tradecraft

Tradecraft is an excellent institution for anyone looking to change careers and work at startups. Misha, Nick and Ariane all provided valuable advice and developed a structured coursework and job search plan for me during my time at Tradecraft. Alongside, I was impressed by the quality of students at Tradecraft. Many students come from various professional backgrounds, and are able to provide valuable inputs during projects and discussions. Overall, I would high recommend anyone who is looking to change careers, and move to the San Francisco Bay region to apply for Tradeacaft. You would develop an excellent network and learn new skills that will prove to be a great resource when searching for jobs.   

Tradecraft transformed my career and professional network. Through Tradecraft, I developed new, highly relevant business development and growth marketing skills that enabled me to jumpstart my career and break into tech after +10 years of contract marketing work.  I learned more about entrepreneurship, technology, the startup community, and how to add value and drive business growth than I ever thought possible. I also received excellent career counseling. Thanks to Tradecraft, I landed a great new job with a fast growing B2B software company that would have been otherwise out of reach.  

When I got my MBA, I was taught business theories through textbooks and out-of-date case studies by professors focused on academics and research. At Tradecraft, my instructors were startup founders and industry practitioners who gave us opportunities to apply what we learned to real world startup projects.  The value of this practical hands-on training is incredible.  The Tradecraft founders, curriculum, track instructors, peer group, career advice, and professional network will blow you away. Attending Tradecraft was the best decision I could have made as a mid-career professional eager to pivot into tech.

I came into the Bay Area fresh out of college without knowing a thing about tech or the startup scene. Tradecraft was a direct portal to a highly talented group of like-minded individuals - all oriented around the idea of lifelong learning. Everyone in the program is pushing themselves to be the best that they can be by building a highly leverageable set of skills. I left Tradecraft with a job at a highly reputable tech company with an astounding sales organization. The hardest part of the graduation process and getting a job is that when you do, you won't want to leave your Tradecraft family behind. 

I recommend this program to anyone who is motivated by learning and self-improvement and wants the opportunity to work alongside a group of peers, who all come from vastly different backgrounds, but each exhibit astounding self-determination and the desire to be the best they can be.

Before deciding to come to Tradecraft, I looked into many programs. In comparison to others, I was very impressed with TC graduates, students’ portfolios, and both their hard and soft skills. Their graduates seemed to be well-rounded not only in the tracks they pursued, but had a good general understanding of all aspects of what it takes to build a product.

I never regretted my decision to join Tradecraft. I learned a lot there and made some amazing friends.

The advice I woud give thinking back on my experience at Tradecraft:

One should come with a ‘growth mindset’, be open-minded, learn from everyone, and be ready to work hard. How successful you are will depend only on you. No one will hold your hand and tell you what to do. Tradecraft has all the resources and amazingly smart and experienced people to help guide you, but you need to be the one who takes the initiative. Whatever motivation you have to move forward, use that to learn as much you can and continue challenging yourself throughout the program.

Use the time at Tradecraft as an opportunity to take on challenges that you never thought you were be capable of doing. Consider it your ‘practice round’, as you won’t have those chances in real life. Try leading a project. Even if you decide later on that product management or leadership role is not for you, you will still learn a great deal about team management, client communication, and understanding the goals and challenges of the managers you will work with in the future.

TLDR: The tech scene is huge right now (clearly) and everyone's looking to get in - and fast. I believe Tradecraft is the fastest way for landing a UX/Product Design role in tech, especially if you have little to no prior experience and or are new to the startup scene (which was me). It's super challenging, but I'm positive the connections you can make will last and ultimately end up getting you your first role out of Tradecraft

 

My story:

I lived in LA for years and had prior marketing experience at a large corporation. I eventually got the opportunity to design some e-commerce sites at my company and eventually decided to take the plundge, quit my job, travel, and pursue UX/Product Design. A buddy of mine who had been doing UX for a few years said he heard good things about Tradecraft and after doing all the research google provided - I just went all in and luckily got in. I knew almost nothing about the startup world but was anxious to learn.

 

The good:

-The people and the relationship you'll garner. Yeah, you'll learn everything you'll need to land a design role at a startup or design company (that's where I decided to go) but the friends you make and mentorship you'll gain is what makes Tradecraft the best in my clearly biased eyes.

-Mentors at Tradecraft will cut the bs and teach you the best way to network and target the best companies that fit you and your goals.

-You'll actually do real work with real companies and startups in Silicon Valley which not only helps you network and gain experience, you'll have a rock solid design process and portfolio when you're ready to look for a job.

 

The bad: 

- Costs money (although I'm positive it will accelerate your career). They offer financing, which I did. 

- The curriculum can take a backseat since you'll be super busy with client work and networking. This is, of course, up to you and how you manage your time.

 

In the end:

I highly recommend Tradecraft (obviously) and will always have fond memories of my time there as I move through my life and career. So many good memories of laughing, joking, and working my a** off with my fellow Tradecrafters (GO TC18!!!!!)

I landed a Product Design role at a design agency after graduating. 

 

The rest of the reviews can attest to how great the Tradecraft experience is and how it could easily be the best decisions of students' life. Thus, I'd like to address mainly on the support system and career development help that each alumni has access to after they graduated from Tradecraft.

Changing career is tough, not only that you have to learn new things rapidly in short amount of time, most of us were on a limited runway--we had quit our jobs and still have to pay bills. Tradecraft has an excellent career development coaching that you are able to participate after you complete the program. We meet once a week and track everyone's progress on the job search. We practiced interview questions, we did group portfolio critique, and we even discussed salary negotiation tactics together. There is a huge sense of accountability and community that pushed everyone to do their best--even post-graduation. 

What's best about this is that the support does not end after you find your first job. You are part of the alumni association for as long as you want. This means that you are more than welcomed to come back when you are searching for your 2nd, 3rd, xth opportunity. 

This was evident as I struggled making the decision on the several job offers I received after the program ended. The strong alumni network allowed me to quickly jump into phone calls with Tradecraft career advisor, program director, and instructors to help me make the decision. 

Ultimately, I have never met anyone in my life (aside from my parents) who are as invested in my career growth as the people I've met in the Tradecraft community. 

One thing to keep in mind is that Tradecraft was hard. Really hard. You will have to make sacrifices and dedicate a lot of time to do the work. No one is going to hand-hold you or spoon-fed you information. But if working in tech is in your dream, then be a self-starter and focus on the work! The rest will follow :) 

The rest of the reviews can attest to how great the Tradecraft experience is and how it could easily be the best decisions of students' life. Thus, I'd like to address mainly on the support system and career development help that each alumni has access to after they graduated from Tradecraft.

Changing career is tough, not only that you have to learn new things rapidly in short amount of time, most of us were on a limited runway--we had quit our jobs and still have to pay bills. Tradecraft has an excellent career development coaching that you are able to participate after you complete the program. We meet once a week and track everyone's progress on the job search. We practiced interview questions, we did group portfolio critique, and we even discussed salary negotiation tactics together. There is a huge sense of accountability and community that pushed everyone to do their best--even post-graduation. 

What's best about this is that the support does not end after you find your first job. You are part of the alumni association for as long as you want. This means that you are more than welcomed to come back when you are searching for your 2nd, 3rd, xth opportunity. 

This was evident as I struggled making the decision on the several job offers I received after the program ended. The strong alumni network allowed me to quickly jump into phone calls with Tradecraft career advisor, program director, and instructors to help me make the decision. 

Ultimately, I have never met anyone in my life (aside from my parents) who are as invested in my career growth as the people I've met in the Tradecraft community. 

One thing to keep in mind is that Tradecraft was hard. Really hard. You will have to make sacrifices and dedicate a lot of time to do the work. No one is going to hand-hold you or spoon-fed you information. But if working in tech is in your dream, then be a self-starter and focus on the work! The rest will follow :) 

While evaluating the different design programs to attend this past summer, I gravitated towards Tradecraft for 4 reasons:

1) the smaller tight knit community feel

2) the opportunity to do work for actual companies

3) Generally vibing well with the lead instructor Zac

4) Seeing that they only accept students that actually work hard

It turns out that my my general feeling on all four of these areas ended up being spot on. I couldn't be happier with my decision to attend Tradecraft's Product Design track and below I'll dive deeper into the 4 categories and discuss how it all turned out. 

1) The Tradecraft community is truly special. I went to a small liberal arts college in Massachussettes that has a uniquely tight alumni community that you can always count on for a cup of coffee or some career advice and Tradecraft is the same exact way and potentially even more valuable to me since almost everyone is in tech and in San Francisco. 

2) After going through the interview process, I can't emphasize enough the importance of having real work in your portfolio. Tradecraft is one of the few design schools that enables you to do this, and it makes such a difference when looking for a job. Also, the amount of learning that takes place when you are working on real client projects with actual constraints is so much more applicable to helping you accel in a design role than simply doing prompt based projects. 

3) I can't say enough good things about the product design lead instructor, Zac, He is a rare gem of mentor/teacher that is smart, patient, great at communicating, and super motivating. I will for sure stay in touch with him through out my career and life. 

4) Finally, the other students at TC are all smart and highly motivated. Since you are partnering with many of these students on client projects this makes a huge difference. I ended up learning almost as much from my peers throughout the program as from the instructors. Seeing smart people work til midnight on the same project as you is incredibly motivating.

 

Fast Forward til now:

Now I am in a product design role at a company that was at the very top of my list when I started Tradecraft and I couldn't be happier. I definitely wouldn't be where I am right now if it wasn't for Tradecraft and am very thankful to have discovered the program.

 

 

 

Track: Product Design

Cohort: 20

Date: September 2015-December 2015

What brought me to Tradecraft?

I was working as an in-house Graphic Designer (3 years) when I started to realize I wasn't doing work I wanted to be doing. Instead of selling a product, I wanted to be making it, and improving it. AKA Product Design. At the time my portfolio wouldn't support this transition, so I started looking at programs. I knew I wouldn't be successful tackling the problem alone and looked at a few options. 

Why I chose Tradecraft over the other options?

As a Designer, Tradecraft stood out from the rest because of the real world projects students work on during the program. I studied Graphic Design (BFA from California College of the Arts) and I know the huge difference between doing hypothetical, self-initiated projects as a beginner, versus real client work, with constraints, budget, scope, unforeseen obstacles, etc. I knew I would feel a lot more confident about my skills and portfolio once I graduated and started job hunting (which proved to be very true). Plus, I got to meet with my future instructors (Zac and Jake!) during the interview process. Some programs didn't even have their staff hired weeks before the program was set to start...

I also admired the mindset that Tradecraft promotes, though this didn't sink in until after I started. Tradecraft is all about the Growth mindset, and if you don't have that outlook before you start, you better get it quickly. If you want someone telling you what to do, and when to do it, Tradecraft is not for you. Though it was a bit of a tough adjustment, adapting a growth viewpoint has made this huge transition in my life crazy successful. 

The Program Itself

If you have a Design background already, Tradecraft won't be a waste of your time. I studied visual design, so though some classes were old news, it was great to get a refresher. Plus, I learned a lot about user experience design and user interface, topics I explored mainly through online articles prior to Tradecraft.  

Other reviewers mentioned the Mentor Talks, so I'll be brief. They're awesome, especially for gleaming knowledge from current industry professionals. 

I've made lifelong friends from my cohort and done some of my best work to date with them on our client projects. Not every cohort is like this, but when it happens, it's absolutely amazing.

The Tradecraft network is powerful and I'm very thankful I have access to it. It helped me score informational interviews at top companies while I was job hunting. Companies I literally dreamed about joining. 

The Hiring Process

The job hunting process was rough. However, it would've been downright unbearable without Tradecraft's support. After you graduate, there is extended support in terms of helping students land their first job. We met weekly, to set goals, update on progress, and get advice on negotiating, etc. I provided a lot of leads to my other students and got a ton of support in return. I interviewed with a total of 7 companies total (some progressing further than others), and received 2 offers. 

Job Preparedness

I just wrapped up my first week at my new job. I'm the first design hire, which if you told me that a year ago, I would've said you were lying. Tradecraft helped me not only transition to a different design field, but also gave me more confidence and skills to back it up. 

If you're at the point of considering an accelerated program to make a career (and life) transition, Tradecraft may be the option for you. It's a great program but for the right people. You need to be ready to work, hustle, learn so much you head hurts, and make great relationships.

I joined Tradecraft’s Product Design track back in summer 2015. It has been one of the best decisions I have made to date.   Tradecraft has just done so much for me that it’s hard to effectively put it down into words. Here are some of the highlights:

1. I got to learn from the best instructors in town via course-work (both of whom are established and talented designers in their own right)
2. I learned from and worked alongside highly driven and brilliant Tradecrafters
3. Tradecraft has an amazing network of individuals who are always ready to help you along your professional journey. I have gotten many introductions to mentors and to companies of interest through Tradecrafts network.
4. I gained a lot of hands-on design experience through client-project work, which involves Tradecrafters working with real startups to produce real high-quality results.
5. Mentors constantly come into Tradecraft to share with us the lessons they’ve gained from years of working in their fields.
6. Although Tradecraft touts itself as a “twelve-week” program, the support and wealth of knowledge you gain far extends beyond that timeframe. I continued to go into Tradecraft for mentorship and career support well after my twelve-weeks. Their career guidance has been nothing short of stellar during this trying time of putting a portfolio together and navigating the job-search process.

  Because of the nature of Tradecraft and the vast amount of information and resources it offers, it is easy to feel overwhelmed. However, I quickly learned that part of the journey at Tradecraft is learning how to identify the things that were most important to me, and prioritizing them so that I was able to get the most out of the program.
  Fast forward to today: I am now employed at a startup that I am passionate about with wonderful people I enjoy working with. It took me a few months, but I wouldn’t have been able to be where I am today at Tradecraft’s ongoing support.
Tradecraft is indeed a powerhouse of information, support and mentorship where you can really hone your craft and make life-long friendships. It has given me the confidence and skills that have molded me into the designer I am today. I would highly recommend Tradecraft to anyone who is serious about learning from the best, and being part of an rich network of talented and motivated individuals.

Attending Tradecraft was one of the best decisions I made. Before TC I didn't know what I didn't know, but as you progress through the course you become more familiar with the jargon, tools, and best practices that you'll use day to day. By the end of curriculum you'll have learned the skills you need to be successful in a growth role, and at least know what you don't know. 

The course material is only one part of what makes TC so great. The mentors that come in on a weekly basis are stellar (and also how I found a job before graduating TC) and offer unique insight into actual operations. You will also get a chance to consult and work on projects with companies that TC students and staff bring in. 

The above things should be enough to convince you to apply, but on of the main benefits is that Tradecraft is a community of like-minded individuals that will support you through your career. There is a very real "Tradecraft Effect" where the full weight of the TC community will support you in whatever you're working on. 

Tradecraft is probably one of the best career choices anyone can make. I went through the Product Design track in 2015 and I was extremely happy with the experience.

1. Network

Tradecraft has an amazing culture around meeting people and keeping in touch with professional connections. They encourage every student and alumni to bring their professional connections in the TC network. If you need to meet someone at a startup in the Valley, it's very likely that someone at TC will be able to intro you to that startup.

2. Curriculum

The instructors in the UX track are among the best designers I've worked with. The curriculum is set up in such a way that students get exposure to all aspects of the design process, from research to implementation of hi-fi designs. The curriculum is constantly changed and adapted to the needs of every new cohort of students.

Aside from learning from the instructors and from each other, students are encouraged to invite mentors in, who give lectures of specific subjects. While I was going through TC, my colleagues and I invited designers from Shyp, Facebook, Pinterest, Uber, Pocket and Google Ventures. Mentors bring awesome insights into the community and most of them are great connections for the job search process. 

3. Job Assistance

All through the 3-month program and after graduation, TC offers career guidance. Even after graduation, until landing the dream job, students are encouraged to come back and share their progress in the job search process. 

4. Lifelong friends :)

The small TC building was always buzzing with excitement and laughter, and every day I went to TC I felt energized because of the people I was working with. The intensity of the 3-month program brings students, instructors and staff very close. By the end of the program you end up with not just an awesome career trajectory, but also with lifelong friends.