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How This Company Is Revolutionizing Tech Careers For Product Designers Janus Tiu leveraged her expertise working with tech giants and teaching product design to turn Liftyz into a community-first career coaching platform that help product designers and other tech professionals prepare for job applications, interviews and level up their careers.

By Sam Pinto

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Janus Tiu

Product design, also known as UX design, has emerged as an intricate blend of innovation and creativity. Recognized by Indeed as the top 10th best job in 2023, with a mean annual salary of $121,363, the demand for product designers is growing rapidly. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects Web Developer, Digital and UX Designer roles to rise by 16% between 2021 and 2023, a rate it describes as 'much higher than average.

The winning strategy here is to meet product objectives within the cost margins that the market will bear. This is where Toronto-based tech career coaching platform Liftyz is making waves as a guiding light to product designers. Under the passionate leadership of its visionary founder, Hong Kong-native and seasoned product design lead, Janus Tiu, Liftyz is on a mission to accelerate product and UX designers' career growth and help them to land their next job in the tech industry.

Janus Tiu's Vision for Tech-Design Excellence

Founded in April 2023, Liftyz is more than just a coaching platform offering a set of masterclasses. Along with group and 1:1 coaching programs, it also provides essential guidance, support, resources, and networking opportunities.

It all started when Janus Tiu, a senior experience designer at Electronic Arts and Design Instructor, with an illustrious portfolio, noticed a crucial gap in the industry. Janus identified a recurring pattern among designers. Despite exceptional design skills, many designers failed to communicate their business impact and showcase their soft skills during job applications and interviews, resulting in a challenging time landing a job. Meanwhile, most traditional design programs and bootcamps did not address these issues, instead primarily focusing on foundational and theory-based knowledge, or conceptual project creation.

"I want designers to shine in the tech space."Janus added. This realization led her to create viral educational content on social media with 70k cross-platform followers, paving her way into the world of career coaching with Liftyz.

Structured Curriculums and Personalized Coaching

Liftyz's holistic approach to career development separates it from other coaching platforms in this industry. Liftyz transcends these boundaries to address the critical aspects of job preparedness with structured curriculums. With a team of 10 dedicated career coaches hailing from global giants such as Microsoft, Meta, Shopify, and Spotify, these coaches undergo a rigorous selection process to ensure passionate and dedicated design education. At Liftyz, the emphasis is more on developing soft skills, technical interview training, job search tactics, and business design.

The flagship initiative by Janus through Liftyz is the Product Design Career Accelerator. This program combines on-demand materials, 1:1 coaching, and group sessions, reflecting Liftyz's commitment to providing comprehensive career coaching. The program was sold out in the past 4 cohorts, with over 800 people signing up for the waitlist. Liftyz has helped over 300 designers from over 18 countries, with the majority of them based in the United States and Canada. Their successful graduates land design roles at companies like Google, Amazon, Cisco, Epic Games, ITV, Exabeam and more.

Success Stories

Beyond the coaching and resources, Liftyz's real success shines through the stories of its students. A visit to their page reveals a plethora of testimonials. One student shares, 'I just signed a job offer! The program has cleared all my doubts and fears about applying for UX/product jobs.'

Liftyz's Future in Tech Coaching

Janus has ambitious plans to expand Liftyz's offerings and build a larger community of successful tech professionals. From hosting tech events to establishing scholarships for underrepresented individuals, Liftyz is set to transform the careers of tech professionals. While guidance has been scarce in this industry, Liftyz makes every effort to ensure tech professionals achieve their full potential and propel them toward a fulfilling career.

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