It’s the very first episode of The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr and our first guest is Phil Wang! And Phil’s subgenre is…This Place is Evil. We’re talking psychological torture, we’re talking gory death scenes, we’re talking Lorraine Kelly?! The Big Pitch with Jimmy Carr is a brand new comedy podcast where each week a different celebrity guest pitches an idea for a film based on one of the SUPER niche sub-genres on Netflix. From ‘Steamy Crime Movies from the 1970s’ to ‘Australian Dysfunctional Family Comedies Starring A Strong Female Lead’, our celebrity guests will pitch their wacky plot, their dream cast, the marketing stunts, and everything in between. By the end of every episode, Jimmy Carr, Comedian by night / “Netflix Executive” by day, will decide whether the pitch is greenlit or condemned to development hell! Listen on all podcast platforms and watch on the Netflix Is A Joke YouTube Channel . The Big Pitch is a co-production by Netflix and BBC Studios Audio. Jimmy Carr is an award-winning stand-up comedian and writer, touring his brand-new show JIMMY CARR: LAUGHS FUNNY throughout the USA from May to November this year, as well as across the UK and Europe, before hitting Australia and New Zealand in early 2026. All info and tickets for the tour are available at JIMMYCARR.COM Production Coordinator: Becky Carewe-Jeffries Production Manager: Mabel Finnegan-Wright Editor: Stuart Reid Producer: Pete Strauss Executive Producer: Richard Morris Executive Producers for Netflix: Kathryn Huyghue, Erica Brady, and David Markowitz Set Design: Helen Coyston Studios: Tower Bridge Studios Make Up: Samantha Coughlan Cameras: Daniel Spencer Sound: Charlie Emery Branding: Tim Lane Photography: James Hole…
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast, with Sarah Doody, a UX Researcher & Product Designer with 20 years of experience who is helping UX and Product people design their careers. You’ll learn how to advance your UX or Product career including how get hired in UX, stay hired, get promoted, and build a personal brand and visibility. You’ll also hear no BS tips to optimize your UX resume and portfolio, navigate your UX job search, and prepare for UX job interviews so you can stop being invisible and be seen as an in-demand UX professional. Get ready to UX your career, ironic, right?!
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast, with Sarah Doody, a UX Researcher & Product Designer with 20 years of experience who is helping UX and Product people design their careers. You’ll learn how to advance your UX or Product career including how get hired in UX, stay hired, get promoted, and build a personal brand and visibility. You’ll also hear no BS tips to optimize your UX resume and portfolio, navigate your UX job search, and prepare for UX job interviews so you can stop being invisible and be seen as an in-demand UX professional. Get ready to UX your career, ironic, right?!
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this special solo episode, Sarah Doody shares the real story behind her first UX portfolio—and the costly mistakes she made that kept her stuck in interview limbo. From printing screenshots into a binder to learning how to treat her portfolio like a product, Sarah walks you through what finally changed the game and led to job offers, consulting gigs, and even interviews at Google. This episode isn’t just a walk down memory lane—it’s a powerful reminder that timeless UX principles always outperform trends, and that your portfolio is more than a set of case studies—it’s your career’s most important product. Whether you're reworking your portfolio, struggling to get offers, or feeling burnt out by conflicting advice, this episode will give you clarity, focus, and a fresh way forward. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why Sarah's first UX portfolio got interviews—but not offers ✔️ The mistake that kept her stuck (and how she fixed it with UX strategy) ✔️ Why your portfolio isn’t just a website—it’s a storytelling tool ✔️ The five most common portfolio mistakes—and how to avoid them ✔️ Why timeless principles beat trendy templates or AI-generated case studies ✔️ How Sarah’s 2006 portfolio framework still helps people get hired today Timestamps: 00:15 Sarah Doody's Career Journey 00:57 Struggles and Strategies in UX Job Search 01:26 Transforming the Portfolio 01:57 Early Career and Freelance Work 04:11 Portfolio Evolution and Lessons Learned 06:36 Modern Portfolio Strategies 13:35 The Importance of Timeless Principles 20:04 Common Portfolio Mistakes 24:55 Final Thoughts ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly strategies and stories to help you grow in your UX career—without the burnout. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this special open house episode, Sarah Doody chats with Joshua , a UX design leader with over 20 years of experience, about the reality of navigating a job search after a long career in enterprise environments. Josh opens up about the challenges of staying relevant in a shifting industry, rebuilding his confidence after burnout, and reframing what it means to craft a compelling portfolio—even without flashy Figma work. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ How Josh is positioning himself for a new chapter after 20+ years in UX ✔️ Why your portfolio doesn’t need to be visual to be powerful ✔️ The mindset shift that helped Josh regain clarity and momentum ✔️ How asking former colleagues for feedback transformed his self-perception ✔️ What it looks like to find leadership roles that align with your values ✔️ Tips on managing your time, energy, and expectations in the job search Timestamps: 00:20 Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast 00:58 Episode Overview and Listener Engagement 01:43 Meet Josh Vaughn: UX Design Leader 02:33 Josh's Career Journey and Challenges 04:53 The Importance of Storytelling in Portfolios 06:45 Building Confidence and Career Strategy 11:55 Reflecting on Career Strategy Lab 13:23 Final Thoughts and Advice 14:51 Conclusion and Farewell 16:05 Podcast Outro ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly strategies and stories to help you grow in your UX career—without the burnout. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this special open house episode, Sarah sits down with Marcus, a UX designer and recent graduate of Career Strategy Lab (CSL), to share his powerful journey from long-term unemployment to landing a meaningful role in government design. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ How Marcus turned a cold job market into an opportunity for clarity and growth ✔️ Why relationships—not cold DMs—led to the referral that got him hired ✔️ How CSL’s portfolio process gave him the tools and confidence to own his value ✔️ What mindset shifts helped him stay grounded during an uncertain season ✔️ The power of community in navigating the emotional rollercoaster of a UX job search Timestamps: 00:18 Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast 00:56 Episode Overview and Listener Engagement 01:41 Guest Introduction: Marcus' Career Journey 03:15 Marcus' Experience with Career Strategy Lab 05:13 The Importance of Relationships and Networking 06:20 Building Confidence Through Portfolio and Mindset 10:07 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Community 11:48 Advice for New Career Strategy Lab Members 13:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 14:20 Outro and Listener Call to Action ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly strategies and stories to help you grow in your UX career—without the burnout. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, UX Researcher & Product Designer, Sarah Doody, shares a tool she created to calculate the ROI of your UX job search. You can watch the episode here and if you wish, get your own personalized UX job search calculator . You might think your DIY job search is saving you money, but the truth is, it’s likely costing you tens of thousands in lost income, time, and emotional energy. In this eye-opening episode, Sarah Doody breaks down the real cost of an inefficient UX job search using her custom-built UX Job Search ROI Calculator. You’ll follow 3 real-world scenarios, a mid-level designer, a career switcher, and a junior designer, and see how seemingly small inefficiencies (like endless applications and resume rewrites) quickly add up to five-figure losses. Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this candid and encouraging open house conversation, Sarah Doody interviews Fritz Boyle, a UX researcher and Career Strategy Lab (CSL) graduate who recently landed a program manager role at Amazon—after nearly two years of job searching. Fritz shares what changed when he finally stopped spinning his wheels and committed to a strategic process. From rebuilding his portfolio and resume with intention, to regaining confidence through storytelling, community, and reflection, Fritz walks us through the exact mindset and tactical shifts that helped him move from burnout to breakthrough. Whether you’ve been job searching for months or you’re just starting out, this episode is a reminder that it’s never too late to get clear, realign your strategy, and step into the next chapter of your career with confidence. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why applying to every UX job doesn’t work—and what to do instead ✔️ How creating a portfolio isn’t just about design—it’s about clarity and confidence ✔️ The role of community and coaching in rebuilding after rejection ✔️ How Fritz moved from doubt to a leadership role in AI research at Amazon ✔️ Why following a structured process made all the difference ✔️ What it looks like to think long-term about your UX career (not just your next role) Where Fritz Works Now: 🎯 Program Manager at Amazon , leading AI-powered UX research initiatives for the shopping experience Resources & Next Steps: 💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight. ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career. Timestamps: 01:41 Meet the Guest: Fritz's Journey 02:52 Challenges in the Job Market 03:15 The Role of Career Strategy Lab 05:11 Importance of Networking and Feedback 06:49 Building Confidence and Storytelling 09:19 Holistic Approach to Career Development 16:03 Long-Term Career Strategy 18:59 Final Thoughts and Advice 22:33 Conclusion 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram Would you ever design a product without doing user research first? Of course not. So why do so many UX professionals walk into job interviews without researching their users—the interviewers? In this episode, Sarah Doody shares a simple but powerful strategy that can completely change the tone and outcome of your UX job interviews. You’ll learn how to connect on a human level with interviewers by doing just a bit of thoughtful research—and how those small moments of connection can tip the scales in your favor. This isn’t about manipulation. It’s about building trust, showing empathy, and making your job search more human. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why researching your interviewers is a game-changer ✔️ How one candidate at Meta used a single question to create a 5-minute connection ✔️ What to look for in someone’s LinkedIn, blog, or social posts ✔️ Examples of conversation starters that feel natural—not forced ✔️ How to show up as thoughtful, intentional, and memorable in your interviews Whether you're early in your UX career or a seasoned pro, this episode will help you build stronger relationships—and better results—from every interview. Resources & Next Steps: 💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight. ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career. Timestamps: 00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy 00:56 The Power of Human Connection in Interviews 01:29 Real-Life Example: Making a Personal Connection 02:54 LinkedIn Post Breakdown 04:05 Why UX Research Matters in Interviews 05:27 Tactical Tips for Interview Research 08:18 Creating Conversation Starters 09:37 Conclusion and Homework 11:04 Final Thoughts and Contact Information 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram You might think soap operas have nothing to do with your UX job search, but in this episode, Sarah Doody shows you why that thinking might be keeping you stuck and invisible. Back in the 1930s, Procter & Gamble created soap operas to sell, well… soap. But what they really created was one of the most effective audience engagement strategies in marketing history. And today, you can apply the same four principles to dramatically improve your visibility and momentum as a UX job seeker. Whether you’re on the job hunt now or preparing for the future, this episode will reframe how you think about visibility, consistency, and strategy —and show you exactly where you might be going wrong. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why visibility , not just talent, gets you hired ✔️ The 4 key takeaways from Procter & Gamble’s soap opera strategy ✔️ How to show up where your audience (aka recruiters & hiring managers) are already hanging out ✔️ Why timing and repetition are critical to your job search success ✔️ What most UX portfolios and resumes get totally wrong ✔️ The mindset shift that turns your job search from passive to powerful Resources & Links Mentioned: 📌 Avoid this mistake when writing your LinkedIn profile headline (Podcast) 📌 How commenting and posting on LinkedIn can land you more interviews and opportunities (Podcast) 📌 What to post on LinkedIn to increase your visibility in your job search (Podcast) 📌 LinkedIn mistakes to avoid & how to optimize your LinkedIn profile (Podcast) 📌 Stop Sending Recruiters Cold Emails & Get Them To Reply By Doing This Instead (Podcast) 💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight. ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career. Timestamps: 00:33 Unlocking Career Success with Strategy 00:55 Soap Operas and Your UX Job Search 01:24 The Birth of Soap Operas: A Marketing Masterstroke 02:13 Applying Soap Opera Strategies to Your Job Search 03:49 Lesson 1: Go Where Your Audience Is 05:53 Lesson 2: Design for Your Audience 08:26 Lesson 3: Repetition Builds Trust 10:59 Lesson 4: Timing Matters 13:05 Conclusion: Applying the Soap Opera Strategy 15:11 Final Thoughts and Contact Information 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram If you’ve applied to 100+ UX jobs and still haven’t landed an interview or offer… this episode is your wake-up call. Sarah Doody shares the tough love and practical insights you need to finally pause, reflect, and strategically pivot your job search. Because applying to more jobs isn’t the answer— strategy is . This episode is part pep talk, part intervention, and fully packed with real talk about what it takes to get hired in today’s competitive UX job market. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why applying to 100+ jobs without results is a sign—not a failure ✔️ The difference between a numbers game and a strategy game ✔️ Why being great at UX doesn’t mean you’re great at getting hired ✔️ How to assess what’s really not working in your job search ✔️ The mindset shifts and next steps that will actually move the needle If you’re feeling discouraged, stuck, or ready to give up—this one’s for you. Resources & Next Steps: 💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight. ⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast. 🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career. Timestamps 00:59 The Job Search Intervention 03:13 Identifying the Problem 04:01 Real-Life Analogies 06:30 The Need for Change 08:49 Seeking Expert Help 09:28 Facts vs. Emotions 17:05 Final Thoughts and Encouragement 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram This episode was from a session on Maven! Click here to watch the replay. If you’re applying to UX jobs and not getting interviews, your resume might be the problem—specifically, how it interacts with the Applicant Tracking System (ATS). In this episode, Sarah Doody breaks down exactly how to format your resume so it gets past ATS filters and lands in front of recruiters and hiring managers. You'll learn why you need TWO versions of your resume, what formatting mistakes to avoid, and how to tailor your resume for each job posting—without spending hours on every application. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why ATS matters and how it scans and ranks resumes ✔️ The difference between an ATS-friendly and a human-friendly resume ✔️ Why two-column resumes can sabotage your chances ✔️ How to use job descriptions to tailor your resume for better results ✔️ Three common resume mistakes that could be costing you interviews ✔️ Why a one-page resume could be hurting your job search Timestamps 01:04 The Importance of a Strategic Resume 03:08 Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) 06:24 How ATS Parses Your Resume 08:19 Formatting Your Resume for ATS 16:23 Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid 24:01 Recap and Final Tips 25:23 Conclusion and Contact Information 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram Welcome to another Open House episode of the Career Strategy Podcast! In this episode, Sarah Doody sits down with Jon Simmons, a seasoned product designer currently navigating the UX job search. Jon shares his experience of revamping his portfolio, refining his job search strategy, and preparing for senior-level interviews after a layoff. He discusses how shifting his portfolio approach from a website to a presentation format significantly improved his job prospects and how structured storytelling and community support made a difference in his confidence and clarity. What You’ll Learn in This Episode : ✔️ The importance of stepping back from just tweaking your portfolio and doing deeper self-reflection ✔️ How portfolio presentations (vs. websites) give you more control over your job search narrative ✔️ The role of mindset and confidence in positioning yourself for high-level UX roles ✔️ Why community and structured frameworks can prevent burnout and job search frustration ✔️ Jon’s insights on interviewing for principal product designer roles and adapting to today’s market Timestamps 01:43 Episode Overview and Open House Context 03:14 John's Journey in Career Strategy Lab 07:12 Portfolio Presentation Insights 15:58 The Importance of Self-Reflection 18:03 Advice for Prospective Members 20:06 Conclusion and Community Highlights 21:47 Closing Remarks and Call to Action 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this special Open House episode, Sarah Doody sits down with Career Strategy Lab (CSL) alum Sarah Page to discuss her journey navigating the UX job market. From being laid off as a creative director to landing a Senior UX Designer role in health tech, Sarah shares the mindset shifts, job search strategies, and portfolio insights that helped her stand out. She also reveals the unexpected format of her interviews, how she positioned her diverse experience to appeal to hiring managers, and why letting go of what’s out of your control is a game-changer in your job search. If you’re struggling with rejection, resume gaps, or feeling “overqualified” and “underqualified” at the same time—this episode is for you! What You’ll Learn: ✅ Why job rejections often have nothing to do with you (and how to move forward) ✅ The power of a well-structured portfolio —and why Figma slides worked better than a website ✅ How to confidently position diverse experience (even across industries!) ✅ The mental shift that helped Sarah stay motivated through uncertainty ✅ How social proof (from hiring managers, peers, and CSL feedback) builds confidence ✅ The real role of interviews (hint: sometimes it’s just a vibe check!) ✅ Why finding the right company fit matters more than tweaking your resume endlessly ✅ How Sarah strategically approached salary negotiation and total compensation Timestamps 01:50 Open House Overview 03:22 Success Stories and Strategies 05:47 Navigating the Job Market 09:15 Interview Experiences 13:45 Negotiating Job Offers 17:08 Advice for Job Seekers 20:45 Conclusion and Farewell 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram Promotions don’t just happen—you have to advocate for yourself! In this episode, Sarah breaks down the inspiring story of Marco, a Senior Product Designer who secured a 37% increase in total compensation by leveraging his annual review process, gathering compelling evidence, and using the tools from Career Strategy Lab to make his case. If you’ve ever wondered how to position yourself for a promotion, this episode is a must-listen. Sarah walks through Marco’s exact strategy, from recognizing his value to structuring his performance review, so you can apply the same tactics in your own career. What You’ll Learn: Why promotions don’t happen by chance—you have to make the case for yourself. How Marco used UX case studies from Career Strategy Lab to showcase his impact. The importance of peer reviews and selecting the right colleagues to vouch for you. How to prepare for performance review season all year round—not just weeks before. Why documenting your achievements is crucial for both promotions and job searches. Links & Resources: Join Career Strategy Lab to fast-track your job search or promotion If this episode resonated with you, tag Sarah on social media or leave a quick review on Spotify or Apple Podcasts! 🎧 Listen now and start setting yourself up for your next promotion! Timestamps 00:38 The Importance of Strategy in Career Growth 01:02 Case Study: Marco's Journey to Promotion 02:02 Marco's Strategy: Leveraging Career Strategy Lab 04:15 Steps Marco Took to Secure His Promotion 07:54 Key Takeaways: How to Advocate for Yourself 10:28 Final Thoughts and Encouragement 11:36 Conclusion: Stay Connected and Share Your Thoughts 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Want to get hired in UX faster? Click here . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher who also founded the UX job search accelerator Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah Doody breaks down the key steps to getting hired—whether for a full-time job or a freelance contract. Through the story of Emily, a former fashion and beauty marketer turned UX writer, Sarah illustrates how refining your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile can dramatically increase your opportunities and earning potential. Emily’s journey highlights the power of strategic career marketing—starting with a $35/hour contract, she grew her rate to $125/hour in under six months. Sarah shares actionable insights on how you can position yourself as the ideal candidate, attract job offers and freelance clients, and confidently communicate your value to decision-makers. Key Takeaways Why the hiring process for full-time and freelance work follows the same fundamental principles. How Emily used Career Strategy Lab to refine her portfolio, LinkedIn, and resume—unlocking new career opportunities. The importance of treating every professional interaction as a potential interview. How to iterate on your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile based on feedback. Why contract work can be a stepping stone to full-time roles (or a lucrative career path on its own). How Career Strategy Lab can help accelerate your job search—and even count as a tax-deductible expense for freelancers. Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy 01:01 Meet Emily: A UX Writing Success Story 02:34 Emily's Journey to Freelance Success 05:23 The Financial Upside of Freelancing 08:21 Key Lessons from Emily's Experience 11:55 Final Tips and Conclusion 14:12 Wrap-Up and Contact Information 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help . Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017. Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram In this episode, Sarah dives into the hidden costs of navigating your job search alone and why a DIY approach may be holding you back. Many job seekers spend months stuck in a cycle of applying, tweaking resumes, and feeling frustrated—without realizing they’re wasting valuable time, missing opportunities, and facing an unnecessary emotional toll. Sarah breaks down why job searching requires strategy, positioning, and persistence —not just endless applications. She also shares what successful job seekers do differently , including treating their job search like a UX project, getting strategic with LinkedIn, and investing in the right tools and guidance to accelerate results. If you’re tired of going in circles and want to land a job faster and smarter , this episode is for you! What You’ll Learn: ✅ The #1 hidden cost of a DIY job search (hint: it’s not just time wasted) ✅ Why “busy work” like tweaking your resume daily doesn’t move the needle ✅ How to spot FSP activities (False Sense of Progress) and focus on what works ✅ The missed opportunities that cost you job leads and interviews ✅ The mental and emotional toll of job searching alone—and how to fix it ✅ How to structure your job search like a UX project to get hired faster ✅ The biggest mistakes job seekers make on LinkedIn (and what to do instead) ✅ Why successful job seekers seek feedback early and often Resources & Links Mentioned: 📌 How to Post Strategically on LinkedIn (Podcast 📌 Steven’s Success Story – How He Landed a UX Research Role 📌 Join Career Strategy Lab & Get Expert Guidance Timestamps: 00:21 Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast 01:04 The Hidden Costs of Navigating Your Job Search Alone 02:47 The Real Impact of a DIY Job Search 03:18 Time: The Most Expensive Hidden Cost 05:59 Missed Opportunities in Your Job Search 09:58 Mental and Emotional Toll of a DIY Job Search 13:59 What Successful Job Seekers Do Differently 14:12 Treating Your Job Search Like a UX Project 16:08 Understanding the Users of Your Job Search 18:35 Learning from Proven Tools and Guidance 20:41 Creating Structure and Accountability 25:21 Breaking Free from the DIY Approach 27:42 Conclusion: Reflecting on Your Job Search Approach 29:05 Career Strategy Lab: Your Next Step 30:29 Final Thoughts and Farewell 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, we’re taking you inside a Career Strategy Lab Open House, where we chat with Jane, a UX researcher who landed a Principal UX Researcher role at Whole Foods—despite having no prior U.S. work experience or connections! Jane’s story is an incredible example of what’s possible when you shift from a scarcity mindset to a strategic approach in your job search. 🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why treating your career like a product roadmap leads to better opportunities ✔️ How Jane overcame imposter syndrome and job search doubts ✔️ The biggest mistakes she made before joining Career Strategy Lab ✔️ The power of clarity in choosing the right roles and companies ✔️ How she landed a job above the level she applied for ✔️ Why negotiation isn’t just about salary—it’s about strategy Whether you're feeling stuck in your job search or just need some motivation, Jane’s experience will inspire you to take action and own your career strategy . ✨ Considering Career Strategy Lab? Jane shares why she believes it’s a priceless investment in your future. 🎧 Tune in now and get ready to rethink how you approach your job search! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Many career coaching programs use cohort-based models to keep participants accountable. But do they really work? In today’s episode, we’re tackling a common question: Is Career Strategy Lab’s UX Job Search Accelerator run in cohorts? Spoiler alert—it's not! And there’s a very good reason why. Host Sarah Doody breaks down why strict cohort schedules can be limiting, how Career Strategy Lab takes a different approach, and why focusing on outcomes over rigid timelines creates a better job search experience. Whether you’re treating your job search like a full-time job or balancing it alongside a 9-to-5, this episode will help you stay accountable without the stress of falling behind. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why traditional cohort-based courses can actually slow you down or leave you behind. ✅ How Career Strategy Lab builds daily and weekly habits to keep you accountable. ✅ The power of sprint check-ins, deadlines, and structured flexibility for job seekers. ✅ Why focusing on outcomes over schedules is key to success. ✅ The "Three E’s" method: Execute, Engage, Encourage —and how it keeps you on track. Links & Resources: 🔗 Learn more & apply: careerstrategylab.com/apply 📩 Questions? Send a message on LinkedIn to Sarah Doody 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
If you’ve been stuck in an endless cycle of tweaking, redesigning, and overanalyzing your UX resume, this episode is for you. Sarah breaks down why perfectionism keeps you from landing interviews, how to shift your mindset, and what you should focus on instead. She also shares why conflicting resume advice from too many sources slows you down and how Career Strategy Lab can help you streamline your job search with a clear, strategic approach. Plus, Sarah announces the 1-Week Resume Sprint happening February 10-14, 2025 , where you’ll create a recruiter-ready, ATS-optimized resume in just five days. Save 35% with the code RESUMELASTCALL. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✅ Why endlessly tweaking your resume is delaying your job search ✅ The dangers of Frankensteining feedback from multiple sources ✅ How to create a minimum viable resume and start applying now ✅ The biggest resume myths that might be holding you back ✅ Why clarity in your resume, LinkedIn, and portfolio is crucial for landing interviews ✅ How Career Strategy Lab can help you build a job search strategy that works Join the 1-Week Resume Sprint (Feb 10-14, 2025): If you’re ready to stop overthinking your resume and start getting interviews, join Sarah for a 5-day Resume Sprint inside Career Strategy Lab. You’ll get step-by-step lessons, feedback, and expert guidance to create a recruiter-friendly resume that actually works. 👉 Sign up now at careerstrategylab.com/maven Timestamps: 01:08 The Resume Sprint Announcement 02:45 The Resume Rut: Why Perfection is the Enemy 04:09 Breaking Down the Resume Rut 09:20 The Importance of a Clear Career Strategy 12:07 How Career Strategy Lab Can Help 15:53 Community Support and Feedback 20:32 Conclusion: Get Out of the Resume Rut Resources & Links: 🔹 Sign up for the 1-Week Resume Sprint 🔹 Related Episode: Why One-Page Resumes Are Overrated 🔹 Learn more about Career Strategy Lab → careerstrategylab.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This episode of the Career Strategy Podcast features Sarah's interview on the Awkward Silences Podcast by User Interviews . In this episode, Sarah Doody is interviewed by Erin May, the CMO of User Interviews, and John-Henry Forster, who at the time of recording was the SVP of Product at User Interviews. Join them as they dive deep into treating your UX research career like a product and the pivotal strategies to become a UX research manager. 🧠 6 Key takeaways 1) Treating Your Career as a Product Your career should be managed like a product, focusing on continuous improvement, setting goals, and building a road map. Consider the skills, experiences, and networks you want to develop for your future roles. 2) Creating a Career Road Map Just like products have roadmaps, your career should have one too. Create a timeline of your career, noting your happiness, satisfaction, work-life balance, and other personal values. 3) Do some UX Research on Yourself Conduct a self-assessment to map out where you’ve been in your career. Seek feedback from past colleagues to identify your strengths and areas of improvement. 4) Minimum Viable Resume and Portfolio Focus on creating a "minimum viable" resume and portfolio to quickly test their effectiveness. This involves starting with a good enough version to see if it generates interviews, and then iterating based on feedback. 5) Relevance in Applications Ensure your resume and portfolio are tailored to highlight experiences and skills relevant to the job you’re applying for. Avoid creating generic applications that don’t adequately showcase your suitability for the role. 6) Job Market Insights Despite recent layoffs in tech companies, the long-term demand for UX roles is expected to grow as businesses continue to prioritize digital transformation. ⏰ Timestamps Discussing treating your career like a product: 00:00:59 Identifying the importance of creating a career road map: 00:04:35 How to do user research on yourself: 00:07:23 Creating a minimum viable resume and portfolio: 00:16:21 Insights on the current job market: 00:10:45 Treating your application strategy as a marketing effort: 00:04:23 The importance of having questions for your potential employer: 00:38:35 Statements on learning vs. earning: 00:44:00 Parting advice for listeners: 00:48:43 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This is a reminder that enrollment opens TODAY (Jan 29) at 4pm ET Career Strategy Lab's 3-month UX Job Search Accelerator. Here is the page to learn more or join: www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint ... enrollment will close on Fri, Jan 31 at 8pm PT. Career Strategy Lab helps you optimize and finish your resume, portfolio, LinkedIn, etc and position yourself for a 5-figure salary increase, just like these people did: A Senior UX Researcher from Denver got hired at an insurance company with a salary increase of $15,000 A UX Designer from Washington DC got hired at a digital strategy company with a salary increase of $25,000 A Senior UX Researcher from San Francisco got hired at a real estate company with a salary increase of $75,000 A Senior Product Designer from Seattle got hired at an e-commerce company with a salary increase of $19,000 Career Strategy Lab is the ONLY program that addresses everything in the UX job search and helps you look at it holistically ... so you can stop having one-off calls, getting conflicting advice on Reddit and LinkedIn, and finally stop the second-guessing that's caused you to re-do your resume, portfolio, etc 15 times (or more?!) Here is the page to learn more or join: www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint ... enrollment will close on Fri, Jan 31 at 8pm PT. Questions? Send me a DM on LinkedIn or email me at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this inspiring episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah sits down with Steven, a Career Strategy Lab (CSL) alum who transitioned from uncertainty to launching his own UX research agency. Steven reflects on his journey, from overcoming self-doubt as a career switcher to building confidence, leveraging mentorship, and creating a sustainable business model. Sarah and Steven explore the role of community, structured career tools, and storytelling in navigating the job search and scaling an agency. What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How to balance career switching and climbing in your professional narrative. The power of mentorship and community in building confidence and finding opportunities. How CSL’s structured resources and critiques accelerate career progress. Tips for marketing and storytelling as a freelancer or agency owner. Why action, not perfection, is key to career success. Key Takeaways: Mentorship Creates Opportunities: Proactively seeking mentorship can open doors to projects and collaborations you may not have anticipated. Community Matters: A supportive environment accelerates learning, boosts confidence, and helps you see new possibilities for growth. Storytelling Sells: Strong communication and storytelling skills, honed through CSL, are vital for job seekers and agency owners alike. Action Over Perfection: A bias toward action—leveraging critiques and taking small steps—yields measurable results in the job market and beyond. Structure is Transformational: Tools like the career roadmap and portfolio critiques help organize thoughts and focus efforts for maximum impact. Timestamps 00:30 Meet Your Hosts 01:08 Episode Overview and Audience Context 02:03 Steven's Career Journey 02:55 Navigating Career Challenges 07:57 Building Confidence and Community 12:30 Applying Career Strategy to Business 16:19 Final Thoughts and Advice 18:50 Conclusion and Farewell Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Career Strategy Lab – Transform your job search with step-by-step support and actionable insights. Connect with Sarah: LinkedIn , Instagram , Twitter . Share Your Feedback: Did you enjoy this episode? Let Sarah know! Email her at hello@sarahdoody.com or tag her on social media. Don’t forget to rate us on Spotify or review us on Apple Podcasts if you found this episode helpful. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , host Sarah Doody dives into the transformative journey of Leon, a Career Strategy Lab (CSL) participant who navigated the ux jobs search after an unexpected layoff. Leon shares insights into how creating a c areer roadmap , leveraging a standout resume and portfolio, and embracing community support helped him secure a role in UX design at a government contractor. Sarah and Leon discuss actionable strategies, including the importance of aligning your job search with a clear vision, the value of mindset work, and breaking the myth of needing multiple projects in your portfolio. Timestamps 01:01 Meet the Coaches 01:12 Open House Insights 03:14 Career Roadmap Creation 06:43 The Importance of Community 09:31 Tactical Resume and Portfolio Tips 16:33 Navigating the Job Market 20:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts What You’ll Learn in This Episode: How a career roadmap can serve as your "North Star" in the job search. The impact of combining tactical elements (resume, portfolio) with mindset and confidence-building. Why one excellent portfolio project can trump multiple mediocre ones. The importance of persistence and deliberate job applications. How community support and structure can keep you motivated during challenging times. Key Takeaways: Focus on Vision: Start with a career roadmap to clarify your direction before tackling resumes or LinkedIn profiles. Quality Over Quantity: A single well-crafted portfolio project can land you your dream job if it clearly highlights your skills and fit. Stay Structured: Treat your job search like a job or school to maintain routine and productivity. No Shortcuts: Success comes from following proven, structured approaches rather than chasing hacks. Community Counts: Sharing struggles and wins within a supportive group builds confidence and accountability. Resources Mentioned in This Episode: Career Strategy Lab – Learn more about Sarah’s program that helps professionals level up their job search. Share Your Feedback: Did this episode resonate with you? Tag Sarah on social media or email at hello@sarahdoody.com. If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to rate us on Spotify or review us on Apple Podcasts. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah Doody delivers a hot take on a common mistake in UX portfolios: focusing too much on showcasing the product and not enough on showcasing the designer . Drawing on her experience reviewing thousands of portfolios since 2017, Sarah explains why it's critical to highlight your decision-making process, iterations, and problem-solving skills to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Timestamps 00:44 Understanding the Recruiter's Perspective 02:41 Key Elements to Highlight in Your Portfolio 03:00 Showcasing Your Decision-Making Process 03:49 The Importance of Iteration and Trade-offs 06:42 Collaboration and Learning from Projects 08:40 Conclusion and Additional Resources Key Takeaways: Sell Yourself, Not Just the Product Your portfolio should showcase how you think, not just the shiny end results. Recruiters and hiring managers are the users of your portfolio, and their needs differ from internal stakeholders. Common Portfolio Pitfalls Reusing slides and presentations designed for team meetings or stakeholder updates. Treating your portfolio like an investor pitch deck, focusing on visuals rather than process. What Recruiters and Hiring Managers Want to See: Decision-Making Process: Explain why you chose specific methods or solutions. Iterations and Evolution: Show how your designs evolved and improved. Trade-offs: Highlight how you handled constraints like budget, time, or team capacity. Challenges: Share how you navigated setbacks or unexpected problems. Collaboration: Demonstrate how you worked with peers or across departments. Lessons Learned: Reflect on what you gained from the project and how it informs your future work. Reframe Your Portfolio: Treat it as a showcase of your thinking and not just your output. Avoid the temptation to make it a "Shark Tank" pitch for your project. Resources Mentioned: E91: No, you don’t need 3-5 projects in your UX Potfolio to apply for a job E85: Q&A about UX portfolio formats, case studies, tailoring your portfolio, & more E60: Create a portfolio that stands out by focusing on your benefits, not features as a candidate Blog: 8 UX Portfolio Website Mistakes To Avoid Career Strategy Lab : A 3-month UX career coaching program to help mid and senior-level professionals navigate their job search and secure roles with five-figure salary increases. Connect with Sarah: Instagram , YouTube , LinkedIn : @SarahDoody Enjoyed the Episode? Share it with a friend or colleague! Rate us on Spotify or review us on Apple Podcasts. Thanks for listening! Catch you next week. 🎙️ 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this special "Open House" episode, Sarah sits down with Career Strategy Lab alum, Kristin, a former graphic design professor turned UX professional, who joined Career Strategy Lab (CSL) as a “switcher”—someone transitioning to a new role or industry. Despite her extensive experience, Kristin found herself stuck in a role where her creative skills were underutilized. After 165 days in the program, Kristin successfully landed a government contract position with the Department of Energy, achieving a 25% salary increase and a significant shift in her responsibilities. In this conversation, Kristin shares insights on how she leveraged CSL’s structured approach, community support, and resources to transform her career trajectory. Key Highlights Career Roadmap: Kristin explains how creating a detailed career roadmap helped her clarify her goals, target her job search, and develop a focused strategy for her resume, LinkedIn, and portfolio. Community Support: The importance of accountability, shared experiences, and inspiration from the CSL community in staying motivated and improving her work. Portfolio Design: Why you don’t need five projects in your portfolio to land a job—quality and clarity trump quantity every time. Kristin shares how she successfully showcased her skills with just two solid case studies and a smaller management-focused project. Mindset Shift: How CSL's mindset coaching calls provided support through the ups and downs of her job search, transforming feelings of inadequacy into confidence and resilience. Lessons Learned: Kristin’s advice for future CSL participants: embrace structure, take feedback, and focus on progress over perfection. Takeaways for Listeners A career roadmap is essential for clarity and strategic job searching. Community and accountability can boost confidence and help you refine your work. Tailoring portfolios and resumes to hiring managers’ needs leads to better results. Mindset work is as critical as tactical execution in a successful job search. Kristin's Advice for future CSL Members Embrace the Process: “The structure and critiques were key for me. Any little bit of progress is progress, so take advantage of the feedback and focus on moving forward.” Leverage the Templates: “The templates provided a foundation that made my work more focused and impactful.” Join the Community: “The mindset calls and peer feedback were game-changers for staying motivated and refining my approach.” Be Open to Growth: “It’s okay to ask for help, and it’s okay if it’s not perfect. Focus on progress over perfection.” Timestamps 02:11 Kristin's Current Role and Background 03:54 Creating a Career Roadmap 07:30 The Importance of Community and Accountability 11:28 Tactical Advice for Job Seekers 14:03 Final Thoughts and Advice 18:02 Conclusion and Farewell Resources Mentioned Career Strategy Lab Connect with Sarah Doody Follow Sarah on Instagram , YouTube , or LinkedIn for more career insights. Tag Sarah with your takeaways from this episode or send her a DM! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This special episode of the Career Strategy Podcast features an episode of the Insights Unlocked Podcast powered by UserTesting. In this episode, Sarah Doody is interviewed by UserTesting’s CEO, Andy McMillan. They discuss navigating your UX career over the next one to two years and dive into crucial themes that resonate with UX researchers, designers, and product managers from coping with tech layoffs to understanding the impact of AI. Key Topics Covered: The State of UX Careers in 2024 Insights from UX professionals on career satisfaction and challenges. Exploring opportunities beyond traditional tech companies. Impact of Layoffs and AI on UX Careers How tech layoffs and the rise of AI are reshaping career trajectories. Leveraging AI as a tool rather than a threat. Building a Career Roadmap The importance of long-term planning and acquiring transferable skills. Timeless skills like communication and critical thinking as career accelerators. Opportunities in Non-Tech Industries High-impact roles in healthcare, government, and education sectors. The growing value of research-first mindsets in non-tech companies. Practical Advice for Career Growth Keeping your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile updated. Building business acumen and aligning research with organizational strategy. The Role of AI in Research AI’s potential in idea generation and data synthesis. Why human context and critical analysis remain irreplaceable. Actionable Takeaways: Create a career roadmap to strategically build skills for long-term growth. Regularly update your career materials to be ready for new opportunities. Expand your impact by developing business acumen and aligning UX practices with company strategies. View AI as a tool to enhance efficiency, not as a replacement for human expertise. Time Stamps: 01:36 UX Professionals Share Their Career Insights 03:41 Navigating Layoffs and Economic Challenges 05:21 Exploring Opportunities Beyond Big Tech 09:49 The Role of AI in UX Research 14:30 Building a Resilient Career Strategy 18:54 Opportunities and Challenges in UX 26:31 Conclusion and Final Thoughts 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This is a special episode of the Career Strategy Podcast that features an interview with Sarah on the AIGA Design Podcast with host Lee-Sean Huang. In this episode, Sarah and Lee-Sean dive deep into the innovative concept of treating your career as a product. Sarah shares practical strategies for creating a "career roadmap" and "compass statement" to align short-term goals with long-term ambitions while balancing professional growth and personal life priorities. Sarah reveals how applying design principles like research, iteration, and systems thinking can help job seekers and professionals stand out, avoid career plateaus, and make meaningful, intentional choices. Whether you're navigating a career transition or striving for your dream role, Sarah's actionable advice on continuous research, leveraging unique skills, and fostering authentic professional relationships is sure to inspire. Key Takeaways : Why your career is the most important "product" you'll ever work on. How to use a "career roadmap" for strategic goal setting. The role of a "compass statement" in attracting the right opportunities and filtering out the wrong ones. The value of continuous research in recalibrating your career vision. Building genuine professional relationships without the stress of traditional networking. Timestamps 01:00 Treat career as a product for success. 03:58 "Treat careers like a strategic product roadmap." 08:12 Journey map visualizes experiences and emotions. 10:46 Continuous research is crucial for informed decisions. 16:25 Domain experience stands out in career switches. 19:32 Prioritize life's needs for career planning. 20:47 Vision clarifies goals; compass guides decisions. 25:44 Optimize LinkedIn headline for relevant searches. 28:00 Transitioning to product design from art direction. 32:44 Schedule regular engagement and post interested content. 37:32 Cover letters help capture recruiter's attention. 38:28 Use specific examples in your cover letter. More about Lee-Sean Lee-Sean Huang is a designer, educator, and storyteller who brings engaging conversations to the forefront of the design world on the AIGA Design Podcast. Stay Connected : Follow the AIGA Design Podcast for more thought-provoking episodes exploring the intersections of design, creativity, and professional development. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this milestone 100th episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, we sit down with Jaden, a Career Strategy Lab alumni, who shares their transformative journey from apparel design to landing a senior product designer role at Zipline as a Senior Product Designer with a 15% pay increase from her previous role. Sarah and Jaden discuss the struggles of job searching, the importance of a strong LinkedIn presence, navigating a career gap, and the power of storytelling in portfolios. Jaden emphasizes the value of investing in oneself and the benefits of the Career Strategy Lab curriculum, which helped shift their mindset and secure a job quickly. 01:04 Celebrating Episode 100 01:37 Listener Engagement and Support 03:01 Case Study: Landing a UX Job 03:18 Introduction to Career Strategy Lab 03:39 Jaden's Career Journey 07:37 The Importance of Owning Your Story 09:18 Key Sprints in Career Strategy Lab 14:31 Advice for New and Prospective Members 17:10 Final Thoughts and Encouragement 17:38 Closing Remarks 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Don’t forget! Don't miss Sarah's upcoming workshop on December 11, where she'll share detailed strategies for standing out in the UX job search funnel. Visit careerstrategylab.com/events to register. In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah dives into the art of standing out in a competitive job market, especially when it comes to UX roles. With practical insights drawn from her experience coaching thousands of candidates and hiring across various industries, Sarah breaks down the "UX job search funnel"—a step-by-step process from applications to job offers. She explains how thinking like a UX designer can transform your approach to job searching, helping you tailor your materials, impress recruiters, and leave a lasting impact at every stage of the hiring process. Sarah emphasizes the importance of specificity, strategy, and user-focused thinking in your job search. She shares actionable tips on crafting resumes that grab attention, acing screener calls, and preparing for panel interviews. By treating recruiters and hiring managers as "users" of your job search funnel, you can strategically design each interaction to showcase your unique value. This episode is packed with advice that will empower you to move from being one of hundreds of applicants to the one who lands the offer. Quotables "When you are average, you blend in. You need to stop talking about your skills and experience in vague, generic terms and start selling the unique product of you." – Sarah "Think of your job search like a UX problem: design for the recruiters and hiring managers by understanding their journey and pain points." – Sarah Helpful related episodes E88: Troubleshoot your resume with these 11 questions E80: How to include numbers on your resume even if you think you don’t have them E64: Interview with Cheryl Platz: UX Portfolios, Storytelling, & Hiring Process Insights E42: Do hiring managers and recruiters spend six seconds on your resume? E05: 5 tips from hiring managers and recruiters about your job search and more Timestamps 00:33 The Importance of Strategy 01:16 Understanding the UX Job Search Funnel 01:24 Challenges of Average Candidates 02:22 What is the UX Job Search Funnel? 03:16 Steps in the UX Job Search Funnel 04:26 Using Your UX Superpower 05:10 Avoiding Average: How to Stand Out 07:52 Quick Tips for Each Funnel Step 09:52 Preparing for Screener Calls 11:51 Nailing the Hiring Manager Interview 13:30 Panel Interviews: What to Expect 15:27 The Offer Stage: Final Steps 20:48 Building Visibility on LinkedIn 25:37 Key Takeaways and Final Thoughts 27:10 Upcoming Workshop and Closing Remarks 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Imagine treating your job like a freelance gig—always ready for what’s next. This episode dives deep into why adopting a freelancer mindset can boost your career, even if you love your full-time job. Join Sarah to explore real strategies that freelancers use to stay in demand: documenting wins and projects, nurturing relationships, keeping up with industry trends, and treating each project like a portfolio piece. You’ll hear practical tips on timeboxing tasks to fit career-building activities into your busy schedule. Whether you're eyeing a promotion, preparing for possible layoffs, or just curious about staying market-ready, this episode is packed with actionable advice you won't want to miss. Ready to rethink your career game plan? Tune in to learn how to stay ahead in today’s ever-changing job market. Links Sarah mentions another Career Strategy Podcast Episode about including numbers in your resume - check that out here! Timestamps 00:00 Introduction: Understanding Job Market Demands 00:18 Meet Your Host: Sarah Duty 00:56 The Freelancer Mindset for Career Success 02:56 Avoiding Complacency in Full-Time Roles 04:50 Adopting Effective Freelance Habits 08:56 Documenting Wins and Building Relationships 12:55 Staying Updated with Market Trends 15:51 Always Be Open to New Opportunities 19:43 Conclusion: Implementing the Freelancer Mindset 20:59 Stay Connected and Share Your Thoughts 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Why do your cold messages to recruiters go unanswered? In today's episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, we dive into the reasons why your emails and DMs might be getting ignored by recruiters and hiring managers. This episode discusses the importance of shifting from being a cold contact to a lukewarm one, making you more recognizable and increasing the chances of getting replies. You’ll learn five simple LinkedIn strategies to help you warm up your connections. Find out how to leave thoughtful comments, avoid robotic replies, and move valuable conversations to direct messages. Plus, hear a real-life success story about how these strategies worked for a senior UX researcher. If you’re ready to transform your networking approach and boost your job search outcomes, hit play and take the first step today. Timestamps 00:00 Introduction 01:00 Why Cold Messages Get Ignored 01:41 The Solution: Leveraging LinkedIn 02:35 Five Strategies to Warm Up Your Connections 05:16 Strategy 1: Follow Key People 05:56 Strategy 2: React to Their Content 06:23 Strategy 3: Leave Thoughtful Comments 07:10 Strategy 4: Be Authentic, Not Robotic 08:15 Strategy 5: Move Conversations to DMs 10:05 Real-Life Success Story: Danielle 11:38 Final Tips and Action Items 13:06 Conclusion 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah explains how the critiques in Career Strategy Lab work, including how many critiques you can submit, what you can submit, how you'll receive feedback, and more. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah explains the 2 types of weekly calls in Career Strategy Lab and shares examples of questions we've answered. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Ever wondered how to finally break through in your career when things seem tough? In this episode, Jamie, a senior product designer from Ottawa, shares his journey of navigating job loss and finding success. Jamie recounts his struggles with imposter syndrome and unemployment, sharing how he applied for hundreds of jobs without landing one. Jamie found his turning point by joining Career Strategy Lab, where the community and structured guidance helped him rebuild confidence. He talks about the importance of reflecting on past experiences, both good and bad, and how this self-assessment improved his job interviews. The conversation touches on the importance of analyzing past experiences, building confidence, and leveraging community support. This episode includes insights and actionable advice for anyone looking to take charge of their career strategy. Tune in to hear Jamie's honest account and actionable tips for career growth. Timestamps 01:00 Special Episode Announcement 01:50 Meet Jamie: A Career Journey 03:50 The Power of Community in Career Strategy Lab 05:41 Mindset Shifts and Career Roadmaps 11:25 The Impact of Detailed Case Studies 13:33 Global Relevance of Career Strategy Lab 14:33 Final Advice and Encouragement 16:45 Closing Remarks 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah shares the story of a Lead Design Researcher who got hired with a 35% salary increase. This person, an alumni of Career Strategy Lab, said a that major factor in securing the role was relationships. In the episode, you'll learn the role of relationships in this person's job search and interviews. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. Enrollment is OPEN for Career Strategy Lab until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. If you have any questions feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah shares the story of Dan, a Lead UX Designer who got hired in 56 days. In Dec 2023, he was laid off and joined Career Strategy Lab. A few weeks later, he saw a role and applied despite his UX portfolio not being finished and being "far from perfect." To his surprise, he moved along in the interview process and was offered a job in February 2024 as a Lead UX Designer at a large healthcare company. THIS is what can happen when you stop trying to make a "perfect" portfolio and instead focus on "good enough" ... because if you don't stop perfecting, you won't start applying. And it is possible to get hired with a "good enough" portfolio. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. Enrollment is OPEN for Career Strategy Lab until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. If you have any questions feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah details the extra traits of who Career Strategy Lab was designed for. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any questions feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Tired of endless applications to big tech companies without any luck? This episode of The Career Strategy Podcast dives into industries outside of tech that are actively hiring for UX, product design, and tech roles. From health care to finance, education to retail, discover real data showing where job seekers are finding success. Sarah talks through why these industries are ramping up their hiring and how your existing skills can transfer seamlessly. Plus, you’ll get tips on how to refine your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn to stand out. Listen in to get to know powerful strategies for tailoring your job search and hear exact companies that have hired within these fields. If you're a career switcher, this episode even covers how to leverage your past experience to gain an edge. Stop spinning your wheels and uncover new opportunities in growing fields. Timestamps 00:00 Translate experiences; leverage resume, portfolio, LinkedIn. 04:49 Consider branching out from tech industry careers. 07:23 Diverse growth in health tech and fintech. 11:12 Ecommerce growth fuels demand for UX talent. 14:05 Fora Travel offers convenient travel planning services. 19:02 Explore niche job boards like BuiltIn, LinkedIn. 21:01 Follow, engage, and share the podcast. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Ever wondered why a coach without UX experience might be the secret to your job search success? This episode dives into just that, answering a common question: why are the Career Strategy Lab (CSL) coaches not UX experts? Discover how the CSL program helps people in user experience, product design, and tech fields navigate their job searches. The episode explains the importance of thinking of yourself as "the product of you” and why great job search coaching involves more than just industry-specific advice. The episode uses a wedding planner analogy to explain why hiring someone with broad coaching experience is often more valuable than someone with deep but narrow expertise. Listeners will learn that the CSL team is carefully chosen to cover three crucial elements: design, marketing, and sales. Each coach brings a unique set of skills, from sales and storytelling to higher education and hiring experience. The team approach helps candidates market themselves effectively and build strong, authentic relationships. If you're stuck in your job search, this episode provides a fresh perspective on the diverse skills needed to succeed. Timestamps 00:00 Career Strategy Lab guides tech job searches. 03:52 Think of yourself as a marketable product. 07:31 Experienced planners can better fulfill your needs. 12:35 Steph helps personalize marketing for job seekers. 15:52 Holistic coaching goes beyond traditional UX feedback. 19:36 Contact us for job search guidance and support. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Navigating a career change or climbing the job ladder can be daunting, but guidance and support make all the difference. In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast we take you behind the scenes into an Open House for CSL where you’ll meet 2 professionals, a Senior User Researcher and a Lead UX Designer, who worked with Sarah and her team directly to improve their career materials and stand out in the crowded job market. In this episode we’ll dive into the unique structure of the Career Strategy Lab, the proven program that breaks down job searching into manageable sprints, from creating a career roadmap to showcasing your portfolio. Sarah also leads a detailed discussion on the "inverted pyramid" approach for creating impactful portfolios that grab the attention of recruiters and hiring managers. You’ll hear firsthand from CSL alumni, Meg and Craig, as they share their breakthrough moments and mindset shifts that propelled their careers forward. Tune in to this episode to learn strategies for crafting compelling resumes, portfolio headlines, and maintaining progress without striving for perfection. Timestamps 00:00 Exciting alumni experiences, portfolio workshop, Career Strategy Lab. 08:16 Program guides career path through structured process. 11:38 CSL program helps build materials, provides support. 16:39 Career Strategy Lab: Community-focused career development support. 21:50 Mindset calls tackle career-related emotional barriers. 26:58 Experienced in process; not alone finding work. 35:37 Focus on communication strategies for career advancement. 42:20 Inverted pyramid structure delivers info strategically. 47:54 Craft headlines, supporting content, and proof carefully. 50:55 Inverted pyramid structure for effective storytelling and presentations. 57:11 Break down tasks; use templates; weekly support calls. 01:03:18 Career Strategy Lab benefits all career stages. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Are you falling into the trap of getting career advice from too many sources? In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah explores why a piecemeal approach to job searches and career advancement can lead to confusion and wasted time. Join Sarah to discuss the common mistake of piecing together advice from various sources, such as resume reviews, LinkedIn critiques, and one-off coaching sessions, and how this often results in disconnected and conflicting feedback. After listening, we hope you consider a more holistic approach, where your unique goals and situation are taken into account. Key Takeaways: Avoid Conflicting Advice: Gathering input from multiple sources can lead to a lot of conflicting opinions and suggestions, leaving you more confused than when you started. A consistent approach can streamline your path. Tailored Strategy Matters: Just like in physical therapy, personalized plans are crucial. A piecemeal approach may leave you with disconnected advice that doesn’t take your specific goals and situation into account. Long-Term Cost Efficiency: While piecemeal services might seem cost-effective initially, the time and money you spend in the long run—without achieving your goals—can outweigh the benefits. A holistic, personalized approach can provide better ROI. Timestamps 00:00 Piecemeal approaches lead to disconnected and conflicting advice, causing confusion. 03:34 Why individualized professional help yields better results. 09:20 Sending your resume for reviews without providing context leads to conflicting feedback, causes costly rework and delays in job applications prolonging unemployment. 11:14 A piecemeal approach to job searching can be stressful and inefficient. 14:26 Career Strategy Labs' job search accelerator for its holistic approach. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Do you really need 3 to 5 projects in your portfolio before applying for jobs? Could focusing on quantity be a mistake? In today’s episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah explores why the quality of how you discuss your projects outweighs the sheer number of them. In this episode, we'll discuss: - Why “3 to 5 projects” is a myth - Importance of storytelling in your portfolio - How to highlight your thought process and impact - Applying with just one strong project - Actionable steps to strengthen your portfolio Tune in to unlock strategies to boost your career and ensure your portfolio stands out to recruiters and hiring managers. Timestamps 00:49 Quality over quantity matters in portfolios greatly. 05:20 Demonstrate your detailed thought process and decisions clearly. 09:09 Frame your portfolio as an engaging narrative. 10:44 Emphasize storytelling in your portfolio to stand out. 14:21 Prioritize quality over quantity; resources and templates available. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Are you stuck in a never-ending job search and unsure if investing in a career program is worth it? In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah breaks down the real cost of DIY-ing your job hunt and how a 3-month job search accelerator can actually pay for itself. In this episode, you’ll discover three crucial ways to rethink investing in your career. First, learn how the time spent job hunting affects your potential earning and find out why landing a job faster can mean extra cash in your pocket. Second, see how programs like the Career Strategy Lab can lead to significant salary bumps—enough to cover the program’s cost. Finally, explore flexible payment options to make career investments more manageable. Tune in to understand how smart investments can shorten your job search and boost your income. Don't miss the chance to turn strategic career thinking into real financial gains. "If you get hired faster, like in 3 months instead of 6 or 9 or 12, that means you are now earning a salary, which then you can use to do a variety of things. Right? Obviously, you know, pay for your living expenses and such. But you might be able to pay down debt or invest in your retirement portfolio and things like that. And the sooner you can start doing those things, the more time that you have to leverage that principle of compound interest." - Sarah Doody, Host of the Career Strategy Podcast. Timestamps 00:39 Exploring Career Strategy Lab investment vs. DIY job search costs. 03:38 Invest time in career growth for faster, more effective job placements. 06:49 Evaluate job search costs; consider investing in Career Strategy Lab for significant benefits. 12:17 Flexible, interest-free payment plans enable affordable career advancement programs. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Thinking about pausing your job search until after the election? You might want to think again. This episode of The Career Strategy Podcast tackles the common question: Should you wait until political uncertainty settles to move forward in your job search? Get ready to learn why holding off could actually set you back and why companies aren't hitting pause on hiring. The key is to stay proactive and not fall into the "election waiting game” because job markets don't stop for elections and continuing your job search now can give you a competitive edge. Sarah shares actionable tips like updating your resume, enhancing your portfolio, and reconnecting with your network, all of which can set you up for success even during uncertain times. Why wait for a job rush post-election when you can get ahead now? Timestamps 00:45 Businesses are hiring now to meet goals for 2025, independent of political outcomes. Delaying job applications until after elections increases competition. 07:05 Focus on what you can control: prepare your resume, update your portfolio, optimize LinkedIn, build relationships, and start applying for jobs now, regardless of external uncertainties like the election. 08:30 Despite uncertainty in the job market, people are still being hired, especially in UX and product roles, even outside the tech industry. The Career Strategy Lab program helps job seekers build resilience and stand out regardless of external circumstances. 11:41 Job search shouldn't stop for elections; starting now is strategic. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Miss our UX careers workshop from Thu, Sep 26, about how to advance your career with UX and product principles? Or, prefer to listen on the go versus watch the video? Listen to the workshop until Wednesday, October 2! If you want to watch the video or have questions about Career Strategy Lab, just email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Ready to make your resume stand out? In this episode, Sarah walks through a 11-question checklist to transform your resume and boost your chances of landing that dream job. From making sure your bullet points start with engaging action verbs to tailoring your resume for each job application, these tips are straightforward and actionable. You’ll learn: Why columns might hurt your resume's chances in applicant tracking systems, and learn the importance of quantifying your achievements, even if the numbers aren’t huge. Why a one-page resume could be holding you back Why adding space between bullet points is important and so much more… This episode is a must-listen for anyone looking to polish their resume and make a strong first impression with recruiters and hiring managers. Whether you're actively job hunting or preparing for future opportunities, this episode is packed with actionable advice to ensure your resume stands out. Timestamps 00:49 Optimize your resume with these 11 questions. 04:31 Start resume bullet points with unique action verbs. 08:00 Quantify achievements with specific numbers on resumes. 10:11 Use job description titles for better matching. 15:11 Use action verbs and numbers; tailor resume. 17:30 Avoid columns; they confuse applicant tracking systems. 23:23 Avoid "final," AI-related terms in resume filenames. 24:41 Ensure resume readiness using this detailed checklist. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today's episode Sarah shares an incredibly practical and efficient tip that's going to revolutionize your job search strategy: batching. Sarah discusses actionable advice on how to group similar tasks to stay focused and save time, from updating your resume to networking on LinkedIn. She walks you through different approaches and schedules for organizing these tasks & staying accountable through completion, whether on a weekly or monthly basis. If you're feeling overwhelmed by your job search, this might be the game-changer you need to take control and reduce stress in your job search. Timestamps 00:05 Unlocking career success, seeking impact, flexibility, growth, and fair pay. 01:51 Streamline your job search with batching; grouping similar tasks together. 04:05 Effective job search strategies. 06:22 Maximizing job application efficiency by batching cover letters and resumes. 07:18 Protect your calendar, schedule and stick to your job search plan. 08:10 Importance of planning & taking ownership of your calendar for accountability. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Eager to boost your professional growth but struggling to find the time and right flow for your life? Figuring out how to best use your time is a regular topic inside of Career Strategy Lab as we help clients navigate how to focus on progress over perfection while juggling the realities of life. In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares practical strategies to fit professional development into your life regardless of what your calendar looks like. From tips on scheduling dedicated time for growth to managing perfectionism and expectations, you'll learn how to navigate either a jam-packed schedule or, the ample free time a lay-off presents, to invest in yourself. Whether you're balancing a full-time job and other commitments or have an open calendar to focus on growth, this episode provides actionable advice catered to your unique situation. Get ready to uncover the importance of setting priorities, build a supportive community, and break tasks into manageable sprints to maximize your efforts. 00:56 Making time for professional development: actionable tips. 03:46 Schedule professional development with focus and energy. 08:22 Commit to intentional, efficient professional development. 11:25 Break tasks, focus on energy, quality work. 13:17 Prioritize tasks, schedule and say no. 17:31 Learn practical tips for professional development journey. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
A few times a year we open the doors to Career Strategy Lab and host an Open House so prospective clients can learn about the program and get to know some of our clients. In this episode, we’re sharing the audio from our last Open House (it’s an imperfect podcast episode but we think the stories are worth sharing!) During this episode, you’ll hear from three Career Strategy Lab clients (two Product Designers and a Senior UX Designer) on how to tackle mindset issues like imposter syndrome and procrastination as well as how they improved their communication skills and confidence in CSL. Tune in to hear how these three women accepted new job opportunities by applying the “Product of You” framework Sarah teaches in Career Strategy Lab. 02:00 Work meeting, questions, introductions, Career Strategy Lab. 05:26 Enhancing communication skills through enrolling in CSL. 09:08 Focused on single case study with significant impact. 13:01 Surrounding with career-focused community creates accountability. 14:22 Embrace promoting yourself to communicate your value. 18:04 Consistency in touch points shapes brand perception. 23:36 Coaching and CSL sessions significantly improved performance. 25:35 Optimize resume for ATS, keep it simple. 30:33 Mindset calls provided support and guidance. 34:45 Program rekindled confidence and passion for work. 37:17 Allie found his flow; advice on sprints. 40:54 Organize sprints for career roadmap and job search. 43:36 Detailed course materials for career development available. 45:51 Weekly sprint check-ins, events, job alerts available. 49:35 3-month CSL course requires dedication. 51:35 Encouraging self-compassion and growth in career. 55:42 Private questions? Use the email or link. 57:44 Thank you for listening to career strategy podcast. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Navigating a layoff can leave you feeling frustrated, overwhelmed, and scared. In this episode, Sarah will walk you through how everything from feeling your feelings to updating your career materials. This episode offers 9 practical things you can to do feel more in control and to save time as you navigate the journey to finding your next role. And, if you're happily employed, these tips can help you prepare just in case you ever face an unexpected layoff. If you've recently experienced a lay off or spend time wondering what you'd do if you were to be laid off, this episode is for you. 00:00 Allow time to process, evaluate your finances, seek support. 05:37 Update your resume, LinkedIn, then career materials. 08:23 Use LinkedIn's "open to work" setting discretely. 13:42 Personalize messages, be active in communities. 15:26 Posting your vision to leverage visibility. 19:35 Find joy, recharge, and relieve stress. 21:52 The power of helping others. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Struggling with getting responses to your cold messages? Discover a straightforward approach to crafting communication that's more likely to get you a reply. This episode dives into a four-part structure called the GAIN framework, designed to hone your messages to be concise, clear, and effective. Learn why keeping things short is critical and how specificity in your queries can significantly up your chances of receiving the response you need. Plus, avoid common mistakes like overly long messages or unclear intent that might be sending your emails straight to the ignored pile. Want more support? Grab our communication swipe files and so much more inside of Career Strategy Lab. 00:00 Be clear, concise, and specific in messaging. 05:45 Use strong anchor when reaching out professionally. 09:18 Efficient email communication framework for networking. 10:32 Use GAIN framework for clearer, impactful messages. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Unlocking potential in your career can often feel like a maze with no clear exit. This episode takes you inside one of our weekly Q&A calls that we do with our Career Strategy Lab clients. These calls allow our Career Strategy Lab members to come together in real-time to talk through their wins, struggles, and questions. Forget edited scenarios; you’re getting the raw and real questions that our clients grapple with, and the practical advice provided by our expert coaching team. In this episode of the Career Strategy Lab, you'll hear from individuals in different stages of their UX careers as they tackle challenges like articulating work, determining the ideal number of bullet points for their resume, and curating a UX portfolio with just the right amount of case studies. The discussions delve into whether it's better to stick to a career path closely or to pivot when unique opportunities arise, even if they don't perfectly align with long-term goals. Have questions? Join us in Career Strategy Lab to get your questions answered and career materials critiqued! 00:00 Tips to improve your "about me" or what we refer to as a Compass Statement 03:39 Suggest 2-3 bullet points, vary by content and context. 08:47 Portfolios vary, no set limit. Tailor to showcase skills. No one-size-fits-all. 10:33 Submit assets after going through the curriculum to match CSL standards, avoid quadruple work for feedback. 16:07 Discussion about decision-making mindset and past experience parallels. 20:22 People are encouraged to share and listen to others' experiences for support. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
🎁 Get your free e-book, The Career Strategy Roadmap Tired of the usual hustle of trying to make more connections without truly connecting? This episode of The Career Strategy Podcast cuts through the networking noise, offering a breath of fresh air with simple, down-to-earth strategies for building meaningful career relationships. In this ep, Sarah shares a quarterly plan for deepening ties with professionals who align with your goals and interests. By establishing clear career objectives, creating a targeted contact list, and fostering conversations beyond social media likes, you'll learn how to make every interaction count. 00:00 Strategic tips for building relationships at work. 03:51 Create list of active platforms, engage intentionally. 06:13 Nurture relationships with check-ins and engagement. 09:15 Thank you and stay connected for more. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, we explore the impact of first impressions on LinkedIn and why complaining on the platform during a job search may not be the best approach. Sarah discusses the downside of posting negative content and offers practical tips for job seekers to make a positive first impression. Tune in to gain insights into alternative ways to express frustrations and job-related interests on LinkedIn. 🎁 Get our free e-book, The Career Strategy Roadmap 00:00 LinkedIn users complain about job search treatment. 03:13 Negativity in posts can affect job prospects. 08:49 Engage and share insights for professional growth. 10:23 Share insights on LinkedIn for positive impression. 13:55 Spots available now, advance your career! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
👉 Get your free UX Career Roadmap Navigating the job market can feel like a maze. In this episode, Cheryl Platz, a seasoned UX professional, lays out a map for job seekers to present themselves effectively. Cheryl shares with Sarah her own job search experiences, sharing insights on how to adapt to feedback and connect with interviewers. She stresses the importance of engagement on platforms like LinkedIn, and how sharing genuine content can open unexpected doors in your career. Additionally, this episode delves into the process of evaluating portfolios, the critical skill of storytelling in interviews, and strategies for career transitions. Hear personal anecdotes on maximizing LinkedIn and tips for your first day and the first 90 days in a new role. Whether you're starting, switching, or advancing your career, this discussion provides practical advice for making the right moves on your professional journey. 05:33 Post-9/11 economy disrupts computer science career. 07:53 Diverse skills: production, writing, UX, game design. 11:30 Transition from Gates Foundation to Riot leadership. 14:40 Focus on strengths, strategize for interview success. 17:23 Incorporating gaming experience into professional interviews. 20:32 Engage with community, share work, mentor. 23:29 LinkedIn as a career tool; use wisely. 28:46 Flipping hiring practices, vetting applicants for interviews. 30:40 Prioritizing criteria and quality in portfolio evaluations. 34:20 Specific criteria for job search impact assessment. 36:31 Celebrating wins and saving companies money is important. 40:38 UX designers must design for others, not themselves. 44:29 Presentation foreshadows potential client meeting behavior. 47:39 Evaluating skills, problem definition, and case studies. 51:15 Start by learning, absorb, set goals, learn rhythm. 54:24 Quick social media post leads to resolution. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
You are the leader of your career. In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Erin Lindstrom, a seasoned CEO and CSL coach, reveals the strategies for becoming the leader of your own career. Diving into the idea that waiting for motivation is a trap, she stresses the importance of creating routines and structures tailored to your personal life. Erin challenges listeners to rethink their approach by stepping into the CEO role of "The Product of You." It's not just about job performance; it's about shaping a career that truly fits the life you aspire to have. Listeners will learn to take command of their career journey by knowing their worth, making strategic decisions like a CEO, and managing their internal team of one with confidence. The discussion also tackles imposter syndrome by calling for a balance of humility and assurance. Erin demystifies the concept of motivation, showing how action breeds the drive to succeed, and underscores the power of self-recognition in your professional progress. Whether you're navigating uncertainty, wrestling with self-doubt, or simply looking to refine your career strategy, this episode offers practical tips and relatable advice to guide you forward. Tune in for a realistic roadmap to cultivating the mindset you need to design, market, and propel your career—and ultimately, yourself—towards your goals. 00:00 Crafting, marketing, and selling yourself for success. 03:32 Discussion about career development, CEO roles, and support. 09:57 Strategies for self-managing work and decisions. 13:17 Recognize and manage internal and external roles. 14:40 Struggling with progress, seeking recognition and validation. 19:58 Embracing confidence leads to humble self-assurance. 21:27 Boost confidence by owning gifts boldly, acknowledge achievements. 26:22 Reflect on past experiences, consider current capacity. 30:38 Take action to start the motivation cycle. 31:50 Track effort, progress to boost motivation cycle. 35:05 Effective communication through asking and answering questions. 40:04 Navigating self-doubt and growth in career. 41:43 Professional outcomes, powerful storytelling, identity formation, human experience. 46:06 Likability and openness matter in professional interactions. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah delves into the intriguing concept of career compound interest. She draws parallels between smart financial decisions and strategic career moves, emphasizing how small investments in your career today can yield significant results over time. Sarah discusses three key areas for creating a compound interest effect in your career: investing early, negotiating wisely, and building authentic relationships before they are needed. She offers actionable advice and real-world examples, highlighting the importance of proactive career management. Tune in to gain valuable insights into unlocking exponential success in your professional journey. 00:00 Early investment in time and career important. 03:35 Update LinkedIn profile before starting job search. 07:08 Negotiating is crucial for long-term salary. 10:58 Build authentic, small professional network early. 14:20 Negotiate wisely, network for success, career roadmap. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today's episode, CSL Coach, Erin Lindstrom, takes over the podcast to dive into the common mindset challenges that arise when professionals start working on their portfolios. Erin discusses the emotional and psychological barriers that can make the process feel overwhelming, and she provides practical guidance on how to move through these challenges. She emphasizes the importance of self-awareness, a structured process, and being part of a supportive community. Erin's insights shed light on the deeper, emotional side of portfolio creation, offering valuable advice for anyone navigating their career advancement. So, grab a cup of coffee and join us as we explore how to overcome portfolio mindset hurdles and take charge of your career growth. 00:00 Framework benefits all career stages, freelance leverage. 03:42 Erin Lindstrom discusses challenges in creating portfolios. 07:07 Avoiding grief from toxic work experiences. 12:49 Clarity in design leads to marketing success. 16:09 Community support boosts motivation and success. 18:27 Email for help, focus on portfolio storytelling. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares actionable advice on how to stand out in your career by applying a sales strategy to your portfolio. By understanding the difference between features and benefits, you'll learn how to make a lasting impression through your portfolio, resume, or LinkedIn profile. This episode is a must-listen for anyone seeking to level up their career and leave a lasting impact in the professional world. So grab your headphones and get ready to unlock the secrets to making your career stand out! 00:00 Opportunity to enhance UX portfolio in 3 weeks. 05:23 Companies should focus on benefits, not features. 09:00 Summarize your work with its impact and why. 13:12 Focus on benefits to capture people's interest. 14:17 Closing plea for engagement and feedback. Goodbye. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah discusses how sprints can serve professionals regardless of whether they're just starting out or seasoned leaders. She addresses frequently asked questions and invites listeners to enhance their presentation skills and make a meaningful impact in their careers by developing their portfolios. If you're looking to elevate your career and master the art of storytelling through an effective portfolio, this episode is a must-listen. 00:00 UX portfolio sprint benefits all career stages. 04:52 Limited VIP spots available for UX portfolio sprint. 09:09 Revive portfolio sprint for improved job readiness. 10:58 Follow framework for year; FAQs about UX. 17:33 Create a timeless portfolio with effective presentation. 19:04 Enrollment closes on March 22, starts March 25. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Let’s dive into the hotly debated topic of portfolio formats. In this episode, Sarah provides valuable insights into the strategic considerations that professionals should keep in mind when considering how to put together their UX Portfolio. Sarah discusses the pros and cons of website portfolios versus presentations and explores crucial factors to consider, such as time, cost, customization, user experience, and accessibility. This episode is a valuable guide in making informed decisions about your portfolio format. Tune in to gain a fresh perspective on this critical aspect of your career development journey. 00:00 Choose portfolio format strategically for the best reception. 05:34 Portfolio not for learning code, consider costs. 07:58 Customize portfolio to match each job's requirements. 12:07 Use job application portfolio for interview presentation. 16:02 Portfolio on website for job opportunities unlikely. 18:38 Follow Sarah Doody on social media, share. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
✨ Reminder → Enrollment's open for our 3-week UX Portfolio Sprint . Doors close on March 22 or when seats are sold out! In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah explores a crucial aspect of the job search process: attention to detail. Drawing inspiration from a surprising source—the band Van Halen's infamous "no brown M and M's" contract clause—Sarah highlights the importance of demonstrating attentiveness in the job search. Through anecdotes and examples, she illustrates how failure to pay attention to crucial details can speak volumes to potential employers. With actionable advice and thought-provoking insights, this episode offers valuable strategies for job seekers to elevate their approach and stand out in a competitive job market. Tune in as Sarah Doody shares valuable lessons on the power of attention to detail in the job search. Timestamps 01:15 How to stand out in the job search 03:24 Testing attention to detail with Brown M and M's. 05:35 Secret words in instructions 06:09 Attention to detail is crucial in job search. 08:41 Thanks for listening, see you next time! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Ever wondered if LinkedIn's "open to work" feature makes you look desperate? In this episode Sarah tackles that question head-on. You’ll learn why professionals using the green "open to work" banner receive more recruiter messages and have higher chances of engaging with hiring managers. Sarah also debunks some myths, explaining why being visible and proactive on LinkedIn can outweigh any potential downsides. Whether you’re considering turning on the green banner or looking for more efficient ways to connect with recruiters, this episode offers valuable insights you won't want to miss. Timestamps 00:22 LinkedIn's open-to-work feature debated; consider intentions. 04:38 "Open to work" boosts LinkedIn engagement significantly. 08:00 "Open to work” boosts LinkedIn job visibility. 12:22 Be cautious of LinkedIn advice, consider benefits. Resources Mentioned 3 Tips To Announce You're 'Open For Work' On LinkedIn 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Struggling with updating your UX portfolio? This episode of the Career Strategy Podcast dives deep into UX portfolios and offers practical tips for both seasoned professionals and those switching careers. In this episode, you’ll discover the benefits of customizing your portfolio for each job application and why creating a presentation format might be your secret weapon. Sarah shares advice on aligning your projects with job descriptions, maintaining visibility, and dealing with company policies restricting showcasing your work. Tune in to get strategies for breaking down large projects and understand the significance of making your work easy to digest for recruiters. Whether you're a freelancer or job seeker, learn why making yourself visible on platforms like LinkedIn is crucial. Timestamps 00:00 Updating resumes with years of experience challenges. 06:24 Customize your portfolio to match job description. 09:29 Tailor portfolio to recruiters, case study length. 11:21 Consider UX in all career-related materials. 14:33 Portfolio content: Quality over showing every step. 19:38 Increase visibility for job and freelance opportunities. 22:34 Adding work to your portfolio despite restrictions. 25:10 Conceal sensitive info when discussing healthcare projects. 27:34 Enhance portfolio, career coaching for UX professionals. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Struggling to get responses to your cold emails and messages? This episode of the Career Strategy Podcast dives into practical tips for improving your follow-up game. In this episode Sarah explores why people might not reply and how you can increase your chances of a response without being annoying. Sarah also breaks down a 5-day follow-up cadence and suggests experimenting with specific days and shares a simple and effective template for your follow-ups, ensuring you stay clear and direct. Plus, Sarah shares a handy hack involving TextExpander to make your follow-up process quicker and less stressful. Tune in to learn why you should stick to one communication channel and avoid bombarding your contacts across multiple platforms. Timestamps 01:40 Set expectations, use GAIN framework for replies. 05:55 Limit follow-up to original communication method. 07:07 Create reusable email templates to expedite communication. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today's special episode, we dive into the raw, unfiltered experiences of alumni from the Career Strategy Lab who have recently secured new roles and transformed their careers. Our guests share their personal journeys and the pivotal moments that propelled their career success. From overcoming the fear of posting on LinkedIn to mastering the art of storytelling in portfolios and resumes, this episode highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and structured support. Listen as Senior Product Designer at Contact Monkey, Jamie, Global Head of Product Design & Experience at DSI, Duncan, and Product Designer at Zipline Retail, Jaden, discuss how Career Strategy Lab's curated curriculum and 5-sprint program helped them gain confidence, clarity, and authentic self-presentation in interviews. Whether you're looking to switch careers, enhance your job search strategies, or build a standout portfolio, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-life insights. Stay tuned as we uncover the transformative power of investing in oneself and the invaluable role of a supportive community in achieving career success. Timestamps 03:20 Left previous job, struggled, found new role. 09:00 Laid off while pregnant, found new job. 15:39 Mindset shift in job search for designers. 17:16 Emphasizing self-recognition and value in past work. 22:58 Support and connection in overcoming career challenges. 30:37 Owning your story is important in career. 37:04 Impactful case study sprint improved job prospects. 43:33 Choose best option for best results. 46:28 Investing in career advice paid off well. 55:48 Join strategylab.com/applyv2 for info and updates. 58:30 Course is primarily self-paced with weekly Q&A. 01:03:37 Portfolio important for interviews and confidence boost. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Are you doing enough to stay ahead in your career? In this episode Sarah discusses why you should always be applying, even if you're happy with your job. You’ll learn the two main scenarios where this practice can make a difference and why it's important to apply for jobs right up until you start a new role. Even if you’re comfortably employed, Sarah also shares the benefits of keeping your resume, LinkedIn profile, and interview skills sharp. Tune in for actionable advice on how to take charge of your career and always be prepared for whatever comes next. Quotables “If you're in a job and you really have no plans on leaving, I think it's a very healthy exercise to explore other roles at different companies from time to time." "It's not until you look outside of the confines of your current job that you realize: wait a sec, I really like the structure of this company's teams or these benefits or their salary or their job title or who knows what." Timestamps 00:32 Always apply for job opportunities to grow. 04:45 Applying while employed helps gauge worth, reduces anxiety. 08:06 Use job search tools, set up alerts. Apply. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today's episode, Sarah addresses a crucial mindset shift for your job search: how your ability to communicate can be more important than your qualifications. Often times professionals hyperfocus on their credentials but struggle to convey their value effectively. Sarah explores common pitfalls in resumes and interviews, and actionable tips on improving your communication to boost your job search success. Quotables "Your qualifications don't matter unless you can communicate them, right?" "If you're applying to jobs and not getting interviews it's more than likely a communication problem not a qualification problem." Timestamps 00:15 Resume should have a clear elevator pitch. 03:15 Effective resume tips. 04:10 Self-audits and communication improvement on resumes and job search. 06:57 Aligned messaging during your job search. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today’s episode, Sarah shares how to include numbers on your resume, even if you think you don't have any. Many people believe that only monumental achievements, like saving or making a million dollars, are worthy of metrics on a resume. But that's far from the truth! This episode will walk you through a simple mindset shift from focusing on outcomes to showcasing your processes. Sarah explores practical examples for various roles like user researchers and designers, illustrating how to quantify your work and make your resume stand out. Ready to boost your career strategy and grab that dream job? Tune in. Quotables “When it comes to job applications, change your focus from outcomes to processes." "Many designers say, for example, I created a design system. Well, great! But let's highlight the scope by telling people more about that design system." Timestamps 00:53 Elevate your resume with relevant metrics. 01:39 Examples of process metrics for different roles. 04:34 Including numbers enhances the power of resumes. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
If you're someone with 10, 15, or even 20-plus years of experience in user experience or product roles, this episode is tailor-made for you. Sarah breaks down how experienced professionals like you are still landing great opportunities in diverse industries, the crucial difference between settling and compromising in your job search, how overconfidence can mask underlying fears and why it's essential to embrace modern job search strategies to stand out and succeed. Whether you're looking to climb higher in your current field or pivot to new opportunities, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-life examples to help you strategize and thrive. Quotables "You have to communicate what you have done. You can't just rely on your qualifications." "There is a difference between settling or sacrificing and compromise. And with compromise, you still have the power." Timestamps 00:42 Career climbers: hiring, mindset, imposter syndrome tips. 04:28 Highlight accomplishments, not just qualifications, in resumes. 08:50 Recognizing bills, imposter syndrome, and career challenges. 10:27 Optimize career materials, LinkedIn; mindset essential. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today’s episode Sarah addresses a topic that affects nearly every job seeker: the Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. With so much misinformation and myths swirling around about how ATS works, Sarah spends intentional time cutting through the noise to give you the real story. She’ll break down what an ATS is, how it processes your resume, and why it's crucial to optimize your document for these systems. Sarah also shares actionable tips to increase your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers. If you're in the middle of a job search or gearing up for one, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the complexities of the ATS and land your next role. Quotables “One of the myths out there is that the ATS is a robot rejecting people. And that is not totally true." "You want to be customizing your resume for every job you apply to. Now that does not mean recreating it from scratch every single time. It could mean that you're just rewriting certain bullet points, reordering bullet points, maybe even removing bullet points to draw attention to the bullet points that are more relevant to that job you are applying to." Timestamps 00:28 Applicant tracking systems organize and rank candidates. 04:01 Recruiters and managers make final hiring decisions. 08:37 Applicant tracking systems and self-ranking summary in hiring. 12:43 Understanding applicant tracking systems & its human impact. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today’s episode Sarah shares valuable strategies for analyzing job descriptions in detail, so you understand how to highlight your most relevant skills and experiences. You’ll learn practical tips for tailoring resumes and portfolios to catch a hiring manager's eye by emphasizing specific examples that match job requirements. Sarah also addresses the challenge of being perceived as overqualified and offers insights on presenting yourself effectively regardless of extensive experience. If you’re navigating a job search and wondering how to make your experience count, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help refine your approach and improve your chances of landing interviews. Quotables "It's not about your years of experience. It is about how relevant your experience is." "Read and study the job description and look for things that they've mentioned that you have done and that you have stories to back up the fact that you've actually done those things." Timestamps 00:38 Experience matters less, relevance is key. 05:11 Customize your resume, portfolio to match the job description. 07:55 Relevance over years of experience in hiring. 10:32 Tailor your approach, highlight stories, get interviews. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Struggling to know what to post on LinkedIn during your job search? You're not alone, and this episode has you covered. From sharing your expertise to engaging with people at companies you admire, you'll learn how to boost your visibility and create a strong first impression. In this episode, Sarah shares why posting regularly and thoughtfully can make a difference when potential employers scroll through LinkedIn profiles and gives practical tips on how to curate content, start meaningful conversations, and share valuable resources. You’ll also learn about the importance of engaging with posts from companies where you want to work and how this can influence LinkedIn's algorithm in your favor. Sarah also highlights what not to do, like turning LinkedIn into a place for complaints, ensuring your profile gives off the best vibe. Listen in for actionable advice that could help land you more interviews and get you noticed by the right people. Quotables "The moment someone lands on your LinkedIn profile, they are 1 step closer to getting to know you and maybe seeing how you could be a great candidate for a role they're hiring for, whether they're hiring now or maybe in the future." “When you share your knowledge, you increase your visibility. And when you increase your visibility, you are more likely to be seen and potentially stand out to people hiring or even just people who work at companies where maybe you want to work." — Sarah Doody Timestamps 00:45 Overcome fear of posting on LinkedIn. 03:09 Increase LinkedIn visibility through regular, engaging posts. 07:26 Share expertise by explaining, increasing visibility and standing out. 11:34 Leverage LinkedIn for job visibility and professionalism. 12:57 Leverage LinkedIn for effective job search strategy. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today’s episode Sarah addresses this question head-on! Tune in to learn what Career Strategy Lab offers and how the unique group coaching program and community designed for UX, design, and tech professionals helps clients increase their confidence and achieve their career goals. Sarah also addresses the lack of negative reviews and discusses why some people choose not to publicly share their experiences. If you’ve ever been skeptical or simply curious, this fully transparent episode provides the clarity you need to get a real sense of what’s inside the Career Strategy Lab. Quotables "Whether you are marketing a physical product, a service, or yourself as a candidate, the principles of marketing still stay the same. You still need to do things that help you become more visible as a new business or a new product or a candidate. You need to catch people's attention. You need to make it easy for them to contact you." "I am the marketing firm. And if you want to learn how to market yourself as a candidate, then career strategy lab is going to help you do that." Timestamps 00:39 Addressing the Scam Question 00:58 Understanding Career Strategy Lab 02:36 Handling Negative Feedback 05:58 Marketing Insights and Transparency 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Are you stuck trying to wrap up your UX portfolio because your massive project is taking forever to complete? Today we've got an insightful episode for all the UX designers out there grappling with how to present large projects in your portfolio. In this episode, Sarah discusses the strategy of breaking down large projects into smaller, more manageable pieces, making your portfolio not only easier to complete but also more appealing to recruiters and hiring managers. Tune in to discover how this approach can streamline your job applications and better showcase your expertise. Quotables "It is perfectly fine to break up a very large project into multiple smaller projects for the purposes of your portfolio." "By taking a larger project and breaking it up into chapters, you can all of a sudden have a portfolio with 3, 4 projects in it." "What we want is to show the recruiters and hiring managers the evidence, the examples, the receipts." Timestamps 00:32 Introduction to Career Strategy Podcast 00:38 Handling Large Projects in Your UX Portfolio 01:40 Breaking Down Large Projects into Smaller Sections 04:33 Tailoring Your Portfolio for Job Applications 07:38 Conclusion and Final Tips 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Get ready to transform your approach to feedback! This episode delves into the art of giving and receiving critiques on career materials. Career Strategy Lab Coaches Erin Lindstrom, Becca Santilli, and Steph Knox share their extensive experience from reviewing thousands of resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles. They discuss the importance of being specific when asking for feedback and how staying mindful of your goals can make the process more effective. Learn how different methods, like live sessions and prerecorded critiques, can help boost your confidence and refine your materials. Whether you're looking for a new job or aiming for a promotion, this episode will guide you to get the best feedback possible. Tune in to discover actionable tips that ensure you get the feedback you need to succeed. Reflection Questions 1. What strategies do you typically use when asking for feedback on your career materials, and how can you apply Erin, Steph, and Becca's advice to improve your approach? 2. How do you handle receiving conflicting feedback from different sources, and what steps can you take to discern which feedback is most valuable to you as suggested in the podcast? 3. Erin mentioned the importance of building the skill set to improve any career material bullet point in the future. What specific skills or actions can you focus on to enhance this ability in your own career development? 4. Considering Becca's point about the importance of the compass statement in gaining clarity and confidence, how would you articulate your own compass statement, and in what ways might it serve as your North Star in your career journey? Time Stamps 00:00 Introduction and Special Guests 00:11 Understanding Feedback in Career Strategy Lab 00:42 Demystifying the Critique Process 01:30 Meet the CSL Coaches 03:17 The Critique Process Explained 04:50 Personal Critiquing Processes 06:07 Importance of Compass Statement 09:45 Live Calls and Community Support 11:36 Tips for Asking Feedback 16:12 Your Next Steps 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Want to stand out in your job search? In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah breaks down the AIDA framework, a four-part methodology used by top companies to capture your attention and spark action. In this episode, you’ll learn how AIDA can be applied to your resume, LinkedIn profile, and even cold emails to potential employers and discover how small changes in how you present your skills and experience can make a big difference in holding a recruiter’s interest and getting that coveted interview. Whether you’re just starting to update your career materials or deep into your job search, these tips will help you think more strategically and communicate more effectively so you get noticed, book more interviews, and are offered more roles. Quotables "The process of you getting hired is very similar to the process of you going and buying that new pair of shoes or booking that hotel." "The goal is that something about your resume catches their attention, and to do that we need to create a resume that makes you stand out from other candidates." "Be thinking, what am I doing to capture attention, interest, desire so that they take action?" Timestamps 00:56 Interest leads to desire, prompting action ultimately. 03:58 Effectively capturing attention and generating action is the goal of your career materials. 09:11 Be mindful of how you’re taking action. 12:05 AIDA has been around for a while, it’s time to apply it to your job search, 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Reminder → Enrollment's open for our 3-week UX Portfolio Sprint . Doors close on March 22 or when seats are sold out! Feeling worried about explaining career breaks in your resume? You're not alone. In this episode, we debunk the myth that work history gaps are a red flag to hiring managers. With insights from LinkedIn's research, we show how normalizing these breaks is increasingly accepted. In this episode: ➡️ Discover how LinkedIn's career break feature can help you openly represent time off and translate the skills gained during your break to potential employers. ➡️ Learn why embracing your career journey, from caregiving to dealing with pandemic waves, is an asset. ➡️ Dive into why it's crucial to align with companies that value your experiences, and how to spot these opportunities. Ready to reframe your perspective and feel empowered about career breaks? Then this episode is for you. Share it with someone who might be worried about their breaks too! 00:00 Gaps in resume are not a red flag. 05:10 Value career breaks, don't hide them. 07:07 Pandemic normalized career breaks, shift mindset, share. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Reminder → Enrollment's open for our 3-week UX Portfolio Sprint . Doors close on March 22 or when seats are sold out! Welcome to episode 55 of the Career Strategy Podcast which is a compilation of Sarah’s Job Search Series! Navigating a job search can feel like a lonely journey, but it doesn't have to be. In this episode, we unpack practical strategies to refine your job hunt and stand out to employers. We start by exploring the importance of defining your "career value criteria" (CVC)—a personal checklist beyond job title and salary that includes factors like company culture and growth opportunities. Get insight on making intentional choices, tapping into your community for better job leads, and why quality trumps quantity in your applications. Facing rejection? In this episode you’ll earn how to turn setbacks into growth and recognize when to tweak your approach. Instead of sending out masses of resumes, find out how targeted communication with key people can open doors that job boards can't. And when it comes to interviews, we discuss how presenting your past projects effectively can make all the difference. Let’s dig in to how creating genuine connections within companies is crucial, not just for the job at hand, but for your career trajectory. If you're feeling bogged down by the job search process, this episode offers fresh perspectives and actionable advice to keep you grounded and moving forward. 00:00 Define career value criteria to guide job search. 09:28 Consider company culture, growth opportunities, and travel. 10:55 Define career value criteria to streamline job search. 20:00 Strategic, clear, concise, and friendly cold emailing. 23:52 Leverage LinkedIn for networking and job opportunities. 30:42 Focus on impactful activities, build relationships, customize. 34:33 Pause, review career materials, focus on quality. 40:36 Companies use social media to attract talent. 48:04 Ensure your application materials create strong first impression. 50:40 Reflect on what's working, focus on improvement. 01:01:08 Find community support to navigate career challenges. 01:02:52 Reflect on job search, grow beyond rejection. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Today's episode of The Career Strategy Podcast delves into the topic of ghosting in the job search, shedding light on why it happens and how to cope with it. In this episode, Sarah shares a story from a restaurant manager's perspective, emphasizing that ghosting isn't a one-sided issue and is often not intentional. This episode offers practical advice, encouraging listeners not to take ghosting personally, and to take proactive steps to gather context and follow up with potential employers. 00:00 Dealing with ghosting in the job search. 03:49 Ghosting may not always be intentional in hiring. 07:54 Follow up for information, keep it concise. 12:34 Control negative thoughts, focus on what's manageable. 13:45 Reframing ghosting in the job search. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Looking to stand out in job interviews and extend your visibility after the meeting? In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares practical tips for making a lasting impression post-interview. ➡️ Learn how to craft follow-up messages that are personal and specific, ensuring that you stand out among other candidates. ➡️ Find out why creative follow-ups not only make you memorable but also prompt asynchronous interviews, elevating your chances of getting noticed. ➡️ Understand the importance of jotting down key discussion points after each interview to create impactful follow-up messages. ➡️ Dive into a short, succinct episode that reveals actionable strategies for boosting your interview game, making you a standout professional in a competitive job market. ➡️ Discover how small, thoughtful gestures can significantly impact your job search. Join Sarah in unlocking the potential of post-interview follow-ups to propel your career forward and please leave a review if you find this episode helpful. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Feeling stuck in your career or job search? Overwhelmed by the unknowns? This episode of The Career Strategy Podcast offers a practical tip to help you regain control and make intentional decisions. By focusing on what you can control rather than fixating on outside factors, you can move forward with clearer direction. Learn how to strategically apply to jobs, improve the quality of your application materials, and leverage your network for a competitive edge. Take charge of your attitude and choose who to listen to, minimizing information overload. 00:40 Tips to make clearer, intentional decisions in career. 04:31 Focus on what's within your control. 10:34 Balance information gathering with taking actionable steps. 11:51 Share and discuss to help get unstuck. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Get ready to take control of your career with a 15-minute annual review! This episode is designed to help you reflect on the past year and set intentions for the year ahead. The questions shared in the episode will guide you through a simple yet impactful review of your accomplishments and aspirations. Sarah suggests sharing this exercise with a friend for accountability and fresh perspectives. By focusing on what you did last year, what went well, what to stop and start doing, and the conclusions you reached, you'll gain clarity on your short and long-term goals. Click here to get Sarah’s annual review workshop for just $29! The episode also offers a valuable resource to dive deeper into the annual review process, providing practical tools for strategic career and life planning. Whether you're seeking career growth, work-life balance, or simply a clearer focus, this episode will equip you with actionable steps to steer your career in the right direction. Tune in to kickstart a mindful and intentional year ahead! 02:02 The 5 review questions to ask yourself this year 03:07 Reflect on past year experiences, assign emojis. 08:16 Identify valuable conclusions, visualize 2025, align decisions. 10:29 Reflect on past year to improve 2025. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, guest host Erin Lindstrom takes over to tackle the topic of imposter syndrome. Erin delves into the origins of imposter syndrome and acknowledges the societal constructs that have contributed to its prevalence, particularly for women and people of color. Erin provides insights into overcoming imposter syndrome from a mindset perspective and highlights the importance of building humble confidence to navigate career challenges. She offers practical advice for individuals at different career stages, such as climbers, switchers, and launchers, and emphasizes the significance of collaborative action and leveraging personal experiences. Erin invites listeners to reflect on their own confidence spectrum and challenges them to explore the boundaries of humble confidence. A message of empowerment and personal growth resonates throughout the episode, providing valuable takeaways for individuals seeking to overcome imposter syndrome in their careers. 00:00 Addressing systemic barriers to leadership, overcoming doubt. 05:19 Overcoming imposter syndrome and self doubt. 09:02 Approach with humble confidence for success. 10:51 Coping mechanisms and building humble confidence. 14:18 Free masterclass on CEO mindset shifts. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This episode origninally aired on the Ironhacks Podcast! Check out Ironhack's awesome resources here! In this episode, we discuss building a robust UX portfolio, mastering personal growth, and overcoming imposter syndrome in the tech industry. Join us as we explore the power of positive thinking and the significance of planning your career roadmap. Don't miss our expert insights into the evolving digital landscape and the impact of human connections in today's virtual world. 0:00 Sarah Doody lives in Salt Lake City, Utah. 05:08 Workshop and portfolio for experienced UX professionals. 09:40 Imposter syndrome in different career transitions. 12:45 Discussion about a book on neuroscience concepts. 13:46 Positive thought is powerful but requires effort. 19:27 Important decision-making requires thoughtful contemplation despite busyness. 23:39 Self-reflection on growth and learning opportunities. 25:28 Career Strategy Lab: Career as a product. 29:25 Boot camp feels like yesterday, time flies. 31:45 Interview process remains consistent, adapt to remote. 35:09 Spoke at the Front Conference in Zurich. 38:01 Community involvement can give false sense of progress. 41:38 Being vocal in communities, extroverted vs. introverted. 45:03 Social media's impact on career strategies. 49:45 Focus on fixing company hiring and UX. 53:40 Advocate for mindset and enforcing it. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This episode originally aired on the Honest UX Talks Podcast. 🗂 instagram.com/honest_ux_talks This conversation ranges from learning how to position oneself strategically in the competitive job landscape to the art of finessing career materials such as resumes and portfolios. Sarah shares innovative strategies for treating your job hunt as you would a UX project, emphasizing tailored applications, meaningful networking, and the human touch in technology-driven processes. With real-world examples and actionable advice, Sarah addresses common pitfalls and how to craft your narrative beyond checkbox portfolios. Whether you're an aspiring designer eager to break into the industry or a seasoned pro looking to pivot your approach to job applications, today's conversation promises to arm you with the tools you need for success. Tune in as we dissect the fundamentals of creating standout UX portfolios, crafting personalized cover letters, and navigating hiring practices that truly resonate with employers in diverse industries and geography. 01:01 Accidental journey into UX careers, coaching, portfolio. 05:33 Companies hired more despite pandemic; user experience. 09:17 Post-program challenges: job search, self-marketing, competition. 13:15 Focused on career education and personal branding. 17:29 Candidates should consider opportunities beyond fang companies. 21:19 Understanding and empathy for companies in hiring. 24:39 User research portfolio: demonstrate, not just state. 27:56 Portfolio doesn't need every UX process tick. 29:10 Boot camp presentations aren't suitable for portfolios. 32:18 Apply to fewer jobs with more care. 35:21 Customize cover letter, resume, and portfolio strategically. 39:06 Personalize experiences, prioritize people over platforms. 43:03 Effective communication: question, connection, and relevance. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This show was originally aired on the NN/g UX Podcast hosted and produced by Therese Festenden. In this episode we dived into the heart of what makes a truly rewarding career – it's not the flashy title or the next paycheck, but the fulfillment you get from the impact you create and the skills you bring to the table. Therese and I talked about curating a portfolio that reflects real-world problem-solving, not just textbook processes, and the value of strategic thinking for career advancement. If you're chasing job satisfaction and meaningful projects in your UX journey, tap into your inner problem spotter and embrace every opportunity to learn and adapt. Remember, it's about making your role work for you, building a career that resonates with your passion, and planning ahead. Learn more about NN/g here: nngroup.com 047: Crafting a Fulfilling UX Career Beyond Titles and Salaries 00:50 Sarah is self-taught in information architecture, focused on research. 03:46 Multiple self-administered titles, significant impact on career. 09:21 Transitioning careers requires self-education and confidence. 10:55 Acknowledging undervalued experiences in transitioning professionals. 14:06 Reassess goals and expectations when seeking UX work. 20:02 Encouraging individual research and skill development. 22:51 Regret over past portfolio choices, advice valuable. 23:56 Portfolio must reflect perfect UX process requirement. 27:26 Prioritizing efforts based on experience and need. 32:47 Focus on fulfillment beyond title and salary. 34:34 Reflect on key experiences to reach goals. 36:29 Embrace strengths, find gaps, present solutions diplomatically. 42:23 Fulfillment comes from meaningful work and impact. 45:14 Listen to podcast, follow Sarah on socials. Share. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This week’s episode is an interview with product designer and Career Strategy Lab alumni, Melody. The job search can be a whirlwind of ups and downs. Melody shares how she kept a level head and used what she learned in our career coaching program to land a job with a company she had already applied to and been rejected from! Listen to hear the real experiences, obstacles, and victories of a CSL Alumni! 00:38 A quick intro with Erin 02:21 Let’s meet Melody! 04:28 Interaction design is the future of design 08:31 The CSL crossover of art and business 11:15 The frustrating job search before joining CSL 15:07 Well made career materials can carry you a long way 19:43 The job search roller coaster 23:12 Keep applying, it can work out! 26:36 Melody’s tips for keeping a healthy mindset! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this "Open House" episode, we're joined by Career Strategy Lab alumni, Laura, Malavika , and Carlos, who each have their unique stories of transformation and success to share with you. Laura, a product designer at Cisco in Miami, shares her journey through the lab and the remarkable turnaround from nearly 60 job applications to landing interviews and a coveted job offer. Carlos talks about his career aspirations, the battle with rejection, and the momentous shift he accomplished with the help of CSL, now finding his groove at Covenant Eyes. And Malavika, whose persistence and newfound confidence through CSL led her to stand out among over 800 applicants to join Health Equity as a senior UX designer. We discuss the value of experience, the importance of maintaining consistency, and the courage to confidently wait for the right job opportunity. 05:32 Deciding to switch jobs, facing role mismatches. 08:02 Job search frustration transformed by mentor program. 11:39 Gained confidence, stood out in designer career. 13:05 Rejection letter led to self-confidence and clarity. 19:03 Contract to full-time transition at Cisco. 22:58 Structured, relevant case study impressed interviewers. 24:55 Preparing to document for future case studies. 29:40 Fear of not landing job or mentorship. 30:57 Facing hesitation but achieved good investment outcomes. 36:19 Challenges for career switchers in framing experience. 39:57 Excitement for career strategy lab and alumni feedback. 42:53 Hiring doesn't slow down during holidays. Be ready to apply for jobs at any time. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This week’s episode is hosted by CSL Coach Erin Lindstrom with special guest, Malavika Oak, a CSL Alumni! Tune in to hear what led Malavika to UX and her career journey from working at startups, getting laid off, and with the help of Career Strategy Lab, landing a new role that she describes as a “dream job.” 00:38 Intro with Erin 01:55 Meet Malavika 04:51 Looking for mentorship in the UX world 07:26 Being the only designer at a startup 11:25 Her new role 14:29 Slowly getting better and better at interviews 17:03 Tips for parents and other who are juggling multiple responsibilities 19:25 But why UX? 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Are you using LinkedIn correctly? It’s a social media platform, so be social! This week Sarah talks about how making connections using LinkedIn can not only improve your visibility on recruiter searches AND help you find job openings faster. 01:09 The one thing many professionals forget to do when looking for work 02:08 LinkedIn Recruiter and the algorithm 03:35 You should be posting on your LinkedIn profile 05:25 It’s all about increasing visibility 07:12 Putting your skills and experience on display 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Everyone says that recruiters spend barely any time on resumes, but is that true? This week Sarah shares her tips to keep recruiters engaged so they never spend less than a minute on your resume. After this, be sure to listen to Episode 29 to learn more about the one page resume and how it could be selling you short! 00:19 Spoiler Alert: It’s a myth! 01:07 Put yourself into the shoes of a recruiter 02:52 Consider the design of your resume 05:45 Instead of a list of responsibilities, go into detail, give examples 07:02 What is your conclusion? Myth or No? 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
If you’re considering a career in UX but not sure how you can leverage your previous experience to help you stand out as a candidate we want you to know it’s absolutely possible. In this episode, Sarah talks through how to build a bridge from your current situation to a UX career. 0:55 You may be tempted to apply to lots of jobs 1:24 You might be competing for jobs with people with more UX experience than you 1:49 Here’s how to start thinking strategically about this 2:35 When you do this, your experience gives you a competitive advantage 4:17 You’re not destined to stay in that industry forever if you don’t want to 4:59 Think of it as a stepping stone 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
The internet is FULL of information, but not all of it is as helpful as you may think. This week Sarah speaks to some of the flaws of trusting everything you read and hear online and how to discern if advice is worth listening to. 01:17 What do you do when you have a question? 02:52 Start asking questions about your source! 03:53 Is the advice you’re getting even relevant to today’s job market? 04:57 We tend to worry so much about messing up, that we doubt ourselves. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This week’s episode is a Q&A session with Sarah! Tune in to hear how to start your job search when you’re brand new to UX, looking for opportunities to grow from within your company, and the importance of your portfolio! 01:16 If you’re early in your career, of course you want to apply to everything! 03:01 How do you approach finding your first job? 06:46 Make the most of performance reviews 08:54 Spell. Check. Your. Resume. 10:20 Curate your resume to each job you apply to 12:10 The best way to approach cold emailing? Warm things up! 17:37 How important is a portfolio at the start of your career? Very important. 20:48 Never worked in UX? You still have skills you can use to apply to UX positions. 22:32 How do I use classified work to promote my skills? 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Why aren’t you making the progress you’d like to in your career? 🤔 Maybe, just maybe, you’ve fallen victim to one of the biggest sources of procrastination in the job search? This week, Sarah discusses how sometimes it’s best to stop looking for more info and advice, and just act! If you want to make TRUE progress in your job search, listen in! Also, check out flowapp.info to help keep yourself on track! 01:14 At some point you need to stop seeking information and start taking action 02:04 More information often leads to contradicting information 02:42 Be careful of a false sense of progress, or FSP for short! 04:35 Get into the habit of notice when you’re procrastinating taking action 05:36 At the end of your day, take the time to make a plan of action for tomorrow 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Let’s be real, taking the next step in your career can be exhausting. The process of getting clear on what you want, finding aligned roles, tweaking your career materials, making connections and so on is filled with highs and lows. It’s not uncommon for each rejection or a lack of response to send you into a spin BUT, there are things you can do to manage your emotions, stay regulated, and continue down the path while taking space for the big feelings coming up. In this episode, Sarah dives into the world of feelings to discuss how to manage yours to avoid being TOO negative and/or overly confident. 00:52 Managing your emotions is important for so many reasons 01:58 We need to acknowledge our emotions or they may get in the way! 03:36 What if you’re not in the right state of mind when a big opportunity presents itself? 04:49 You need an emotional outlet 06:06 Rejection shouldn’t define you as a person OR a professional 09:23 Try to accept bad news from potential employers with an air of grace 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Yes or no?! 🤔 Everyone wants to know whether or not it’s recommended to put projects that didn’t launch in their portfolio and if it’s worth talking about during interviews. Here’s the quick version; when creating your portfolio and resume, use every amazing example of your skills you can. Why would you avoid using a project that didn’t go public? If you did the work, then show it off! Launching isn’t the only part of the story. Tune in to episode 36 to learn more about how to talk about your unlaunched projects with power. 00:58 The short answer, yes! 02:00 Stop thinking about why you can’t, and start thinking why wouldn’t you? 04:35 Projects don’t launch ALL THE TIME. 04:58 Be professional. Don’t use an interview to complain about the failed launch. 05:40 A quick recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
During this Q+A, Sarah discusses what your portfolio should look like when you leave a UX bootcamp, how many case studies should you present in an interview, the myth of the one page resume, and so much more! 01:14 The portfolio you created in a bootcamp won’t work with recruiters 05:29 You can’t predict how long you’ll have in an interview, so why not ask? 06:55 Keep your resume chronological 08:40 Employers want experience, they want receipts! 11:32 Work done for confidential clients may still be useful for your portfolio 12:41 The one page resume is the biggest lie ever told 14:52 Setting yourself up for a future job search 18:08 If you want to hear about new jobs, you have to be where the jobs are! LinkedIn 18:55 A bootcamp is not a ticket to a guaranteed job 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
You’ve done all the hard work of searching for a position, crafting your materials, interviewing, and you received a job offer! But then, the unthinkable happens ... the job offer is rescinded or withdrawn 😱 This is a sucky situation to be in and this week Sarah dedicates an entire episode to help you move through it. 01:12 You aren’t the only one this has happened to. 01:53 Ask the company if they have any other open positions you may be a fit for 03:02 Remember, you made it this far. You’re doing something right! 04:24 It couldn’t hurt to see if your old position is open. 06:06 Have a job search strategy that you work year round 07:57 If you optimize your LinkedIn profile, your job search can happen without you 08:50 A quick recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
The screening call with HR is often your first opportunity to connect and leave a lasting impact. Tune into this episode to learn what to expect, how to make a great first impression, and the things to NEVER say during an HR screening interview! 00:55 HR Interviews are where your soft skills can shine 02:39 People will remember stories far more than they're going to remember that you were a fast learner or team player 03:31 Recruiters want to see how you got where you are 05:01 Utilizing the Five Ws of Journalism to answer questions 06:36 Don't start talking about your personal life because it's a distraction from your professional life 08:37 Ask Questions! You know they are going to ask if you have any so make sure you’re ready 11:49 A quick recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
This week’s episode is a Q&A session with Sarah! Tune in to hear the number one thing to do in a saturated job market, how to share case studies that are flagged as confidential, whether or not AI is a threat to UX careers and more! 01:16 Do everything you can to be visible to the companies you're applying to or where you wanna work 06:57 Don’t focus on the quantity of connections, but QUALITY! 11:11 Most people are only scratching the surface of their skills and experience 15:24 AI is not going to replace UX researchers 19:38 How can you use case studies in your portfolio when they’re flagged as confidential? 22:45 Using an educational case study can be tricky 27:56 Be where your potential clients are to stay on their minds 31:41 Relay to the interviewer not just what you’ve done, but the skills you used to do them 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Stop awkwardly approaching people to get career advice and use the strategies from this episode to connect instead! In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah introduces listeners to the informational interview and teaches exactly how to ask for one. 00:58 What is an informational interview? 01:59 Before asking someone, make sure they don’t cover your questions in their public work 03:23 How NOT to start your email 05:36 Tip #1: Breaking the ice 06:28 Tip #2: Be specific 07:57 Tip #3: Give them options for communication 09:38 A quick recap of how to ask for an informational interview 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this interview, Career Strategy Lab Coach, Erin Lindstrom, sits down with Katie Miller, an incredible Senior Researcher who was laid off who generously shares her path to finding her next role. Katie’s story is an amazing one that exemplifies everything that we teach. She shares how she got into UX, how she dealt with the mindset challenges of the job search, and how CSL has helped her land her new role. 03:51 How Katie first got into UX 10:37 The “pedigree” of working at a FAANG company 17:16 What if you stopped replying to every recruiter and focused on the once who are actually looking for YOU 26:15 You can have your best interview and not get the job 34:53 It can be difficult sometimes, but trust that you’re good at what you do 39:24 Make sure to give yourself breaks 46:01 When an opportunity comes to add to your tool box, jump on it 49:29 Inclusivity is important for the research processes to bring a diverse data set 53:11 It all comes down to being your own best salesperson 57:27 Confidence in yourself and your work takes practice but it’s so worth it! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode Sarah discusses the common misconception that your resume should only be one page long If you have a long and accomplished career history, why would you limit your ability to sell your experience? There are many reasons to expand your resume, take a listen and see if you could improve how you sell yourself. 01:17 A one page resume isn’t enough most of the time 03:49 Recruiters and hiring managers want to see receipts of our abilities 06:01 When your resume reads like just an overview of your previous responsibilities, it makes it hard for you to stand out. 07:35 If you’ve received feedback from someone that your resume should only be one page, ask them why! 09:36 I’ve seen so many people in my programs expand their resume to two pages and quickly start getting interviews 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode Sarah discusses how to treat yourself and what you can offer to an employer like it’s a product. Do you know your core features? How are you marketing yourself? Are relationships important to “selling” myself? All these questions and more are answered! 01:16 I really believe that your career has a lot in common with a product and that the reason so many products fail is the same reason 05:23 Products can fail for three reasons:the design, the marketing, and the sales component 07:55 Every day you are trying to get people to buy into different things and the customers are your boss, your co-workers, peers, etc. 10:59 It’s really important that you are doing small things to be marketing and selling yourself to stay visible 11:58 Do you have clarity on your core features? Products have features. You have features. 13:32 Question number one for you to ponder. Are you clear on the “design of you”? 17:55 Building trust with your audience is important. Without it, everything could come crumbling down based on your marketing choices 22:35 Recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
The episode of the Career Strategy podcast features clips from a live Q+A with Sarah. On it, she answers questions about differences in job titles, having a say in product strategy, transitioning from internship to positions, and so much more! 01:01 What is the difference between a UX Designer and Product Designer? 03:58 Should UX designers have a say in the overall product strategy and decision making process? 05:11 UX designers should always be operating from a place of strategy 06:08 Tips or recommendations for getting UX consultant positions after a UX internship. 06:55 Try and expose yourself to many different types of products and many different types of industries. 08:53 UX jobs and other industries 11:17 Is UX strategy something that is marketable today? 15:17 Portfolio tips for people who are changing careers into user experience. 19:38 Is it a bad idea to try and market yourself as a UX researcher? 23:13 Just because you're seeing layoffs doesn't mean companies you've never heard of aren't hiring. 25:31 Are junior roles the best fit for someone transitioning into the world of UX from a design related field like architecture? 28:02 As a career changer, what would be the most important aspect that the employer will see on my portfolio? 28:53 A lot of projects that come outta bootcamps look the same and it's not your fault. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode, Sarah discusses the number one thing holding you back in your career, the benefits of a community, honing in on your goals, and so much more. 01:30 What does advancing your career mean to you? 05:34 What plans do you have in place to get you to your goals? 08:03 Every goal needs a why, a purpose, a motivation 10:00 Set aside some time to map out a plan. What do you need to do to achieve your goal? 11:45 You need a community of like-minded people to help stay motivated 17:28 You have to embody the plan and believe in it 21:00 You can take action without strategy, but eventually you will lose focus and exhausted yourself 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Welcome to part 5 of the 5 part series on the Job Search. In this episode, Sarah discusses what it means when you’re rejected at different points of the hiring process, reflecting on what is working and what isn’t, sparking relationships with employees, and accepting that sometimes rejection is a good thing. 01:35 Let’s jump right into how to deal with rejection in your job search 03:12 You’re not getting interviews, but who is rejecting you? An automatic system or a human being? 05:55 Now you’re getting interviews but still not getting hired. Well you’re doing something right! 08:37 Take a hard look at your skills and abilities and work on presenting them better. 10:57 Don’t compare yourself to the people getting hired, there are many considerations outside of your control 12:44 It can be valuable to build relationships with people at the company before you ever apply 15:20 Remember to go over the positive parts of your job search 17:28 I encourage you to find a community of like-minded people. It can help remind you of your worth in your career search. 19:24 A quick recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Welcome to part 4 of the 5 part series on the Job Search! In this episode, Sarah discusses the importance of researching what kind of work environment a company has LONG before you apply by using social media to your advantage. She covers covers how to discern which sources to trust, how to learn about a company's culture, and how to vet reviews and comments you might find online. In your job search, you do not have time to waste. By researching companies in advance, you'll avoid applying to companies that don't align with what you're looking for and you'll better equip yourself with questions if you apply and do get job interviews! 02:06 Workplace culture is so important because we spend a lot of time and energy at work 03:21 Research Strategy #1: Following employees on professional social media platforms 04:46 Research Strategy #2: Look at the social media presence of the company or your specific department of interest 06:54 Research Strategy #3: Read company reviews and consider reaching out to HR about any concerning reviews you see 09:04 Recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Welcome to part 3 of the 5 part series on the Job Search. In this episode, Sarah discusses why playing the numbers game is not in your best interest as well as how to recognize red flags in your job search, the value of your time and energy, and how to maximize each application you send. 01:34 Multiple times a week people message me, email me and say, Sarah, I've applied to a TON of jobs and not had a single interview. 02:47 A lot of people just simply don't know what to do if they're applying to jobs and they're not getting interviews. 03:53 Reason #1 that you should stop playing the numbers game: It’s a red flag that something isn’t working 05:01 Reason #2 that you should stop playing the numbers game: Time & energy 06:41 Reason #3 that you should stop playing the numbers game: You aren’t concentrating enough on building relationships 08:06 Reason #4 that you should stop playing the numbers game: Your mental health 10:24 Recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Welcome to part 2 of the 5 part series on the Job Search. In this episode, Sarah discusses prioritizing making connections with people, following and engaging with people who work at companies you want to work for (without coming off as a creeper!), cold emailing hiring managers, and how to keep your messaging short and sweet. 01:27 Why you need to prioritize people over platforms in your job search. 03:03 How a lot of people successfully find and apply to jobs through the portal 04:38 Focus on connecting with people because people share about jobs before they ever hit the job boards. 07:12 I wanna go through an example that I saw on LinkedIn last year… 08:19 There's no perfect formula to use or template. You have to be strategic 10:54 You really need to proactively be seeking to create or nurture relationships in your job search. 12:57 If you have not prioritized people in your job search yet, it is not too late. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Welcome to Part 1 of a 5 episode series about the job search! In this series, we'll cover what to do before you apply for a job, why relationships are crucial, why you should NOT play the numbers game, how to research a company before you apply for a job, and how to deal with rejection. In today's episode, Sarah discusses creating your career value criteria so that instead of panicking and taking the first offer you get, you can feel confident that you’re making the right choice. 01:49 The number one thing you need to do before you apply for a job? what this is, is you need to create something that I call your career value criteria. 03:20 If you don't think about these things, guess what? You might end up taking a job that doesn't align with what you want and what you need. 05:03 It can help you leverage one of the biggest superpowers in your job search, and that is your career community. 06:23 Let's imagine you're buying a house… 08:23 So beyond job title and salary, of course, here are the things we need to think about 09:50 A great way to brainstorm this is to think about the past jobs you've had. 11:31 As much as they are interviewing you, you need to be interviewing them. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In today’s episode, Sarah shares a mindset coaching call that the CSL Coaching Team hosted for people interested in CSL to give them a taste of the kind of calls we host on a weekly basis. Each week (and on this call) our coaches discuss a myriad of topics including; your relationship with your past work, confidence in yourself and your materials, and many other challenges you may face while developing your career strategy. Tune in and let us know what you think! 02:00 Introduction 05:42 Sarah speaks about developing your career as the product of you. 09:48 Let’s talk about staying motivated during the job search. 16:48 Layoffs are absolutely happening and we're also seeing a lot of people get hired. 20:54 Consistency is not the same as perfection. 23:26 Jobs are one of those things where there's beginnings and endings and there's often grief. 27:59 The period between finishing an education and building up a portfolio slash publishing that portfolio, what framing recommendations do you have around thinking about this and not getting bogged down? 29:12 How do I work on my confidence in the workplace? I feel scared to contribute to conversations because I'm scared that my ideas aren't good enough. 30:42 Let’s talk about where confidence comes from. 36:04 What happens when we build self-trust? Your confidence goes up because you trust yourself to do your best in this situation. 40:18 “Enoughness” and ageism. 44:06 Rejection and the job search. 49:41 Rejection is excellent data, and it can be hard on our feelings. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Sometimes we can get overwhelmed trying to make our careers into what we want them to be over night. Breathe and remember that your career is a marathon, a journey, and that takes time! This week’s episode was recorded during a long car ride, that helped inspire this episode’s message. During this episode, Sarah recounts her experiences with marathon running, injuries, and the struggles of accomplishing long term goals. She explains how community helps you get where you need to be without the stresses that come with doing it alone. 00:47 If you can't tell, I am not in my regular home studio. I am actually driving in my car across Nevada 02:06 I wanna tell you the story of training and running my first marathon because your career, it's very similar to running a marathon 04:25 I was at the doctor's one day, just like a normal doctor's visit, but I'd always had this weird little bump kind of on my hip. 08:45 I was super proud of my 4 hour and 13 minute debut into marathons, I also thought, man, I think I can do better. 10:18 Between the New York City Marathon and that Toronto Marathon. The difference was for that Toronto Marathon, I followed the pacer and I kept them in my sight for most of the time. 12:05 Having these goals for me in my case running, help me really develop a lot of resilience, a lot of confidence, and have a support system. So that I don't fall into the trap of trying to do it on my own. 14:05 When you try and do things on your own, that's when negativity can creep in. 17:56 If you're struggling in your career right now, I would ask yourself, have I identified the big goal? And is it specific enough? 18:55 Are you trying to be your own coach or could you maybe benefit from a coach? 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
LinkedIn profiles are often not optimized for visibility. They should be treated like web pages, keeping search engine optimization in mind. The right key words can elevate your profile tremendously! Your LinkedIn is its own search engine for recruiters to find out if you fit the position. If your profile is not optimized it will be harder for them to find you. In this episode, Sarah guides you on how to optimize your profile and shares some examples of what not to do. 01:00 LinkedIn is a search engine that recruiters and hiring managers use to find candidates 01:51 The other day I was on LinkedIn and I saw a profile that stopped me in my tracks 04:02 What can we do to help this person write a headline that has more relevant keywords and highlights, unique traits, skills and experience, and help them stand out from other candidates? 05:16 UX researcher with 10 years of experience doing mixed methods research in finance and healthcare with a focus on usability testing and ethnographic interviews. So let's break that down. 07:19 What words, what skills, what phrases would you type into the search box in LinkedIn? 07:49 Recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
It can feel difficult to break into the tech field, or any industry, when you reach a certain age. You may feel like you’re being overlooked for simply your age. Let’s talk about that! This week Sarah discusses the topic of ageism in the tech industry and some misconceptions people have about it. You can’t control your age, so instead you should concentrate on things you can change. Leverage the extensive experience you have. Soft skills learned through a lifetime of work are some of the hardest to obtain. 00:38 Am I too old to get hired in tech or user experience or really any field for that matter? 02:20 So how old you are is not within your control. You can't change that, right? what you can change is how you talk about experience 03:37 If you are a little older and worried about how your age might be perceived by a potential employer, et cetera, I want you to know that with more experience comes more skills and more knowledge. 04:39 Resilience, work ethic and other factors that might make someone a good team member, employee, manager, et cetera. These are skills that someone who might be just starting out in their career might not have developed as much as someone like you. 06:37 I thought it would be just interesting to highlight two people from my career coaching program, career strategy lab who were older and did get hired. 07:04 Ashley was in her sixties when she joined Career Strategy Lab. 08:36 David was in his fifties when he joined Career Strategy Lab 09:58 It costs companies a lot of money to hire employees, and the average cost in the United States is about $4,500 to hire a new employee 11:24 So the three things that I want you to think about concerning ageism in getting hired and in the tech and UX or frankly any industry 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Do you feel like you’re stuck in your career? Maybe you’re bored, or you feel like your skills have plateaued or heck, even your salary has plateaued. Do you see current and former colleagues getting promoted or doing work that you wish you were doing? If so, these might be signs that you’re stuck in your career. So, the big question is, how do you get unstuck? In this episode, Sarah gives you 3 questions to ponder to help you get unstuck in your career. And sidenote, these questions can really apply to ANY situation – both work and personal. Timestamps: 00:55 Introduction 02:39 We're gonna look towards the future to help you create an action plan for how you can get unstuck 03:25 So here are the three questions you can ask yourself to get unstuck in your career 03:54 First Question “Where am I now?” 05:06 How am I feeling? Are you excited every day? Do you dread every day? Do you live for the weekends? 06:00 Second Question “Where do I want to be?” 08:08 Third Question “What is stopping me?” 09:42 Now, this is where the magic kind of happens. After you've made this list of the things that are stopping you, I want you to read back through it and ask yourself, which of these things are truly within your control and which are not within your control? 11:01 “What's stopping me” list in the middle, get shorter and focus on things that you can control and influence. 12:13 And it's important to remember you can't do everything at once. You can't build every skill at once. You can't learn every software at once or get every degree at once. 14:08 Recap 14:32 Outro 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
For many people, maybe even you, job search burnout is real. A recent study by the Pew Research Center found that half of adult job seekers in the USA are pessimistic about their prospects for a new job. A survey by the Pew Research Center found that about half of US adults looking for a job are pessimistic about their prospects for future employment. In this episode, Sarah talks about factors that contribute to job search burnout and some practical tips you can put into practice right now to help you manage and minimize this in your life. 2:07: The Pew Research Center survey said that 53% of people said they felt like they almost lost a piece of their identity during their job hunt. And 56% of people said that they've experienced more anxiety and depression and other mental health issues during a job search. 2:48: Burnout has a ripple effect. 3:31: It's really important to get clear about the things that you can control and the things that you know you can't control. 5:20: You have the control to either apply to multiple jobs every single day, which can add up to hundreds over the course of a job search. Or you cannot play the numbers game and take that approach. 5:44: You can control the quality of relationships and interactions that you're having on LinkedIn and social media and elsewhere. 6:36: Who you listen to for advice and wisdom that's within your control. 7:11: You can't control the quality of job descriptions that are out there. 9:54: There might be some truth to this whole law of attraction thing about how positive thoughts bring positive results to your life and negative thoughts bring negative things to your life. 11:06: Edit who you listen to and who you let influence you. 13:44: Put it on your calendar so you're more intentional about it so that there is a specific time frame around it. 14:20: Have a plan for why you're using social media in your job search. 16:58: Before you jump to conclusions, you have to consider the context. 20:33: A lot of times candidates fixate on this idea of ghosting in the job search. 22:28: Recap our tips for job search burnout. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah goes over some of the common mistakes people make with their LinkedIn profiles and guides you towards creating a more dynamic and memorable profile. Sarah shares: - Creating posts of value, that would create conversation and interaction - How to optimize your profile with strategic language - The two hidden features of LinkedIn that help with visibility 00:21 The problem that I've noticed is that many people don't understand how to really effectively use LinkedIn 01:33 The name of the game here is we need to focus on quality and not quantity. 03:12 Tip #1: the four parts of your LinkedIn profile you must optimize 04:18 The headline is super important because this is heavily factored into the algorithm 08:08 The importance of the about section 10:23 Optimizing your work history 12:28 Five or more skills listed on their skills section are 27% more likely to be contacted by recruiters and hiring managers and talent acquisition specialists. 14:02 Tip number two, two hidden features in LinkedIn to help you be more visible to hiring managers and recruiters. 18:08 Tip number three is you need to strategically increase your visibility with the people and the companies 21:21 Recap 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah does a deep dive into the UX mistakes commonly made with resumes and how to correct them to stand out from other candidates. Sarah shares: Why you need 2 versions of your resume How to use a strategic summary effectively at the top of your resume Using verbs to amp up your bullet points and catch the attention of hiring managers 00:29 Your resume is a big factor in your job search, mainly regarding whether you get an interview or not 01:07 Okay, so let's get into the UX of your resume and some of those myths, and then we will dive into some of those tips as well. 01:42 So at a really high level, there's kind of three users of your resume 02:18 They want to know more than just you tick all the boxes of the job description. 05:41 So let's dive into the UX mistakes that some people are making on their resume 06:49 We need a human friendly version of your resume, and we need one that I call the applicant tracking system 8:51 Your resume, it has to be formatted correctly and it needs to have the right keywords 11:42 The second kind of UX mistake that some of you might be making on your resume is that you do not have what I call a strategic summary sentence at the top of your resume. 13:59 If you do not have a summary statement at the top of your resume, this would be something you could do really quickly today to improve the user experience of your resume 14:37 The third thing that a lot of people get wrong with their resume is that the bullet points in the work experience section sound, frankly, really weak and boring to the reader. 15:43 So how do you stand out? You do it by replacing “what I was responsible for” with specific action verbs. 19:26 If you've been applying to a lot of jobs and maybe not getting interviews, Start with your resume 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Although a job offer is an exciting accomplishment, don't let your judgment be clouded by the salary or other shiny objects. In this episode Sarah shares reflection questions to ask yourself when you get an offer to determine if it’s the next best step for you as well as steps to follow when you determine it’s not. Timestamps: 0:09: Don’t let your judgment be clouded by the salary or other shiny objects. 0:49: The goal today is for me to share how to decide a job is right for you or not so you can reduce the risk that you accept a job and then realize a few weeks or months later that it's actually not right for you. 1:30: Many people who work in tech are obsessed with working at a FAANG company. 2:13: Q1: Does the offer set you up for the role you want? 2:52: Q2: does the job align with your values and deal breakers? 3:51: Q3: What would my day-to-day look like and does that work with my lifestyle? 4:45: If you know the role is not right, let someone know and do this sooner than later. 4:53: Keep it brief and don't feel compelled to give extensive reasons about why you no longer wanna proceed with the interviews or the offer. 5:11: A simple note to the effect of, I've decided to pursue other opportunities is completely fine. 5:22: You never have to feel guilty about declining a job offer or removing yourself from the interview. 5:55: A job offer should boost your confidence and signal that together, your resume, your LinkedIn and your interview skills did a great job at communicating your skills and experience. 6:10: Take time to reflect on your job search and interview process that got you to this point. Write down anything you think that went well or that you do differently next time. 6:31: If you don't write it down, you will most likely forget when the next time comes around for job interviews or a job search. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
What would change if you treated your resume and portfolio as products? What would an MVP look like? In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares how to beat perfectionism and get solid versions of your resume and portfolio out into the world. 0:30: Is it possible that your resume portfolio isn't ready because of the bar you've set for yourself? 0:55: In this quest for perfect, it's easy to pass on applying to lots of awesome job opportunities. 1:40: I want you to think of your resume and portfolio as products. 2:19: The bar to stand out is low. 2:59 There’s a good chance you’re focused on the wrong details. 3:31 You should have two versions of your resume, one for people and one for the ATS. 3:40: Resume Tip 1: don’t try to make your resume 1 page. 4:07 Resume Tip 2: Don't start the bullet points in the work experience section with vague statements. 5:18: Resume Tip 3: Don't over-design or under-design your resume. 5:34: You don't want the design of your resume to literally distract the reader from the content. 6:01: You need to be consistent with font sizes and use headings to draw attention to different sections of your resume. 6:13: Put space between each bullet. 6:55: Portfolio Tip 1: Number one, don't skip context. I cannot emphasize this enough. 7:36: Portfolio Tip 2: Don’t just skip screenshots. 8:34: In addition to annotating the screens, you should label them so that people know what screen this. 8:51: Portfolio Tip 3: Don't write your portfolio like you're writing answers to a UX exam. 10:30: Get someone who knows what they're talking about to give you feedback. 11:54: Don't just say, “what do you think of my resume?” Instead, be more specific with your questions. 13:27: Set aside time to re-listen to this episode. 13:40: After you do that, then identify two quality people who you could ask to review your resume or portfolio. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Many candidates obsess over job titles, salaries, or having a certain company on their resume, and as a result, they often turn a blind eye to other things that can have a bigger impact in their career in the long term. In this episode, Sarah shares 3 things to consider that many people miss. 1:02: When thinking about their next career. Most candidates aren't thinking long-term enough. 2:04: If you know you wanna get into management or get more specialized, that should inform your next career move 2:22: Some roles help you build a foundation to help you get to where you wanna be in the future. 2:37: Strategy isn’t always linear 3:14:: The phrase “there’s a time to learn and a time to earn. 3:51: Consider the skills you need to gain or experience gap to fill in order to be the best possible candidate after this next job. 4:02: It is not enough to know what job you hypothetically want five years from now. You have to think about the specific skills and experience that you'll need to actually acquire between now and then. 4:07: Spend more time searching for job descriptions that describe jobs you want in the future. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
"Playing the numbers game isn't a strategy; it's a recipe for burnout." In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah debunks the popular advice to apply to as many jobs as possible and shares a more effective way to land the career of your dreams. Timestamps: 0:19 Congrats on getting hired, Tessa! 1:42: Why would you keep applying if you haven't received an interview after 30, 50, 100 or more roles applied to it? 2:16: You should not play the numbers game in your career. 2:34: The numbers game is not a strategy. It's a recipe for burnout. 3:39: Another problem with applying to tons of jobs is that you probably won't have time to customize your resume and cover letter for each job you apply to. 4:50: Cover letters are not dead. 4:57: Stop focusing on the quantity of jobs applied to, and instead focus on applying to fewer jobs, but more of the right jobs for you. 6:06: Write these down! I will not play the numbers game in my job search and I will not gamble with my career. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Career Switchers are incredibly well positioned for jobs in tech but so many of them don’t realize it. In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares 3 common mistakes career switchers make and how to avoid them. 0:31: Today I'll share some tips for career switchers to stand out by avoiding some common mistakes and mindset traps. 0:50: I want you to know that as a career switcher, you are not starting from scratch. You don't need to start from the bottom. So stop assuming you'll get hired into a junior role and need to work your way up or take a pay cut. 1:12: Skills like communication, critical thinking, writing, teamwork, and dealing with conflict are TIMELESS. 1:30: Companies who are hiring don't just look for candidates who know all the right software or methodologies, because these things can be taught much faster than soft skills. 1:58: Number one, stop hiding your experience because you don't think it applies and is connected. 2:05: As a career switcher, you have a major advantage over many candidates. 2:28: How to leverage your previous experience on your resume and LinkedIn profile. 4:07: Number two, stop waiting for the perfect job and strategically apply. Rejection is okay. 4:35: Launch early and launch often. This applies to your job search too. 5:48: Applying to jobs is a test. It's an experiment to see if your resume, LinkedIn, et cetera, can get you an interview. Rejection in your job search is feedback. 6:04: Rejection is not a definition of your self worth or a signal that you're doomed in your career or your life. 8:43: Number 3, Three, don't skip the portfolio because you don't think you have anything to put in it, and don't go spend weeks or months making fake projects. 6:44: Remember, just because you have not held a job with the literal word UX in the job title (or whatever job title you want in the future) does not mean you haven't been doing these things already. 7:36: A portfolio is not just meant to showcase the hard skills involved in the job you want next. 7:53: Software changes and can easily be taught, but skills like these are timeless and take much longer to learn. So highlighting these skills might give you an edge over other candidates. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
If you’ve ever considered joining CSL (or any career development program, really) you’ve likely wondered if it’s for YOU. In this episode, Sarah shares reflection questions to ask yourself to help discern if investing in a program is right for you. 1:20: Today I want to invite you to consider three questions to ask yourself instead of this common question 2:14: In design, we rely on research to make decisions all the time, and it's smart. 2:44: There is probably no perfect case study. No perfect example I could give you that is going to fully convince you that this will work for you. 3:45: Everyone has different circumstances and skills and variables and strengths that. Impact how they got to their end result. 4:38: The 3 types of people we support in CSL. 5:38: How to get access to the 4C Training. 6:20 Imagine we're in a workshop together and I want this to be very interactive. So grab a piece of paper, pause this if you need to. 6:50 I want to invite you to take a moment and do a quick little career assessment, if you will, and think about your career story so far. 6:58: How did you get to where you are today? 7:45: Notice what comes up as you start to think and reflect on your career story so far. 9:18: Question number one is, what are other times in your life or career when you've taken on some type of challenge and come out successful on the other side? 9:56: Question two is what other projects have you started and actually gotten your desired result? 10:41: Think back and imagine how you felt when you actually did those things right? That's gonna give you some confidence that you can do hard and challenging things in the future. 10:54: The third question I want you to ask yourself is, what is an example of something else you've learned? 12:21: When you have evidence from yourself about you, that you have the right character traits to do stuff, and you combine that with the testimonials of people similar to you then I can say with confidence that Career Strategy Lab, or frankly any other program or thing you do in the future, it will likely work for you. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Getting chosen for an interview means you're doing something right. But, if you’re not getting callbacks or offers, then there are likely specific things that you can tweak when it comes to what you’re sharing and how you’re sharing it. In this episode, Sarah talks through her Job Search Checkpoint Methodology to help show you how to analyze what may need to change and put the shifts into practice. 0:41: In 2021, Pew Research Center did a study with 715 US adults and found one third said they felt more stress than usual, and 56% said they experienced more emotional or mental health issues while unemployed. 1:23: A directionless job search where you simply play the numbers game sets you up for rejection and self-sabotage 1:51: Today I want to share something I created, my Job Search Checkpoint Methodology. It's helped countless clients of mine get hired at top companies without applying to hundreds of jobs. 2:05 Imagine your job search has four steps, just for the sake of simplicity and discussion. Step number one is applying to jobs. Step two is the initial screening calls or interview. Step three is a series of more interviews, more in depth, and four is actually getting hired. 2:28 Between those three steps, there are three checkpoints. One, applying to jobs and not getting interviews. Two, not proceeding past the initial screenings. And three, Not getting job offers. 4:36: While your resume gets you in the door, your interview is what often helps get you hired. 4:46: Consider the content you're sharing and how you deliver it. 5:05: It can be really helpful to have examples of work or a case study presentation to highlight during your interviews. 5:43: It's important to examine how you speak, your confidence and your body language in interviews. 6:00: Record yourself doing a mock interview. 6:07: Try using Google's interview warmup tool or a screen recording tool like Loom. 7:04: Rejection is not always a reflection of your skills and your experience. 7:35: Ask thoughtful questions about the position or company during your interviews. 7:55: Spend 15 minutes before your next interview preparing some questions you could ask about the team product, or even the company culture. This will help you come across as a more prepared, thoughtful, and mature candidate. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah talks to hiring managers from Gusto, Meta, Shopify, IBM, and a recruiter who works in the field of user experience to share some of their top advice to avoid making major mistakes and increase the chances that you stand out in the sea of candidates. 1:20 You have to think of the users or stakeholders involved in the hiring process and just like users and stakeholders of projects you work on. 1:47 The three stakeholders in the hiring process. 1:54 Stakeholder 1: Human resources and recruiters 3:06 Stakeholder 2: Hiring Managers 3:53 It's crucial that your cover letter, resume, and LinkedIn are filled with rich examples of what you've already done. 4:04 Stakeholder 3: Interviewer 4:57 People who are from other teams are less focused on your qualifications and more focused on your character. 5:34 Tip 1: Cover letters make a difference. 5:40 Amy Thibodeau, Head of Creative at Gusto on the power of cover letters. 7:14 Tip 2: Customize your materials and connect the dots. 7:32 McClean Donnely, Professor of UX Design at SCAD, on the principle of, "don't make me think" and how that principle applies to your job search. 8:49 The value of adding video to your career materials. 11:20: Tip 3: Sweat the details of layout and design. 12:21 Tyler King, Senior UX Researcher on being cognizant of font, typeface, weights, etc. 12:57 Tip 4: Job descriptions are a wishlist. 13:04 Alec Brundrett, a product manager at Meta, on how job descriptions are written, why sometimes they aren't written very well, and why candidates need to see job descriptions as a wishlist and not a hard set of requirements. 15:09 Tip 5: Your career materials and interview skills are a preview of how you'll perform on the job. 16:40 Your portfolio is another deisgn asset with Lois Siegal, Director of Recruiting at UX Hires. 17:03 Your portfolio is just never done, you're always tweaking it, but get it to a point where you're proud of it. 18:40 Regardless of what you're interviewing for, you have to think about the steps that you're taking through the process and be able to articulate it. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
Is it time to redefine what it means to "work in tech"? In this episode, Sarah shares how to find excellent jobs outside of the typical FAANG companies tech professionals tend to set their sights on. 1:11 Layoffs can be scary whether you have a job or not. 1:58 Regardless of your role at a tech company, your skills and expertise are valuable and can transfer to many other industries. 2:10 Just because your last job was at a tech company, that doesn't mean you can't get hired in another sector and honestly, maybe even with a salary increase. 2:25 It might be time to redefine what it means to “work in tech”. 2:58 Candidates often have a really narrow-minded aspiration of working at well-known tech companies. 3:35 Hiring has been a challenge for smaller, less well-known companies for years. 4:17 According to the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics, over the next decade, the healthcare industry alone will add 2 million new jobs to the economy. 4:48 Finding tech opportunties in other industries may be easier than you originally thought. 4:54 And if you can check your ego at the door and be open to working at companies that you hadn't considered before or maybe have never even heard of, you'll be applying sooner than you think. 5:09 Grab a piece of paper because here are the three practical things you can do to find tech jobs outside the tech industry. 5:30: Tip 1: Expand your job search beyond tech companies. 5:57: Tip 2: Leverage your previous experience. 6:23: If you had prior experience before switching to tech, you wanna consider looking for a tech job in your previous industry. 7:04: Tip 3: Use job boards that give you more control. 7:26 Check out Built In . They allow you to filter by industry or category. 7:46 Your skills as a tech professional are in demand at companies outside of the big tech giants. 8:04: You may even find these companies have a better work-life balance and offer higher salaries to retain their talent that for them is really hard to find. 8:20 Recap time! 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah breaks down the 3 questions to ask yourself to discern whether or not an investment in career development is right for you. 1:03 Today we have 3 questions for you to ponder to help gain clarity around whether or not you're ready to invest your time and energy to grow yourself and your career. 1:12 It's normal to have big feelings when it comes to career. 1:59 Instead of trying to overcome the thoughts and feelings, consider embracing them. They might be shining a spotlight on things that are important to you. 2:22 Get clear on where you are now before asking yourself these questions 3:03 Career switchers, climbers, and launchers. 4:11 Many people go through their careers and never invest in themselves, and that is completely fine. 4:55 Are you willing to show up and do the work 6:46 You get to define what career growth means to you. 6:53 Career growth is not for everyone and that's ok. 7:48 This isn't about career growth at any expense. It's about career growth that makes you feel seen, expressed, heard, valued, and really purposeful in your work. 8:42 Career development is a long-term investment. 8:56 Are you truly open to feedback? 10:24 Asking for feedback requires vulnerability 11:08 Be strategic about who you ask for feedback. 11:36 Sometimes you have to let go of ego in order to get where you're trying to go. 12:31 You are your ultimate asset. 13:27 When you're willing, open, and committed it's very hard to fail. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah talks about the REAL reason most candidates get overlooked when applying for jobs and what to do about it. 1:17: If you didn't get an interview, you need to understand the root problem and not just the symptom. 2:30: Standing out when you apply and during interviews goes way beyond wordsmithing, bullet points, and massaging pixels. 3:12: If what you're talking about only scratches the surface, then you're gonna sell yourself short. 4:13: No amount of rewriting or redesigning can help if your story isn't solid. 5:19: What you need to do is, number one, review the job description for the jobs you are applying. 5:27: Second, you need to identify the skills and experience the companies are looking for. 5:34: Number three, you need to thoughtfully consider your previous experience and identify examples. 5:51: Step four is working those examples into your resume, portfolio, and interview answers. 6:14: Don't be afraid if your process had twists and turns and didn't follow the traditional way that you think something should have been done. 6:44: The perfect UX process does not exist, and you do not have to strive to represent that if it didn't actually happen. 6:56: This is your permission slip to showcase the messiness. 6:59: Go beyond just the 'what' of your work experience and let people in on the process. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah shares 3 tips to help let go of self doubt and increase confidence for the job search. 0:15: If you've ever felt like you'd lacked confidence in the job search, this is for you. 2:00: The key to building confidence is getting clear on what you can and cannot control. 2:48: Are you a switcher, launcher, or climber? 3:55: Stop playing the numbers game. 4:32: Stop sending your resume all over the internet clicking apply to every job that has the word UX or design in it, and instead take the time to get crystal clear on who you are and what you want in your future. 5:03: Just like in the world of dating to meet your match, you might have to work on yourself a little bit too. 5:22: To help reduce that self-doubt and build more confidence is to improve your career materials. 5:43: Improving your career materials does not mean throwing your resume in a template that you got from Etsy or Canva or elsewhere. 6:15 The effort it takes to reflect on your career and pull out all those meaningful stories is also the process that builds confidence. 7:37 To minimize that self-doubt and increase your confidence, get support. Stop doing it alone. 8:08: Being in a community of people who are on a similar path is so valuable because it fosters accountability, momentum, and knowledge sharing. 9:42: Get support and surround yourself with people who provide you with inspiration and insight as you go. 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .…
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Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025 👉 Join Career Strategy Lab , a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people. 👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn , Instagram , and YouTube .
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