How to Become a Growth Designer in 2025

How would I learn growth design if I had to start all over? 🤬😱

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Today I’m sharing….

How would I learn growth design if I had to start all over in 2025? 🤬😱

Problem #1: You don't know what you don't know

To deal with this, I would take a course knowing that you need to be the driver of your own experience. Don’t just absorb — apply, test, iterate.

Free Option:

Conscious Tech’s mini growth design course as a primer. Keep in mind. You get what you pay for so this will introduce you to growth but you’ll need to keep learning.

Paid Option:

• Conscious Tech’s Growth Design for a Sustainable Future

• Growthmates’ User-Centric Product-Led Growth

• Growth.Design

• Growth Design School

Don’t forget to get these reimbursed by your employer.

You can also join my free Maven lightning talk on July 10th.

Problem #2. You need to learn A LOT

Read Newsletters:

— Lenny’s Newsletter by Lenny Rachitsky

— Growthmates By Kate Syuma

— Elena’s Growth Scoop by Elena Verna

— Conscious Tech by Sera Tajima

Read books:

The Growth Equation by Andy Budd (My guest speaker for the July cohort)

Hacking Growth by Morgan Brown and Sean Ellis

The Lean Startup by Eric Ries

Hooked: How to Build Habit-Forming Products by Nir Eyal

Listen to podcasts:

Lenny’s Podcast: Product | Growth | Career

Growthmates: Create and Growth Meaningful Products

Sera Tajima Podcast | Conscious Tech

Growth Design Podcast

Listen to Honest UX Talks where I was invited to talk about my growth design experience with host Anfisa.

Problem #3: Stand out from the crowd. It’s hard to get that first role

1. Modify your case studies to incorporate growth thinking and principles. Even better, tackle new projects with clear growth goals.

2. Write about your growth learnings and experiments on a newsletter, blog or social media.

3. Update your Linkedin profile and post to feature growth expertise. This is where recruiters can find you.

4. Follow 5 LinkedIn creators and engage regularly. Some of my favs who’d be great for growth thinking:

   1. Fonz Morris

   2. Ran Liu

   3. Kate Syuma

   4. Elena Verna

   5. Lenny Rachitsky

You can also follow me. 😉

Problem #4: It’s a competitive job market

1. Get real experience. Start applying this to your work immediately and advocate for growth strategy. Some of my students have even advocated for a new growth team. If you are unemployed, apply for an internship, ping companies of interest or a local company and work with them for free. At this point, experience is the key.

2. Leverage connections. You’re more likely to get your profile looked at through an internal company referral.

3. Message 5 growth designers at companies of interest. Ask if you can buy them a coffee in exchange for a chat about their experience. Ask them about their growth projects, interview process, what their company looks for when hiring, etc. If it feels right, ask them if they could refer you to their company.

4. Look at companies that just raised money and send cold emails to the (design) recruiter expressing interest in working together. Tailor the message.

Problem #5: You’re probably going to fail (at first)

If you keep getting rejected from growth roles. Don't beat a dead horse. 🐎

STOP. 🛑

This is a clear signal that you need to change something. Fix either your resume, case studies, interview skills, or portfolio presentation. Book a call with a growth product designer for feedback. Then, continue applying.

Ask for feedback. every. single. time. you. interview.

Yes, in 2025, it is hard to get a tech job. But NOT impossible. Growth design roles specifically are on the RISE.

• Decide it’s going to happen for you period.

• Move with intention.

• Be genuine.

You got this!

Comment your questions or if you’re experienced, share how would you approach learning growth design from scratch! 👇