about me
why UX?
My journey with UX/Product Design started accidentally when I came up with the idea for an Android travel app connected with the musical heritage of London and the grassroots music venues called MusicTrip. The idea itself won the Business & Innovation Award 2020 of Goldsmiths University of London which convinced me to think about this project more seriously.
At the time, I had absolutely no idea about product design so during the whole process I made a lot of basic mistakes at almost every step. Having learned from this first immersion, I now know what kind of mistakes I can avoid and how to organize the process to potentially gain satisfactory results.
Developing and improving my ideas gave me lots of satisfaction, so I decided to follow this path further. Presently, my favourite part of the product development process is strategizing. In my current workplace, I have the chance to learn about how the marketing strategy of a product plays a crucial role in potential campaign success.
hello :)
I'm Monika Olek-Skret, a Culture Industry MA graduate from Goldsmiths, University of London. I consider myself to be a proactive, flexible, and creative individual. I am actively looking for my first full-time position in Product/UX Design.
I dedicate much of my free time to working on personal projects and develop new skills. I also try to engage myself in different team activities to learn in practice and to meet other creatives.
awards
D&AD New Blood Pencil Award 2022 (July 2022)
New Blood x Editor X: The Portfolio Winner (July 2022)
Goldsmiths Innovation & Business Award (May 2020)
interests
In my free time, I like to develop my knowledge not only in the field of Product/UX design, but also design itself, typography, and the music industry.
Another big passion of mine is travelling, especially with elements of adventure. Last year I did a solo hiking trip in the Scottish Highlands and walked 160km in 7 days. For relaxation, I really like cooking, doing puzzles, and watching streaming platforms as I have an unhealthy number of different subscriptions.
software
Figma / Adobe XD
Miro
Google Analytics / Office Package
HTML / CSS / Webflow / Editor X basics
work experience
I have more than three years of corporate experience in HR departments (administration and recruitment) in companies like IBM, Nokia, and Microsoft. I've also had the chance to do internships in areas like digital marketing, music promotion, and media.
Because of my diverse experience and university background, I try to look at problems from different angles. Additionally, I have learned how to be a good team player and work in an organisation. If you want to learn more about my work experience, please check my LinkedIn profile.
education
I have a strong university background in cultural-related fields. I am a graduate of University of Wroclaw (European Cultures BA) and Goldsmiths, University of London (MA in Culture Industry).
During my Master, I developed my analytical thinking based on the philosophy of the Frankfurt School and their critical theory. I consider this skill to be among the most valuable that I gained at Goldsmiths. I believe that questioning reality makes us more open-minded so that we can analyse data and compare factors more deeply.