The New Girl in Town

I'm a relatively new member of the Xcede Recruitment Solutions team having moved from education recruitment in October 2011 (Halloween!). Performance marketing interested me as it is such a fast paced environment to recruit in, particularly on the contracts desk which can be manic.  I have thoroughly enjoyed researching User Experience and Information Architecture which have become my speciality here.

On the contracts desk one day is never the same as another. We can be recruiting for roles starting in one months’ time, or we can get a call asking for someone for the next day, or on occasions in a few hours! User experience is so niche that it can be difficult to find someone at short notice with the right skill-set, I'm starting to get a list of great people together, found mainly through job boards and LinkedIn - check out my profile! http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlouiseyoung

For anyone that doesn't know what user experience is, here's a quick overview;

In the past, websites were designed based on what looked nice. A complex, visually stunning page was usually favoured over one that was easier for the user to navigate. This meant that companies were often losing business because their page didn't reach out to their target audience, making it too complicated for them to use.

Companies are now starting to establish UX and IA teams to focus on user navigation and ensure their product interacts with the user in the best way possible.  This is done through a variety of stages including evaluation of the current system; reviews of other similar products, surveys, and then Wireframing (blueprint) the proposed changes.  This is then tested through creating "personas" of the target audience, seeing how easily they can move through the site to get the desired outcome.

User experience is still a relatively new term in the grand scheme of things, but it is starting to be recognised as a key stage in the development of any product with user interaction involved.  Large companies have their own designated UX and IA teams and there are many digital agencies that can be outsourced to for anyone without these resources.

Since I have been here we have been very busy throughout London, now we are starting to expand throughout the rest of the UK and Amsterdam so if you are looking or know anyone that is then please use one of the many ways to contact me below. Or follow me on twitter @SarahXcede.

Email: sarahy@xcedesolutions.com

Linked in: http://www.linkedin.com/in/sarahlouiseyoung 

Phone: 0207 886 0714

For all current jobs in User Experience and IA use our search tool on our brand new website http://www.xcedesolutions.com/