Frequently Asked Questions
Frequently Asked Questions
Thanks for reading The ¼″ Hole. I receive some questions regularly enough that they merit being answered in public.
What’s your story?
I’m originally from Texas. I earned a PhD in human factors at North Carolina State University. I started my career in UX as a research intern at Cabela’s in 2016. I’ve since worked in a mixture of consultative (agency) and in-house roles.
These days, I’m an independent user research consultant. I live with my family in Colorado. In my free time, I like running, hiking, and reading.
Why do you write?
First, for myself. Like all researchers, I’m a curious person. And writing helps me to make sense of confusing subjects. As the saying goes, “writing is thinking.”
Second, for others. I started by writing down the career advice I’d been giving in private so that it might help more people. I was pleasantly surprised by the response those early articles got. I hope that anything I share now helps to elevate the discipline and make my readers smarter as well.
How did you manage the transition from academia/graduate school to industry?
This is always a tough question for me to answer, for two reasons:
On the one hand, getting a first role out of grad school is almost always a challenge, as indeed it was for me. I’ve written about my experiences elsewhere in hopes of helping others.
On the other hand, I enrolled in a human factors program (UX’s closest academic sibling) with the explicit intention of becoming an industry researcher like the vast majority of my peers. Beginning with that initial choice, everything I did in grad school was aimed toward that goal. So my experiences will differ widely from folks coming from less closely relevant disciplines.
I’m looking for work. Can you hire me?
Occasionally, I need another researcher on my team. But when that time comes, I won’t keep it under wraps: I’ll advertise the post and encourage followers and subscribers to apply.
I’ll be happy to answer clarifying questions about the role in private correspondence, but I can’t set up informational interviews or otherwise give preferential treatment to candidates in the interest of a fair and equitable hiring process.
Can you review my resume and/or portfolio?
I can’t do this on an individual basis, but you may find my advice on these subjects helpful.
Can we set up a coffee chat? I’d love to pick your brain.
Unfortunately, no. I get more of these requests than I have free hours in the day.
If you believe you have a compelling reason to meet, please be explicit about what you hope to accomplish with me in that time.
Otherwise, share your specific questions with me, and I will do my best to respond in a timely fashion.
Do you accept sponsors?
I’m sorry, but no.
I have another question not listed here. How do I reach out?
Great! You can message me on any social media platform where we are mutually connected. You can also reply to any email you’ve received from The ¼″ Hole.
I will occasionally update this page. The last revision was on 26 February 2024.