tradecraft

Tradecraft was an excellent experience.

For 12 weeks, I got to build a network of talented people, while rapidly developing my abilities as a UX designer. At the end, my reward was a role at a tech company I love to report to every day. 

If you go into Tradecraft with a specific goal, Misha, Russ, and the rest of the crew at TC will help you cut through the clutter and stay laser focused on the stuff that matters most. I'd recommend Tradecraft to any self-driven individual who is ready to jumpstart the next phase of their career. 

Going to Tradecraft has proved to be one of the best choices I've made career-wise.

I was a copywriter who wanted to pursue something different. At Tradecraft, I developed the skills I needed to get a foot in the door. 

Tradecraft rigourously prepares you to work in fast-paced, creative environments. From the rapidly evolving curriculum to instructors who inspire, support and challenge you on the daily, it's an electric experience.

Tradecraft's unstructured design challenges you to excercise a different muscle than traditional schooling. Here, you're responsible for your own goals, prioirities and limits--and defining them is half of the fun. 

At Tradecraft, you can do all of the above with a smile, because you're surrounded by interesting, passionate and driven peers. The connections I made at Tradecraft were an essential part of the experience, and I plan to be a part of the Tradecraft community for a long time. 

I have written publicly about my experience at Tradecraft (TC) previously on Medium, but thought it would be helpful to include it here, as well.

Here's a snippet from my post entitled The Tradecraft Effect:

TC is not a school in the traditional sense. There are no tests, there are no grades, and you technically aren’t required to do all the assignments. TC is much more than a school. In fact, it’s a movement away from traditional schooling. In school you just need to learn the material that will be on the test in order to pass, which is part of why many people coming out of college have trouble working in early-stage startups. I like to think of TC as more of a people accelerator. They’re looking for people who are intrinsically motivated, are thirsty for more in their careers, and are willing to put their lives on hold to get to where they want to go.

And another:

While I may have been able to get to where I’m at without joining TC, it would have taken much longer to assemble a comparable and growing support network of friends and colleagues. The value of TC extends well beyond the awesome job you end up landing after the program is over and makes the $12,000 look like a steal. If you’re on the fence about attending, my advice is to jump all-in and bet on yourself. You won’t regret it.

My contact info is on the Medium post. Feel free to reach out if you have questions.

I had a wonderful time at Tradecraft. When I decided to apply, I really had no idea what I was getting into, and when I decided to enroll, I really didn't know what I was getting into.

One of the things a classmate said to me while I was in the program has stuck with me: "Look, if you do what they say, it works." He was a cohort ahead of me, and at the time, I wasn't sure it was true. It was. The environment and culture at TC is optimized to help you achieve your goals, whether that's to break into tech from the first time, or to hone a specific set of skills in preparation for a stretch role, or whatever else. It's a self-directed program that where you really get out what you put in.

When I talk about Tradecraft, some of my friends tell me it's like I'm talking about the best time in my life, and when I talk to current students in the program, I can see what they are saying. I wholeheartedly recommend it.

Inspiring instructors
Fantastic culture, students who make it happen
Awesome mentors

$12k and 3-months is a lot to give-up to take a course at Tradecraft.  
I would recommend Tradecraft over General Assembly in a heartbeat. Doing Tradecraft is cheaper and faster than 2 years of Grad School ( spending $80k+ and 2 years in HCI) to get a job upon graduation. 

Are you motivated? Are you interested in changing your career? Are you interested in coding, growth, UX or sales? If so, Tradecraft can help you. 

Why it's worth it: 

1. Personal Development sessions with Shawn Plunkett

2. Learning UX with Kate Rutter and Laura Klein

3. The people & culture!!

4. Career Development with Misha Chellam and Brett Hunter

5. Inspiring Q&As with mentors (i.e. Ryan Hoover, Noah Kagan, Seth Godin, and Gagan Biyani, ..the list goes on!)

There isn't much on the Tradecraft website, so I recommend doing some digging on your own (read the Medium articles written by Tradecraft students, follow Tradecraft Twitter accounts and etc.)

I was a part of the first cohort in the user experience track under the tutelage of Kate Rutter and Laura Klein. Tradecraft was just getting established at the time, and there was a lot of good energy in we were all helping each other accelerate our careers. The lessons learned in the ux field and in general networking were invaluable. The real-world experience is what sets Tradecraft apart from other programs - to have actual portfolio pieces with real-world results is important. Misha and Russ run a great program, and Tradecraft is the real deal. It certainly accelerated my career for the better.

Tradecraft provides a wholesome and wonderful experience! In addition to the focus of your choosen cirriculum, there are two courses focused in career and personal development that all run in parallel. I found this to be really valuable in conjunction with the UX design cirriculum, as it helped me to grow as person and designer to be better prepared for the job search. The UX cirriculum was a great way to become familar with the standard principles of UX design, I felt that I got a great foundation and understanding of this practice. 

I worked a few years in tech startups before joining Tradecraft. I thought they were cool. In the past year since exiting the program, I created a company with somebody I had met through Tradecraft, applied to Y Combinator, got in, raised money, and am now hiring. So, yeah...they call that "leveling up." It happens at Tradecraft.

A few words for the wise: Tradecraft is a great place to "find yourself," but those months are precious. I strongly recommend having some very specific goals in place at the outset. Also, do you need a lot of structure? Figure out how to build it yourself.

If you're willing to dive in, find positive ways to push yourself, and can truly open your mind to possibility, you'll find a lot of opportunity in Tradecraft. 

I was so lucky to have found Tradecraft. It was exactly what I needed in my life and career at the right time. After 10 years of prior work experience in UX, I felt I needed to expand my skillset and grow. With little background in marketing or analytics, I learnt a tremendous amount in the Growth track, which was both hugely informative and challenging. You could literally watch my knowledge horizon expand. 

What I hadn't realized was how much else Tradecraft would give me in addition to that. I learned about startups, equity, applying for jobs, and personal development. And if that wasn't enough, I gained an amazing new family, a network, coaches, and a job. Tradecraft is a really supportive family. I've never clicked with people so easily before as I did with my cohort at Tradecraft. And the instructors continue to have my back, like guardian angels. I couldn't be more grateful.

Tradecraft was by far, one of the best investments I've made in my career. It primed me for a tough job market here in Silicon Valley and helped me outgrow any other experience that I could have gained in a period of 3 months. Yes, it's not cheap, but the founders will do whatever is in their power to help you succeed.

If you're motivated and believe in yourself -- great things can be achieved from here. The salary post-graduation speak for themselves: a few of my friends are now making more than $100K with a job in growth, sales, or design.

I had a very positive experience at Tradecraft. 

1. I was in UX track. The UX curriculum allows you to learn the essentials of user research and interaction design through projects. The instructors (Kate Rutter and Laura Klein) are so experienced. You can learn anything UX from them. 

2. In addition to the instructors, we also have a personal development coach in house, allowing us to not only grow professionally but also personally. 

3. We have tons of top-notch investors and practioners coming in to give talks. Nothing competes with learning from the best. 

4. People. The energy is uplifting. Everyone here works hard and is genuinely interested in each others' success.