that process.

I looked at product development/design programs. I was extremely underwhelmed by some of the more well-known options (I was an industry analyst in my previous life, and I did plenty of research). I went to information sessions, read reviews (like those here), and talked to some of the instructors and "admissions" folks.

The product design instructors at Tradecraft are not only extremely competent, but they are great (and full-time) teachers. Sometimes you get one but not the other. Some programs bring in industry experts, but who don't regularly teach. They are inconsistent and you have no idea what you'll get. Tradecraft product designers also work on real-world projects, which doesn't happen at most other programs.

Regardless of which program you choose, I'd advise you figure out what you want to get out of it in advance. You can't learn everything about a topic in three months, but the better you can articulate some ideal outcomes for yourself, the better off you'll be. Tradecraft provides an ideal environment -- with great education, community, and support -- to accomplish whatever it is you want.

Note: "job assistance" as a starred category seems a little misleading, at least to me. Some programs have leads from companies and help place people directly. That is not the case at TC. They help you figure out what you want long-term, then what short-term steps you probably want to take to get there, and finally how to head in that direction. It's as helpful as the effort you put into it, but it's not like a job-matching program.

I was in your shoes once. Fueled by an unsatisfying job, I researched and agonized over the "right" program to shell out a small fortune and risk a career and industry change into design and tech. I get it.

I chose TC because it was in SF (go where the opportunity is), small class size (my cohort was 7), precieved selectiveness (filter out non-motivated folks), comprehensive curriculum and real client work. But I graduated with a different understanding of why TC was the best choice so I'm going to give a run down of what I found most valuable in the curriculum, instructors, projects, networks and finish with some words of advice. 

Curriculum: It's an intense amount of material to learn and practice in such a short time so ramping up on the basic technical skills before is key (eg Sketch). Once at the program you'll learn the approaches and frameworks in the design thinking process that is in my opinion the core of great product designers.  

Instructors: Nick and Misha give great foundational courses in introducing nontech folks like myself into the SV culture and mindset. Zac, lead design instructor is one of the best teachers I've had while Ariane, the head of careers, is there for you every step of the way (she helped me prep for an interview at a last minutes notice). Thomas, the growth instructor is also excellent. 

Projects: You'll be involved in several and they are a hit or miss depending on the group dynamic, client, and scope of work but at the same time that's reflective of real life. The value here is understanding through the experience your strengths/weaknesses, which part of design process you actually enjoy (research, UX, hifi?), and what type of role you are best suited for (lead, sublead, member?) etc...

Network: Aside from instructors, hands down the most valuable and greatest resource. I cold emailed and drank countless coffees talking to 20+ alumni. Folks from the earliest TC days were happy to chat and dispel their wisdom and there's a sense of community and support I can't see any comparable program having.  I 100% would not have the role I have now without the network. 

Advice

1. TC is a kitchen. You can shape the program to fit you. You want to part time intern and part time TC? Go for it. You hate sitting in lectures and just want to network your way to a job? It's been done. You interested in both growth and design? Or design and BD? You can. Just be aware of the tradeoffs and whether this approach is going to get you what you want.  I realized for eg I wanted to be a PM and not a designer so I focused on parts of the curriculum relevant and sat out on others. 

2. If you're obsessed with a product, company, person, industry, problem, TC is the perfect place to work on a project you either start yourself or bring in. You'll have the support of instructors, peers and low downside if you fail. I can't emphasize enough the importance of owning your projects and work. 

So yea, stop reading and apply already. This is a commitment and an investment in your potential future self that's worth it. 

Joining Tradecraft was the best decision I ever made for myself. I graduated TC in September 2017 and landed a job as a product designer a couple months later. I am 100% sure I could not have done it without the help and support of TC. What sets Tradecraft apart from other programs is the real world experience gained from working with startups in the Bay Area and the amazing community which includes staff, students and mentors. Even after graduation, the staff is still available to help you through your first, second, third job etc. in your new career. Unlike other programs, TC really values fostering a sense of community, even after graduation. 

As many other reviewers have mentioned, you really get what you put into it. TC provides the environment and tools to help you succeed but it’s up to you to do as little or as much as you want with it. The real learning curve starts in your new job but TC gave me the foundations to build upon. I am an extremely shy and introverted person but with the help and guidance of TC, I learned to send cold emails, ask strangers out for coffee, and became comfortable with design interviews; things I never thought I was capable of doing. If you told me a year ago I’d become a design consultant at the company I’m now at, I would have laughed (and then cried) in your face. TC literally changed my life.

The BEST part about TC is the people you’ll meet. It’s amazing to be surrounded by people in the same boat as you, with similar interests and all trying to achieve similar goals. When you go through the highs and lows of learning a new skill and job searching together, it’s hard not to become close. I’ve learned so much from my peers and remain close with them. I took a job in my home state but still go back to SF every few weeks to visit the friends I met in the program.

As I write this review, I am more than 6,000 miles away from home. In July 2017 I moved to San Francisco to go through Tradecraft and get a job in a Silicon Valley startup. I had the chance to chat with two people who people made the same move I was making and had achieved the goal I was after. All I knew, was that I was going to have to work harder than ever to make it a reality. Nothing more.

At Tradecraft, nothing is handed to you, it is all earned. In these 12 weeks, you do not only learn (in my case) Growth Marketing, but you learn to navigate through startup culture, you learn about yourself, and you find out what you are made of.

• Expect to go through a well-rounded Growth curriculum that will allow you to to take on that role upon completion of the program.
• Expect to put yourself in uncomfortable positions, that will make you question what you are doing, constantly.
• Expect to surround yourself with amazing people that want you to succeed and accomplish your goals.

I left Tradecraft with incredible connections, friendships, and mentors. I was given the tools that I needed to put myself in a position to win as the first Growth hire in a Series A startup.

Remember, at Tradecraft, nothing is handed to you. You get what you give. If you show that you are willing to work, that you are open to being advised, coached, and mentored, you will be putting yourself in a great position. You will have the support you need to go through these 12 weeks, as well as the support you need post Tradecraft. You’ll join an incredible community that will stand behind you when you most need it.

 

I went to two onsite bootcamps and one online bootcamp until I ended up at Tradecraft.

After attending all of them, I was still wandering around lost and unsure of my future. Although my time at these other camps were valuable and contributed to where I'm at today, it was Tradecraft that truly sealed the deal. 

Tradecraft provided me the tools, the knowledge, the people, and opportunities that I couldn't have got anywhere else. I think the most helpful thing that boosted my resume and portfolio is the real world experience that I got from clients partnered with Tradecraft. Being in SF and working to solve problems that various startups were facing gave me unparalleled work experience that I could not have gotten anywhere else.

I moved to the Bay Area in mid-2016 to work on a startup idea but about 6 months in, I decided not to pursue it. This experience taught me a couple of key things: 1) Coming from a non-tech background, I needed to build some hard skills which I lacked and 2) I needed to build a better network and support system being new to San Francisco.

Around the same time, I heard about Tradecraft through a friend who had just graduated from the program. With his recommendation, I decided to take the leap and applied for the Growth track. After completing the program and taking some time to reflect, I've got to say that Tradecraft has exceeded my expectations.

Overall, the experience was incredible. I've made some amazing connections and met people that I can truly call friends. There's something about being thrown in the deep-end for 12 weeks to figure out what your goals are, what you should aim for etc that teaches you a lot about yourself.

As far as curriculum goes, you get a well-rounded understanding of growth and the various aspects you need to be aware of. It's also an opportunity to think about which parts of growth and marketing you find interesting that you may want to specialize in. However, the most valuable part of the curriculum was working on real projects with real startups. This is a great way not only to put your skills to practical use, but also building your leadership skills by working on and leading teams. I also ended up doing the BD & Sales track, although to me the most valuable parts of this track were what I would called Startups 101. The name of the track, in that sense, is a bit misleading and is much more than just BD and sales.

Thomas is a fun, engaging instructor and most importantly, he was always available to help clarify something you might have trouble with or push you to make the most of your potential. For BD & Sales, Misha made the classes super interesting with the readings he assigned beforehand, all of which are valuable and useful far beyond the 12 weeks of the program. He also recommends several frameworks that he's found useful in his own experience as a founder, which unlocks your ability to think about BD, sales and startups in a more structured way.

In terms of job assistance, Ariane puts things into perspective right from week 1 and its clear that you need to start thinking about jobs well before the end of the 12 weeks. She also helps you hone your story, be aware of your weaknesses and offers the opportunity to practice interviews with her so you are well prepared when the time comes. I was also lucky enough to meet my future employer at a mentor talk hosted at Tradecraft, another invaluable part of the program (which you get to attend even after the 12 weeks are complete).

Ultimately, I went in looking to gain valuable, hard skills, and build a network I trusted and left with much, much more!

FINAL NOTE: If you are looking for a program that lays it all out on a platter, Tradecraft is probably not for you. But if you are willing to roll up your sleeves, put in the work, and enjoy the grind, then Tradecraft is the perfect ecosystem to make you thrive and prepare for startup life.

I am soooo beyond thrilled that I decided to enroll in the Tradecraft program!

I graduated from the TC growth track a few months back after starting my career in sales. I knew I wanted to shift from being on the phone all day to the more analytical strategy side of business and TC was the conduit I chose to help me with the transition.

Investing in my future with Tradecraft was not a decision I made lightly, but it ended up as one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I would highly recommend the program to anyone who is serious about wanting to shift their career to a related field in start-ups and motivated to put in the work to enable their success.

As a career switcher looking to prepare myself for the new direction I was heading was, I mainly decided to enroll because I wanted to gain consultative experience working with real start ups on growth projects. My goal was to gain real world experience and credibility when speaking as to why companies should entertain the idea of hiring me for an analytics based growth role. The projects that original fueled my interest were great but merely a sliver of the amazing program TC has to offer. TC teaches you to navigate stressful schedules on short notice, to network and publish effectively to enhance your career profile, to learn what you need quickly and to iterate on your learning even quicker, to work effectively and efficiently in diverse groups and much, much more. At Tradecraft, you learn the tools and skills and gain the support to be successful in all aspects of life. 

Tradecraft's goal is to prepare each and every student for the next step in their particular career journey in order to get them on the right foot for where you want to be 5-10 years from now. I can confidently say TC set me up to succeed in my goals and accelerated my timeline to have me on track to get where I want to be faster than I had even hoped.

The TC community is one of the most amazing groups I have ever been a part of. Other Tradecrafters are spread throughout the tech world and are always quick to jump at the opportunity to help others involved. Everything at TC is taught to you in terms of value and everyone works hard to create the most value possible for the collaborative network. From your cohort members to other students attending at the same time as you to all graduates and the whole TC staff, everyone is there to enable each other's success and continuously take the network to the next level.

Because of the TC network, I was connected to and able to land the best opportunity I could have imagined after graduation in a role that I am excited to show up for on a daily basis. I couldn't be happier or more grateful for what the program has done for me and my career.

Special shout outs to Misha, Russ, Thomas, Nick, Ariane and the rest of the TC crew for creating such a special place that has meant so much to so many :)

As cheesy as my headline is, that is how I feel about Tradecraft. I came into the program already having startup experience but I wanted to get to the next level fast. I had been working in operations/logistics and "sexy" SV companies but I wanted to ideally start my own company. I signed up for the growth track and on day one told Misha I had an idea for a company I had been playing with. He pushed me to pursue it immediately and the rest became history. 

My entire TC cohort and many of the people around became engrossed in helping me make this dream a reality. People I never knew before volunteered hours to help me build a website, landing pages, and proper content. Ariane, Misha, Russ, and Nick spent countless hours giving me feedback and giving me the support I needed when I wanted to give up. 

I made it a goal to network aggressively and met 2-3 people a week through the TC network. This helped tremendously as these people have become my family here in SF and my sounding boards. After a month of graduating, I honestly decided I didn't want to pursue the startup idea but I had multiple job offers lined up. It's not that TC put them on my lap, they just gave me the tools and support to make it happen. 

If you're stuck on the money part, let it go. You'll make the money back two fold.

I finished the program about two months ago now. I enrolled in the growth marketing program and took some product design classes. Here is my background:

After I left my job as a product marketing manager at a game company, I had to leave the country because of my visa situation. I was debating whether to leave right away or spent all my savings on enrolling in a bootcamp program. I was looking at Tradecraft versus Hack Reactor. I know everyone wants to be a coder now, I was no different. However, I know I couldn't see myself coding, so I chose to broaden my skill and get to be part of this community.

My overall experience has been amazing. I've met new friends in the program who have various background, but now want to break into tech startup. Everyone is so talented, and they work hard to achieve their goals, but one thing that stood out is we never forget to think about how we could help others along the way. Throughout this amazing network, I also got to know a few alumni who are now my mentors.

In terms of curriculum, I didn't gain much out of the growth marketing because I already have some experience with it. But Thomas (growth lead) was a wonderful resource for you to dive deeper into the area that you're interested in. I learned a lot more from product design program because it is something challenging that I had to push myself to go through. Zac and Jake (design leads) are very helpful.

Because my goal wasn't to stay in Silicon Valley right after graduation, I didn't benefit much from the job search process. However, this is not to mention that I got to know the co-founders of the company that I'm working at right now in Indonesia through Misha (co-founder of Tradecraft).

Throughout the program, you have to push yourself. It is just like a startup. It's not much structure. You get what you put in. Good luck!

I finished the Tradecraft growth track about 6 weeks ago. I'm in my mid-twenties and have had a few jobs that I fell into mostly by chance through social connections. They weren't bad jobs or companies, and had I been more proactive and intentional about pursuing career goals, I probably could have found great success at those companies.

But I wasn't, and I didn't -- I was frustrated with my work and didn't really understand why. All I knew was I needed a change.

After leaving my previous role and making (and breaking) several new life plans, including living abroad and applying to MBA programs, I stumbled upon this exact webpage and read reviews about Tradecraft.

On one hand, I wondered why anyone would pay such a high price for a three month program when there were online programs with roughly equivalent curricula for a fraction of the cost or none at all. On the other, I was struck by the almost universally perfect reviews -- the online programs couldn't match that.

Anyone considering grad school along with Tradecraft will realize that the price is roughly equivalent, but with far less commitment and time between investment and realized benefit. My fear with an MBA was finding out 2 years and $200k later that it was the wrong move. The fact is, if you want to make an investment in your career, it will cost you significant time and money. In that sense, Tradecraft is like a condensed version of grad school.

But, the emphasis of Tradecraft is very different from a typical grad school or any other three month bootcamp. The curriculum checks a box to ensure that you know enough to get the job you want (hence the lower rating). Tradecraft's real thesis is that you'll get where you want to be if you:

1) Define clear career goals for years down the road, then reverse engineer it to find out what you should work on today and tomorrow to achieve that.

2) Cultivate a network and provide value to that network - those people will help you get to your next opportunity on the road to achieving your long term goals.

3) Practice at full speed with real client projects as you learn these subjects.

That sounds simple and intuitive and can even be accomplished without a structured program, but is more easily said than done. Tradecraft greases the rails for you to build on those ideas (*note: it's still on you to do the work - there's not a lot of hand-holding here) with instructors to answer questions and discuss concepts, career coaching to encourage and guide you, and a network of hundreds of current students and grads to meet, collaborate with, and keep one another accountable.

Coming from out of state, that was crucial in my decision to enroll in Tradecraft and ultimately stay in the Bay Area. The people I've met through the program are some of my best friends (and my primary social group out here), and everyone I've met has been likeminded and ambitious in pursuing their career goals, which helps enormously in staying on track. Tradecrafters are often found at the office working late into the night, but keep the social atmosphere welcoming and fun -- you might find these same people at Temple nightclub on Friday night.

And now, after job searching for several weeks, with the majority of my promising job leads coming from the TC network, I am working in growth marketing at an awesome company with several other TC alumni.

I might have found my way to this position and mentality after wandering on my own for a while longer, but I doubt I could have done so in just three months in a new city without the guidance of Tradecraft. In a couple more months, my newfound (doubled) income will pay off my tuition debt. But, Tradecraft's valuable network, mentors, and other resources will continue to be available to me into perpetuity, as long as I make the effort to be available and valuable to them as well.

If that kind of network and experience sounds helpful to your career, I strongly encourage you to apply and have a conversation with Nick about Tradecraft.

I had been researching programs to help me get into design as a full-time career. Previously, I was working in sales at tech startup in SF but I couldn’t see myself doing it long term. I heard about Tradecraft at a Design Details Meetup. It winded up being the best professional decision I’ve made since moving to the bar area. Here’s why I had a great experience: 

Real Projects
My projects at Tradecraft were activities I could actually use in my portfolio. I had the opportunity to work on real problems with engineers and founders. I learned how to manage a team of designers. All of this was critical for landing a job post-TC.

Intense Curriculum
Having played around with a few online curriculums, I determined that I wanted a full-time, immersive program to help make this career move a reality. At Tradecraft, there was enough traditional class work to have an understanding of my craft, but there were also tons of supplemental materials for a deeper dive on certain topics.

Incredible Team
The small cohort sizes helped me build a relationship with multiple members of the Tradecraft team. They really helped me understand what I can do to provide value and feel good about my career and my story. In addition to the staff, I was surrounded by a bunch of really smart driven people both in my cohort, and in the cohorts before and after my time there. I still lean on the community for feedback and support.

I hope you got something out of this review, but as I look to the other reviews on this site, I feel like I’m echoing a lot of what was already said. In closing, if you are seriously considering Tradecraft, I hope you are willing to invest the time and energy into getting the most out of this program. Do as much work as you can ahead of time. Just like anything in life, you get out of it what you put into it. With Tradecraft, there’s no limit to the value you can extract if you’re willing to do the work! 

By the end of my senior year of college I knew that I wanted to be designing experiences for users. I was intrigued by the tech scene in the Bay Area and wanted to be part of the innovation that was happening there daily. While graduating with a liberal arts degree gave me all the desirable “soft skills”, what I lacked was the marketable “hard skills” that would land me a junior level design role. I signed up for Tradecraft after doing a bit of research but still not really knowing what I was signing up for.

It was a dive into the deep end. I was a new grad, with work experience that extended no further than random summer internships and on-campus tutoring jobs, looking to take on a highly technical role at a startup. Tradecraft was the transformative experience I needed: not only did I become a stronger designer, I was able to confidently talk about my design skills and understand myself as an employee and coworker on a deeper level.

Tradecraft gives you the tools, resources, and mentorship to excel. I now have the most amazing mentors, friends, and support network. Just a short two months after graduating from Tradecraft I found myself on a three person design team at a startup doing way more than I ever could have dreamed of right out of college.

 

I was a graphic/visual designer for both marketing and product teams throughout my career. I decided to invest in myself and "level up" by focusing on UX/product design. I researched a lot of programs out here in the Bay Area and heard about TC from a friend. After reading reviews and speaking to the staff, I knew this was the right move for me. As soon as I was accepted to the program, I quit my full-time job and went all in -- I've never looked back since. I feel extremely grateful for the opportunity. 

Here are some key points that reflect my time at Tradecraft:

• Curriculum: The curriculum is no joke. The material covered is thorough -- a deep dive into areas of product design that is needed to fully understand the process. It's intense and a lot of work, but necessary in order to be successful and make your time here worthwhile.
• Client Work: I love the idea of gaining experience in what you just learned. At Tradecraft, students are encouraged to be a part of projects that you can use in your portfolio. It's a great way to learn about working with a team and clients throughout the entire design process.
• Community: From track leads and mentors to the students, nothing compares to the amount of support and love from the TC community. My cohort is my second family/tribe. We remain close, even after graduation.

This review focuses specifically on the value I received from Tradecraft as a student who transitioned from a seemingly unrelated job and industry into product design and tech. 

TC is awesome, and I could wax on forever about the experience generally, but I want to be useful to the folks like me who sat wringing their hands for months, waffling on whether a non-artsy business strategy person could transition into UX/product design. SPOILER: you definitely can, and TC is a great way to do it. 

Here are the things I found most useful in the context of career transition:

1. Client work that is relevant and gets shipped: Employers care about this. Being able to point to a real, functioning product on your portfolio and in interviews makes you more credible, especially when you don't have a design-related job title on your resume.

2. Great curriculum and instructors: Class sizes are small, which means that you can (and should) really take advantage of the expertise of the excellent instructors and staff. This won't be the case with a lot of online and other, larger offline design courses. This type of close instruction was vital to me as a someone who came in knowing very little about design.

3. Strong emphasis on building your network: TC pushes you to meet meaningful milestones in building your network. The mentorship opportunities and the career development curriculum get students out of the studio and into coffee shops, chatting with people in the industry. This is SO IMPORTANT when you're looking for a job, especially if you're coming from a different industry without many tech or design contacts. I've made "networking" (i.e., true relationship building) into a habit that I'll carry with me forever.

4. Community: Transitioning into a new career is hard. Don't get me wrong, for all the good stuff I have to say, I definitely cannot say that it was easy. The community of support that TC provides was there through the good times and the hard ones. They're there to celebrate the wins, to commiserate over the losses, to share ideas and articles, to practice whiteboarding challenges and interviews, and to go on long bike rides. The community is dope. That's valuable no matter what.

I went to tradecraft in 2015. Did i get a job within 3 months of graduating? Yes. Do i still work UX? Yes. I accomplished my goals through being self taught and hard work. Tradecraft did not provide any curriculum or support it promised. This school will only accept you if you are already capable of landing a job in UX. All of the guest speakers and projects are brought in by the students. The mentors are other students. Tradecraft claims they partner with real companies so you can work on real projects for those companies. This is not so. It is difficult for students to accept the scam for what it is bc they have to pay such a high price for it and they need it to count for something on their resume. 

A little over a year ago, I was unsatisfied with my job at a company where I had no room to grow. After talking to some alumni they all reaffirmed the positive reviews about Tradecraft. So I decided to take the leap and it was one of the best decisions of my life.

I wanted to surround myself with motivated people because I knew it would accelerate my learning. Moving into the Bay from out of town, I didn’t have a lot of connections. TC quickly became my network and welcomed me into a great community of people who continually motivate and keep each other accountable. “Mentor Talks” are also set up every week with established designers, product managers, growth marketers, and founders who come in to share their insights and help us get a sense of what it’s like to work in Silicon Valley.

Tradecraft is set up to emulate the environment of a real life startup. The instructors cover a wide range of topics, give you practical feedback, and push you to get out of your comfort zone. Getting to work with real companies was invaluable for building my portfolio. It gave me a lot to talk about in my interviews not just in terms of design decisions, but how I manage my workflow and collaborate with others. 2 months after the program, I was able to land a contract position mostly by talking about one of the projects I had worked on during the interview.

Ariane, the head of career development is an awesome coach. She taught us how to pitch our previous experiences into a marketable story, how to negotiate offers, and helped us prep for interviews. One of the biggest differentiators between Tradecraft and other programs was the career support they give even after you’ve landed your first job. Ariane, Russ, Nick, and the rest of the staff invest in you to help find the right company for you whether its your 2nd, 3rd, etc role. They’ve cultivated a large community that lift each other up from Directors of Design who were in the very first cohort to fresh grads jumping into the job market.

Is Tradecraft a guarantee to land a job in tech immediately? Of course not. Like others have said, you'll need a lot of hustle and a bit of luck. The staff won't hold your hand but they will set you up with the resources and knowledge needed to contribute to a team while guiding you to properly network your way to more opportunities. I’m really grateful for this community of ambitious, driven, and talented people who have my back. 

I transitioned from a background in social science research to product design in less than 6 months. I had taught myself design for about a month before Tradecraft, but ultimately turned to bootcamps to speed things up. After extensive research (LOTS of phone calls with alum, combing through coursera reviews like this one, etc.), Tradecraft became the obvious choice. 

Why? 

1. Learning in the Valley 
   Learning design in an area with a strong, talented network of TC alum, job openings, design events and meetups betters your odds of getting hired. 
    
2. Real problem solving = Powerful stories
   The messy realities of working on client projects is a sizable part of design that's left out in other programs. Employers want to know how you handle real-world situations like tight deadlines, competing stakeholder inputs, and unclear requirements. With your experience at TC, you have a safe space to figure out all this out (and highly experienced mentors to guide you!). The lessons you learn not only color your portfolio, but builds employers' trust that you'll succeed at their company.
    
3. Career development
   Transitioning careers is not easy. I had tried on my own with little success, largely because I didn't know how to properly network and apply for jobs. TC offered practical methods for both.

Like others have mentioned, you get what you put in. A hunger to learn is a necessity as nothing is handed to you.

Truly though, I can't imagine a better place to have learned design than at Tradecraft, surrounded by some of the smartest, most hard-working staff and peers I've met (and befriended). 

I graduated from the Product Design Track in Jul 2017 and found a role as a product designer at an SF-based tech company within 2 months of graduating. That said, I want to be very clear that I do not mean it in a how-to-get-rich-quick kind of way - Tradecraft is NOT a hack to getting the growth/product design role that you want. But for the candidate with the right attitude, willingness to put in the time and effort into the painful task of carving out one's path from scratch in growth/product design, this is THE place to be. 

Your time is short and you want to know what exactly you're getting if you sign up for Tradecraft, so here's a summary of what Tradecraft offers that other product design bootcamps do not. Also I can only speak for the product design track, so keep that in mind: 

• Hands-on Design Projects: Plenty of startups, tech companies big and small, approach Tradecraft looking for a design solution to their problem. Here you have the opportunity to dive into the deep end from Day 1, and work on design projects that could eventually get shipped. Tradecraft is a safe environment for you to take risks and ask questions that you might otherwise think twice to ask in the actual work environment.
• Stellar Staff: Special shoutout to Zac, Ariane and Nick - 3 of the many staff members who keep this machine well-oiled and relevant. They are up to date on what skills the industry requires, are great resources to tap into and will provide much needed honest feedback where and when required. Trust me when I say, you WANT to surround yourself with people like them especially when you're trying to find your footing in a new field - they've helped so many students through this process and will know how to help you best. 
• Relevant Coursework: You don't know what you don't know - so the course material is geared to help you become more aware of what you need to know, allowing you to spend more time educating yourself rather than fumbling through mounds of articles or books that promise to make you a designer overnight. 
• Focus on the Process: If you're anything like me, you would go into this programme thinking you're going to be awesome at pixel-pushing by the end of it. I would say that Tradecraft focuses on helping you practice and solidify your design process, which is fundamental to creating design worth shipping. If you want to become a better designer, during the programme you will need to put in time and effort into refining your aesthetic sense and find ways to express that. Many of us did daily design challenges and set aside time to help critique each other's work so that we become not just better at design, but also better at giving and receiving design critique. 
• Alumni Network: You would've never met so resourceful, supportive and tightly-knit a community like the Tradecraft Alum. We continue hanging around Slack long after we've graduated, to share the latest and greatest in product design, help and be helped on projects we're all working on. I don't know what school/college you're from, but I'm sure your alumni network doesn't even come close. 

Lastly, I cannot reiterate enough the fact that all of the above will be for nothing unless you take the initiative:
- to network with the staff, mentors they bring in for talks and your peers,
- to set aside time every day to get better at your new field.
- to ask questions: this is a safe environment to learn what you need to know. 

 

Enrolling at Tradecraft was one of the best decisions I ever made. I came to Tradecraft after being laid off from the company I had been at for 11 years – 8 of which I was doing graphic design. The months in the program were difficult and demanding but that's where the magic happens. With the fast paced curriculum learnings, real world projects, and amazing faculty’s support all under my belt, I was able to land a contract at a high-growth startup a few months shortly after wrapping up all projects. I am currently the only designer and I am astonished how the curriculum and project structure prepared me for startup life as a sole designer. I was given learning moments at TC so I could build my resiliency and design thinking to really thrive in tech environments. I love the work I’m doing now and I am surprised at how my time at TC changed me as a person to nurture me into a better designer.

I had an amazing experience with Tradecraft. The program was effective, dynamic, and super hands-on. The staff is brilliant and provides lots of guidance along the journey. If you are looking to learn details on how to use the tools (i.e. Sketch), this might not be your choice. The staff expects you to learn on your own for basic skills, but spend the time teaching many valuable things that you won't be able to learn from the internet (makes a lot of sense to me). The real-world experience of working with silicon valley start-ups was extremely valuable to me. It gave me opportunities to collaborate with the client and team, to work on all phases of product design from research to validation. Also, TC offer career development sessions every week to help you on everything about job hunting. Luckily I was able to land a job almost right after finishing the program. It wouldn't happen without TC. Last, the program is pretty intensive and offers huge amount of resource from technical knowledge, practical experience, to networking. Absolutely highly recommended. 

Tradecraft helped me change to the UX field in a fantastic company! If you want to change your career path to product design/research, Tradecraft would be a top choice. 2 resons:

1) Real projects

Real project experience is very important to start a career in the UX field because of competition. At Tradecraft, most projects are real - you will work with real companies to solve real problems. I learned a lot through those projects and those projects became my strong showcases during my job hunting process.

2) A long-term Relationship with Tradecraft

Career transition can be a process taking from months to 1 year. My relationship with TC continues after my graduation. In other words, you can keep getting career development support and keep doing real projects there after you graduate. This can be very cheerful for 3 reasons: you have constant accesses to keep getting more experience; an easy access to career consulting services; you can keep building your network while you are job-hunting.

My reason for considering an accelerator school was this: I was living in San Francisco, three years removed from being in the military, and working at a job I felt placed a ceiling on my growth. Projecting outwards, I realized there was a likelihood that job mobility would be an issue if I didn't expand my network and skill-base. It was an unfortunate, but true, realization that a military background rarely fits into tech-based Bay Area job descriptions. I needed a quick way to overcome that obstacle and demonstrate I belonged. 

Enter Tradecraft. 

When I signed up, my focus was strictly on skill-building. In my head, I'd walk out a master of all things data analysis & growth marketing. That's a naive expectation, since no one person or school can speed you up that fast on multiple topics in 3 months & send you out in the world at an advanced level. But what ends up happening are three things: 

1. You get exposure to a business lexicon (terms, concepts, practical examples, etc..) that prepares you to be a reliable voice in any business conversation. No more worrying about having buzzwords sail over your head. You may not be an expert, but you'll be able to hang. That's half the battle in my opinion. 

2. You build a network. If I stayed at my previous job, I'd have a very narrow group of folks I could reach out to for advice, referrals, and recommendations. You enter a community willing to help push you along as you move up in your career. 

3. You learn the art of selling yourself. Tradecraft helps you identify your strengths and build out a compelling story from there to help with job interviews. They build your confidence and give you blueprints on how to reveal yourself to potential employers. Interview cycles often range from 4-5 interviews and include difficult homework assignments. This is an important edge Tradecraft provides that shouldn't be overlooked.

A month after graduation, I was able to land a job with a well-known ride-sharing company. I used my network to get my resume to the recruiter. I used my interview prep as I went through 3 interviews + 1 panel. And during my homework assignment, I used 4 growth marketing cirriculum topics to build a presentation (all topics which I hadn't been familiar with 12 weeks prior). Tradecraft was an incredible advantage for someone in my position, and I'm doubtful I would have reached a similar outcome without having gone through their program. 

After a decade in financial sevices, I made the tough decision to pivot towards a career in technology.  I was always interested in innovation, and the most fun I had in my career was through builidng teams or establishing new initiatives.  As I began interviewing, I realized the pivot was deeper than I had realized.  I had a lot to learn about how tech companies are orgnanized, how they they operate, what language they speak, and about what roles best fit my goals.

Tradecraft gave me 2 things I needed to make this transition: 1. thoughtful and introspective career coaching.  2. hard skills training.

Tradecraft's talent team dedicates both classroom and one-on-one time to help you identify the roles and verticals that make sense for this stage of your career.  You are challenged to reflect deeply on possions you've held -- what you loved, what you dreaded, what you achieved, what mistakes you learned from.  My time there helped me better idenitfy not only the role I wanted next, it also helped me clarify my north star: the professional and personal goals to strive for this year, next year, and beyond.  

The growth marketing track gave me invaluable training in branding and messaging, data analytics, and project managment.  The business development track improved my presentation skills and provided a framework to craft and evaluate business models, value propositions, and strategic solutions for customer and enterprise clients.  Both tracks allow you to lead and participate in strategy consulting projects for early stage companies -- further refining your skills and expanding your network beyond tradecraft.

Lastly, all this is possible at Tradecraft becasue it's operated by a team that cares about people.  The managment team and personnel invest time in each individual, allowing them to help you craft an experience that is uniquely yours.  I learned a lot from Tradecraft's curriculum and consulting work, but I learned so much from the smart, experienced, and thoughtful team they have in place. 

Their efforts did not end upon completion of the program.  They worked hard to guide me through my job search and sent me leads throughout the vast Tradecraft network they have built -- and in turn sent me the lead that became the job I'm currently in.  I'm at a company today whose culture I fit in perfectly with, working within a role that challenges and excites me every day.  I have Tradecraft to thank for guiding me here.

 

With these types of programs, I'm very results-driven. Bootcamps are here to help you find a job, and Tradecraft succeeds in this area for the vast majority of its members. Tradecraft makes it clear from the outset that the program is self-driven, and you get out what you put in. The resources are there, but you need to take advantage of them in your own way that works for your own, unique background. This is the program for self-motivated learners, and not for those who crave structure.

The best part of Tradecraft is the people you meet. The network is there to support you even after your job search, and can be an asset for the rest of your career. People say that the tech world is smaller than you think, and this is even more true for the design world. Cohorts get really close throughout the experience, and we all still keep in touch. Overall, I really enjoyed my Tradecraft experience.

The first thing you learn in TC is that it is a kitchen and not a restaurant. Before any mentor can help you, you need to have a clear goal of what you are trying to achieve. The program is then shaped by your goals and ambition. I echo what others say in their review: make sure you figure out what you want to get out of it first before you dive in. This way, you can better tailor your experience. 

Besides the curriculum, the mentors and the network are the most valuable assets of the program! They provide great advice and guidance whenever possible. Don't be afraid to send that cold email or attend this networking event by yourself. It will help you get to where you want to be!

One year ago, I was unsatisfied with my career, and I knew I had to make a change.  I was working in marketing and wanted to make the switch to product. More specifically, I wanted to work in product at a behavioral health startup.  After thinking through my options, I decided that studying product design would be a step in the right direction. I chose Tradecraft because of its reputation (it was recommended to me by an expert in the digital health space), my interactions with its alumni (several were happy to hop on a call with me), and its location (the Bay Area has a large number of behavioral health startups).

On my final day at Tradecraft, just three months after I relocated to SF from NYC, I was offered a product management role at a behavioral health startup, where I am working now -- and loving it.  

The greatest value Tradecraft provided me was a structure to do the things I knew I should do.  I spent three months as part of a group of motivated people who were taking similar risks to reinvent themselves. Being in that environment gave me the momentum and social context to work hard and take action. It also gave me a platform for networking and outreach, which was the most important factor in getting my current role.

A key differentiating factor in Tradecraft is its incorporation of client projects and the ability for students to source these projects for themselves. When I first arrived in SF, I reached out to a variety of behavioral health startups, and one of them agreed to work with me as part of a client project.  This enabled me to work directly with the startup, gaining a deep understanding of their product and customers. When a product management role became available, I was a logical candidate, having already proven myself over several months. Many other Tradecraft alumni have had similar experiences. The Tradecraft Alumni network is also a strong differentiating factor. Almost without exception, Alumni were happy to grab coffee or hop on a phone call to give me advice and mentorship, and many Tradecraft alumni have found full-time jobs from these relationships.

The one area that could be improved is the curriculum. I expected to walk away after three months with a more rigorous set of hard skills. What I did learn, I likely could have learned on my own. It may be unreasonable to expect to gain a significant level of hard skills after such a short time, but I think Tradecraft could definitely improve the level of organization and intensity in this area. That said, I did leave with foundational awareness of the various areas of product design (conscious incompetence) and the ability to learn more after the program was over.

All in all, Tradecraft was an important stepping stone in what has been a very positive and fulfilling career transition. I would highly recommend that anyone considering a transition into product design or management consider Tradecraft. However, it is important to have reasonable expectations and know that your success is very much impacted by your own initiative, effort, and as is often the case, a little bit of luck.

Tradecraft was a game changer for me. I had wanted to switch careers into Product Design for some time, but never found the momentum or the guidance learning on my own.

  Through the program, I was able to gain:

• design instructors who put together a comprehensive design course
• projects with early stage startups to build my portfolio
• career guidance on each step of the interview phase, from coffee meetings to interview prep.
• and most importantly, the network of people. From our design events with seasoned designers to the new design students in our program, you will find a close knit community.

What struck me the most about Tradecraft was the continued support after my 3 months in the program. The instructors have office hours set aside for alumni should they need design help in their current jobs. The staff checks in to make sure everything is going well. The students in my cohort and I have developed a friendship beyond the program itself.   If you are looking to change or further your career in design with a group of people invested in your success (while having a good time), then choose Tradecraft!

I discovered Tradecraft (TC) completely out of the blue while listening to a podcast about entrepreneurship. When people say timing is everything, I believe it, especially through this experience. 

At that time I was closing an e-commerce company I had started. I was looking for my next move and considering a multitude of options. In the midst of that, I found out about TC. I wasn't sure what to expect and was initially attracted to it because of the network it could provide me as a newbie in SF. My first meeting was with Misha. I told him that I was looking to get into a startup, but wasn't sure how. I had a very non-traditional background and a lot of "startup" skills, but mastery in none. I didn't even know what half the job titles meant or if I qualified for them. He suggested I do the Growth Marketing and Business Development tracks. And so I did. 

I would say my experience at TC was a rollercoaster both personally and professionally. The curriculum is good for people who have no background in growth. I came from delegating tasks to actually understanding what the people I hired to do were doing, and it was a LOT! I constantly felt like there was something more I should know, learn, and try. The projects are what you and your team make of them. I jumped on as many as I could, even if it was just to observe. Because of that, my projects touched everything we learned in curriculum. Business development is a great track for anyone, especially those interested in entrepreneurship because it teaches you what makes a successful startup, how to understand your customers and the process of building a company based on value. Of course, it also touches on a number of purely sales-focused skills. 

On a personal level, let's just say that TC will test you as a person as much as it will test your skills, so be ready for it! In the end, everything will turn out how you want it to no matter how much you think it won't. 

And I can't forget to mention the awesome TC tribe! I came to TC for a network and a job at a great startup, and I got both through the friends and connections I made. This community could help me with pretty much anything in my life. I made life-long friends, had inspiring conversations, got intro'd to great people, and helped people in ways I never thought I could or would. So, if you're considering coming to TC, my advice is to figure out what you want from it, take steps to make it happen and it will.