Shows
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research163 - What is Career Minimalism and How It Can Quietly Weaken Your CareerThe idea of career minimalism sounds healthy. But this trending philosophy of your job being a tool, not your identity (especially popular with Gen Z) could be quietly weakening your career if you're not careful.In this episode, Sarah Doody breaks down what career minimalism actually is, why it's gained so much momentum (spoiler: burnout, broken loyalty, and unpredictable layoffs), and the hidden risk most career minimalists never talk about. The real danger isn't doing less at work — it's what you're building (or not building) while you're there.Sarah also discusses the concept of "Portable Eq...
2026-02-2315 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research162 - How Erica Got Hired as a UX Officer at WK Kellogg Foundation After a CDC LayoffErica Jiminez went from facing a potential layoff at the CDC to landing her dream role as the first-ever User Experience Officer at WK Kellogg Foundation. In this episode, Sarah Doody chats with Erica about her experience in Sarah's UX job search coaching program, Career Strategy Lab.Erica shares how she got clear on what she wanted, made sense of a non-linear career path, and landed a mission-driven UX role.Erica talks about how the Career Roadmap and Compass Statement in Career Strategy Lab helped her shift from a fear mindset to clarity, why her "...
2026-02-1625 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research161 - UX Hiring Insights with Design Recruiter Jared Tredly from ShopifyIn this episode, Sarah Doody talks with Jared Tredly, a design recruiter at Shopify, about what really happens behind the scenes when UX and Product Design candidates apply for roles.Jared shares an honest look at how generalist recruiters interpret design briefs, what they scan for in the first few seconds of reviewing a portfolio, and why so many designers accidentally bury the most important information. He also breaks down what senior-level designers must show, why overly long case studies backfire, and how to get visibility for design roles at Shopify through their general “design pool” application.
2026-02-0950 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research160: Why This UX Designer Walked Away After 5 Interview Rounds (And Doesn't Regret It)In this episode, Sarah Doody chats with Faith, a Product Designer who successfully transitioned from a layoff to a Product Design role, all while navigating UX career uncertainty. Faith shares how she used Career Strategy Lab’s intentional UX job search framework to slow down, get clear on what she wanted, and create a UX portfolio and application strategy that aligned with her career goals.In this episode, Faith shares how Career Strategy Lab helped her prioritize the “why” behind her career choices, overcome imposter syndrome, and set clear boundaries to avoid ending up in the...
2026-02-0227 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research159: 3 Skills UX Professionals Need Most in the Age of AIIn this episode, Sarah talks about how AI is reshaping the UX landscape and why three key skills are more important than ever for professionals looking to stand out in the evolving job market.Despite the rise of AI tools, it’s not about being replaced—it’s about evolving your mindset and skills to stay relevant. In this episode, Sarah explains why UX professionals need to stop thinking like "doers" and start thinking like "drivers." You’ll also hear why the critical skills of speed, quality thinking, and impact are necessary to stay valuable...
2026-01-2526 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research158: From UX Internship to Amazon UX Designer: How Vasudha Got Hired With a Master's in HCIIn this episode, Sarah interviews Vasudha, a UX Designer at Amazon AWS Applied AI, to talk about what it really looks like to invest in your career early, and how the impact compounds for years.Vasudha joined Career Strategy Lab's UX job search accelerator in late 2023 while finishing her master’s degree, navigating the uncertainty of the job market as an international student, and waiting to see whether her AWS internship would convert to a full-time role. Today, she’s thriving at Amazon, and still actively uses CSL frameworks for LinkedIn updates, internal promotions, and...
2026-01-1926 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research157: UX Hiring Insights: Ben Peck on UX Generalists, Soft Skills, & Standout PortfoliosIn this episode, Sarah chats with Ben Peck, Director of Product Design & Global Strategy at nCino and a longtime community builder in the UX and product world, to demystify how UX hiring really works, from the perspective of someone who’s hired again and again.Ben brings over 20 years of experience across agencies, tech, leadership, and community building. As the co-founder of Front Conference and former Executive Director of Product Hive, he’s reviewed hundreds of portfolios, partnered closely with recruiters, and built high-performing design teams across industries.Together, Sara...
2026-01-1255 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research156: From Market Research to UX: How Kellyn Got Hired as a Lead UX Researcher with a 40% Salary IncreaseIn this episode, Sarah chats with Kellyn, a market researcher who successfully pivoted into a Lead UX Researcher role at Weedmaps, with a 40% salary increase, after feeling stuck, overlooked, and unsure how to position herself for UX roles.Despite 13+ years of research experience (and a partner who is a career coach) Kellyn wasn’t getting traction when applying to UX research jobs. She knew she had the skills, but lacked the clarity, confidence, and story to prove it. Through Career Strategy Lab, she rebuilt her confidence, clarified her direction, transformed her LinkedIn, and created a...
2026-01-0529 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research155: UX Hiring Insights: Patrick Neeman on Soft Skills, Strategy & Hiring Red FlagsIn this expert interview, Sarah Doody is joined by Patrick Neeman, Director of UX & AI Experiences at Workday, to pull back the curtain on how UX hiring actually works today—and where candidates are getting tripped up.Patrick brings a rare perspective: he’s led UX teams, taught UX at General Assembly, worked inside applicant tracking systems, and now hires designers in an AI-driven product environment. Together, Sarah and Patrick unpack the biggest misconceptions about ATS systems, why portfolios often fail the six-second test, how soft skills influence hiring decisions, and what senior designers really need to focu...
2025-12-2946 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research154: How This Senior UX Designer Got Hired After Losing Her Mojo And ConfidenceIn this episode, Sarah talks with Allie, a Senior UX Designer with over a decade of experience, about what it really looks like to lose your confidence mid-career, and how to rebuild it without rushing, panicking, or burning yourself out.After navigating years of instability, repeated layoffs around her, and slowly losing her sense of confidence at work, Allie joined Career Strategy Lab feeling disconnected from her own value. Through foundational work like career inventory, 360° feedback, and the Compass Statement, she rebuilt clarity around her strengths, rediscovered her story, and landed a new role a...
2025-12-2218 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research152: How Steven Built a UX Consultancy After Being Laid Off After 17 Years At The Same CompanyIn this interview, Sarah sits down with Steven, a longtime UX leader who spent 17 years at the same digital agency before an unexpected layoff forced him to re-evaluate everything. With no portfolio, no updated resume, and low confidence, Steven joined Career Strategy Lab, and everything changed.Today, Steven is thriving as a fractional product design director, long-term contractor, and consultant helping companies elevate their UX teams and integrate AI into their workflows. In this conversation, he shares how Career Stratgegy Lab's UX job search accelerator helped him rebuild his confidence, tell a clear story...
2025-12-0821 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research150: From Academia to UX: How Ellen Got Hired As A Content Designer at TD BankApplied 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 | InstagramTransitioning from academia to UX can be daunting, but Ellen’s story proves it’s possible. After 17 years as a professor, Ellen pivoted to a Senior Content Designer role at TD Bank, with Care...
2025-11-2415 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research149: [Part 3/3: Diagnose Your UX Job Search] Are You Suffering From Stranger Syndrome?Welcome to the final part of our three-episode series designed to help you diagnose what's not working in your UX job search, so you can finally fix it. In this episode, Sarah breaks down the third and final symptom of a stalled search: Stranger Syndrome.If you’ve ever felt like you’re being ghosted, not getting referrals, or struggling to build meaningful connections with hiring managers or colleagues, this one’s for you.Sarah explains how to identify the five signs of Stranger Syndrome and why treating your career...
2025-11-1725 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research147: [Part 2/3: Diagnose Your UX Job Search] Are You An Invisible Genius In Your UX Career?Think you’re great at what you do but still not landing interviews? You might be stuck in Invisible Genius Mode—and it’s costing you opportunities.In this episode, Sarah introduces the second major UX job search roadblock in her diagnostic series: Invisible Genius Mode. It’s the frustrating space where you know you're qualified—and so do your colleagues—but your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn aren’t making it clear to hiring teams.Sarah walks through 4 key symptoms of Invisible Genius Mode, explains why it’s a marketing proble...
2025-11-0317 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research146: How Jonathan Stopped Redesigning His UX Portfolio and Started Getting InterviewsAfter a UX layoff left him uncertain about his next step, Jonathan, a UX leader with 20+ years of experience, turned to Career Strategy Lab to rebuild his confidence, reposition his experience, and take control of his job search. In this open house conversation, Jonathan shares what made the biggest difference: creating a tailored UX portfolio, clarifying his story, and rethinking how he showed up on LinkedIn.Jonathan went from unsure and out of practice to landing multiple interviews, gaining recruiter attention, and receiving an offer—all while feeling more empowered about his future than ev...
2025-10-2722 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research144: Finding & Owning Your UX Voice, How Melp Did With Career Strategy LabAfter being laid off and earning a Master’s degree in UX, Melp still wasn’t landing UX job interviews. What changed? She stopped applying to everything and started thinking strategically.In this Q&A from a Career Strategy Lab Open House, Sarah Doody talks with Melp, a UX researcher turned product manager, about the ups and downs of her UX job search journey. Despite years of experience, a Masters degree in UX from the University of Michigan, and hundreds of UX job applications, Melp wasn’t getting traction, until she joined Career Strategy Lab.
2025-10-1326 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research142: How Laura Landed a Principal UX Design Role Without Applying (and With Only 1 Project in her UX Portfolio)Think you need a perfect UX portfolio and hundreds of job applications to land a senior UX role? Think again.In this episode, UX career coach Sarah Doody talks with Laura, a former physician turned UX designer, about how she landed a Principal Product Design role, without even applying.Laura shares how she turned a contract job into a 2.5-year role at Cisco, why she joined Sarah Doody's UX career coaching program, Career Strategy Lab, twice. Laura also shares how staying ready (not scrambling) made all the difference when...
2025-09-2921 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research141: Design a UX Portfolio Recruiters Read for More Than 1 MinuteIf you've ever wondered why your UX or product design portfolio isn't getting attention, this episode is your answer.In this mini workshop, Sarah walks you through the most critical and overlooked fix you can make to your portfolio right now. It’s simple, strategic, and backed by nearly a decade of hiring results.Spoiler: This isn’t about adding more screens or showing more visuals. It’s about how you tell the story of your work—and it all starts with how you use headlines.Whe...
2025-09-2235 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research140: How a UX Researcher & CX Strategist is navigating an international job searchApplied 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 | InstagramAfter 18 months of job searching with no results, Mariah was out of steam and questioning everything—until she joined Career Strategy Lab.In this Open House conversation, Sarah ta...
2025-09-1523 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Bonus Episode] 5 UX Steps To Use In Your UX PortfolioListen before Sep 12 at 8pm PT ... in this live workshop, Sarah Doody shares the 5 UX steps you should also apply to your UX portfolio. This is based off what Sarah has been working for people who got hired, as recently as Sep 1. If you want to be ready for the September Surge, do not snooze on listening to this! Time Sensitive: Enrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Fri, Sep 12 at 8pm PT.You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.And you can watch...
2025-09-101h 20Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research138: From Recruiter to Product Designer: How Ellie's taking control of her careerApplied 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 | InstagramWondering how to stand out in UX without burning out? Former technical recruiter Ellie shares her story of switching into product design—and how Career Strategy Lab helped her get her confidence back....
2025-09-0123 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research137: One LinkedIn change that landed this UX Designer 5 solid recruiter leads in 24 hoursStill waiting for recruiters to notice you? One small change to your LinkedIn profile could change everything.In this episode, Sarah shares a real story from a workshop attendee who updated just one line of their LinkedIn profile and got five solid recruiter leads within 24 hours. You’ll learn what part of your profile to focus on (hint: it’s the headline), how to write it in a way that stands out, and why clarity and positioning matter more than lofty statements like “designing for impact.”Plus, Sarah breaks down the three-part UX job search strategy...
2025-08-2511 min
Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Bonus Episode] UX Job Search Workshop: 3 strategies hired UX people leverage in their UX job searchListen before Aug 22 at 8pm PT ... in this live workshop, Sarah Doody shares the 3 strategies every UX or Product person who gets hired leverages in their UX job search. This is based off what Sarah has been working for people who got hired, as recently as August 5. If you want to be ready for the September Surge, do not snooze on listening to this! Time Sensitive: Enrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Fri, Aug 22 at 8pm PT.You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.
2025-08-211h 28Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research136: How Manny got hired as a Senior UX Designer at Fidelity in 77 daysApplied 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 | InstagramLaid off and wondering if you’ve “missed your shot”? This story will change how you think about career momentum.In this Open House conversation, Sarah sits down with Manny, a senior...
2025-08-1917 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive Bonus] Q&A with 3 UXers about their UX job searchesIn this Q&A, you'll hear from a recently hired Principal Product Designer, a UX Strategist with 20 years of experience who's actively interviewing, and a UX Researcher & Designer who recently graduated with a masters in UX from the University of Michigan. Time Sensitive → Enrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Fri, Aug 15 at 8pm PT.Join by Friday and get 1 extra month for FREE & my new UX Freelancing course.You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.And you can watch to the re...
2025-08-141h 29Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research135: How a 30-Year UX veteran is navigating a UX layoff without burnoutFeeling overwhelmed by how much UX experience you have, or unsure how to translate it in today’s UX job market? This episode is for you.In this episode, Sarah talks with Chris Griffith, a UX professional with over 30 years of experience, about what it really takes to re-enter the job market after a long stretch at one company. Chris shares how he used Career Strategy Lab to reframe his story, create momentum, and build a complete suite of job search materials—from resume to portfolio—without burning out.From tending his “career garden” to turning hi...
2025-08-1115 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research132: How Career Strategy Lab's AI Tools Help Mid & Senior UXers Get Hired FasterApplied 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 | InstagramTired of vague AI tools that spit out generic resume rewrites and surface-level portfolio tips? Meet the smarter alternative.In this episode, Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes strategy behind...
2025-07-2135 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research131: Why I don't teach every UX topic (and why my focus is *your* superpower)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 | InstagramFeel like you’re doing everything “right” and still not getting anywhere? You might be saying yes to too much—and it’s slowing you down.In this episode, Sarah shares how one of...
2025-07-1422 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research129: Get Hired in UX Faster With Peloton Inspired UX Career CoachingWhat does your UX job search have in common with Peloton? A lot more than you think. In this episode, Sarah shares the behind-the-scenes story of how a treadmill class in NYC and a Peloton bike helped her design Career Strategy Lab. You’ll learn how the principles of group fitness at scale inspired the structure, energy, and effectiveness of this UX job search accelerator—and how applying those same principles to your career can help you get out of your own head, stop procrastinating, and finally make progress.What You'll Learn in This Epis...
2025-06-3025 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research128: How this 30 year UX veteran went from feeling irrelevant to in control of her careerApplied 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 | InstagramNancy Leslie has over 30 years of UX experience—and yet, before joining Career Strategy Lab, she felt irrelevant, overlooked, and unsure of how to position herself in today’s market. In this honest and...
2025-06-2319 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive] Live workshop recording, "4C Framework to Get Hired In UX"Enrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Fri, Jun 20 at 8pm PT. Join by Friday and get 1 extra month in the program for free. You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.And you can watch to the recording of my UX job search workshop, until this Friday.If you have questions about the UX job search accelerator program (aka Career Strategy Lab) you can book a 1:1 call here or use the chat widget on the websites linked above to send us a message.
2025-06-191h 22Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research127: The $100K Shift: Why Working 'ON' Your Career (vs 'IN' it) Changes EverythingApplied 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 | InstagramStill stuck in job search mode even though you’re “doing all the right things”? This episode might explain why.What if the problem isn’t how hard you’re w...
2025-06-1623 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research126: From UX Layoff to Leadership: How Duncan got hired as a Global Head of UX after a restructureAfter being laid off from his UX position, Duncan Abel wasn’t sure how to package his 20+ years of UX experience—or if he even wanted to stay in the field. In this candid conversation, Duncan shares how Career Strategy Lab gave him the structure, community, and confidence to move forward and land a global UX leadership role at the British Standards Institute.Whether you're a senior leader navigating change or just unsure how to communicate your value, Duncan’s story will inspire you to stop doubting your experience and start owning your career path.What Y...
2025-06-0920 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research125: Career Strategy Lab Coaches Unfiltered: What you don’t see on sales pages or social mediaIn this special “coaches takeover” episode, Career Strategy Lab coaches Erin, Steph, and Becca go behind the scenes to talk candidly about what actually happens inside Career Strategy Lab. From client wins and transformations to what makes CSL different from other career programs, you’ll hear their real talk on what works, who thrives, and why this job search container is unlike anything else.Whether you're skeptical of coaching, burnt out from DIYing your job search, or just curious about how CSL works, this episode gives you an inside look from the people who live and breathe it eve...
2025-06-0225 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research124: Why Sarah Doody's UX portfolio framework still works after 20 yearsApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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 le...
2025-05-2629 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research123: How a 25-Year UX veteran rewrote his career story & reclaimed his confidenceApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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...
2025-05-1916 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research122: How Marcus Got Hired as a UX Researcher After Six Months of RejectionApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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...
2025-05-1214 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research121: Your UX Job Search Has Cost You 5-Figures. What To Do About ItIn 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 f...
2025-05-0522 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research120: How a Sr UX Researcher got hired at Amazon after a layoff & 2 year job searchApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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 jo...
2025-04-2824 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research119: Why you should research the interviewers before a job interviewApplied 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 | InstagramWould 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, Sa...
2025-04-2111 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research118: 3 things your UX job search has in common with soap operasApplied 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 | InstagramYou 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...
2025-04-1416 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive] Recording of April 9 UX job search workshopEnrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Friday, April 11 at 8pm PT. Join by Friday and get 1 extra month in the program for free. You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.And you can watch to the recording of my UX job search workshop, until deadline Friday.If you have questions about the UX job search accelerator program (aka Career Strategy Lab) you can book a 1:1 call here or use the chat widget on the websites linked above to send us a message.
2025-04-101h 26Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research117: Applied to 100s of UX jobs? Consider this your interventionApplied 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 | InstagramIf 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 ne...
2025-04-0720 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research116: How to optimize your resume for the ATS so you can get more UX job interviewsApplied 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 | InstagramThis 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—specif...
2025-03-3126 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research115: How this UX Designer escaped UX portfolio burnout and rebuilt his entire UX job search strategyApplied 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 | InstagramWelcome 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....
2025-03-2422 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research114: From Laid Off to Senior UX Designer: How Sarah Landed Her Dream RoleApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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...
2025-03-1721 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive] 4C framework workshop to get hired in UXUntil Friday, you can listen to the audio of my free workshop about the UX job search and Q&A about "The 4C Framework To Get Hired In UX" ... list by Friday at 9pm PT. 💁♀️ I REALLY recommend you also watch the video because seeing the visuals will help you see why you're stuck in your UX job search, the cost of staying stuck, and how to get unstuck. ➡️ Watch the workshop replay here before Fri, Mar 14.ALSO ... enrollment is open for Career Strategy Lab's UX job...
2025-03-121h 15Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research113: How a Senior Product Designer got promoted with a 37% increase in total compensationApplied 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 | InstagramPromotions 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 a...
2025-03-1012 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research112: How Emily tripled her UX freelance rate from $35 to $125 / hour (and got a full time job too)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 | InstagramIn 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 re...
2025-03-0314 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research111: Hidden costs of navigating your UX job search aloneApplied 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 | InstagramIn 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...
2025-02-2431 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research109: How cohorts can hold you back and why Career Strategy Lab takes a different approachMany 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...
2025-02-1020 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research108: Why you're stuck redesigning your UX resume & how to get out of a career rutIf 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...
2025-02-0524 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research107: Your UX Career Is a Product (Sarah Doody's interview on the Awkward Silences podcast by User Interviews)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 takeaways1) Treating Your Career as a ProductYour career should be man...
2025-02-0350 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research106: How Steven Navigated ADD In His UX Job Search & Got Hired As a Design ResearcherIn 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...
2025-01-2719 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research105: How a UX Specialist With 20+ Years Experience Got Hired After A Layoff With Only 1 Project In His UX PortfolioIn 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 career 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.
2025-01-2020 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research104: Your UX portfolio isn't about selling the product you worked on, it's about selling YOUIn 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.Timestamps00:44 Understanding the Recruiter's Perspective02:41 Key Elements to Highlight in Your Portfolio03:00 Showcasing Your Decision-Making Process03:49 The Importance of Iteration and Trade-offs06:42 Collaboration and Learning from...
2025-01-1311 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research103: How Kristin Landed Her Dream Role with Two Portfolio Projects and a Clear RoadmapIn 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, communit...
2025-01-0618 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research102: Navigating Your UX Career in Challenging Times (Sarah Doody's episode on the Insights Unlocked Podcast)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 2024Insights from UX professionals on career satisfaction and challenges.Exploring opportunities beyond traditional tech companies.Imp...
2024-12-3027 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research101: Creating a UX Career Roadmap: Sarah Doody's Episode on the AIGA Design PodcastThis 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...
2024-12-2342 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research099: How to stand out in the UX Job Search FunnelDon’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...
2024-12-0928 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research098: Why In-Demand UX Professionals Treat Full-Time Roles Like Freelance GigsImagine 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 s...
2024-12-0221 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive] Recording of UX portfolio workshop on Nov 14 (listen until Nov 20)Missed our UX Portfolio Workshop from Thu, Nov 14? Or, prefer to listen on the go versus watch the video? Listen to the workshop until Wed, Nov 20th! If you want to watch the video or have questions about Career Strategy Lab or want to enroll, just email us at hello@sarahdoody.com📥 Join 46,000 people who read our free UX career tips newsletter🎁 Get your free UX Career Roadmap👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter
2024-11-151h 31Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research093: How 2 senior UX professionals got hired (& preview the UX portfolio "Inverted Pyramid Framework"))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 sear...
2024-10-281h 06Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research092: How piecemeal career advice holds you back (and what to do instead)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 in...
2024-10-2117 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research[Time Sensitive] Recording of UX portfolio workshop on Oct 17 (listen until Oct 23)Miss our UX portfolio workshop from Thu, Oct 17? Or, prefer to listen on the go versus watch the video? Listen to the workshop until Wednesday, October 23! If you want to watch the video or have questions about Career Strategy Lab or want to enroll, just email us at hello@sarahdoody.com📥 Join 46,000 people who read our free UX career tips newsletter🎁 Get your free e-book, The UX Career Roadmap👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, YouTube, and Twitter
2024-10-181h 18Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research090: How Career Strategy Lab can pay for itselfAre 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...
2024-10-0716 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research087: Reduce job search overwhelm with a task batching scheduleIn 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....
2024-09-1611 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research086: No, LinkedIn's Open To Work feature doesn't make you seem desperateEver 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.Tim...
2024-09-0915 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research084: 4 ways to get people to reply to emails by following upStruggling 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...
2024-08-2610 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research082: The ABA rule for your job searchAre 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...
2024-08-1209 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research081: In your job search, communication > qualificationsIn 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 q...
2024-08-0507 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research080: How to include numbers on your resume even if you think you don't have anyIn 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 boo...
2024-07-2906 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research078: How to optimize your resume for the Applicant Tracking System (ATS)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 epis...
2024-07-1513 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research077: The truth about years of experience in your job searchIn 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...
2024-07-0811 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research076: What to post on LinkedIn when you're in a job searchStruggling 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 co...
2024-07-0114 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research075: Is Career Strategy Lab a scam?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 Strate...
2024-06-2412 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research066: How to build authentic professional relationships with a quarterly engagement planHow do you know what UX career advice is actually worth listening to? If you're searching for your next UX or Product role, it's likely you've been bombarded with advice from blogs, social posts, and well-meaning strangers in Slack groups. In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah Doody, a UX Researcher & Product Designer, breaks down how to critically evaluate UX career advice so you can stop spinning in circles and start making real progress in your job search.This episode is especially for UX, Product Design, and UX Research professionals who are sick...
2024-04-2209 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research062: Career Compound Interest: Strategic moves for exponential successIn 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...
2024-03-2516 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research058: The Optimal UX Portfolio Format: 6 things to consider when decided between a website and presentationLet’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 Ch...
2024-03-1118 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research057: A lesson on attention to detail involving Van Halen and M&M candies✨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...
2024-03-0409 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research053: How to follow up after a job interview so you can stand outTo follow up or not follow up after a UX job interview? Most people send a cookie cutter “thank you” and hope for the best. But in today’s competitive UX and Product job market, that’s not enough.Your job interview follow-up message isn’t just a formality, it’s an opportunity to stand out from the sea of other candidates who disappear after the call. A thoughtful UX job interview follow-up email can keep you top of mind, reinforce your value, and even spark a second conversation that moves you closer to an offer.
2024-02-0508 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research051: 15-minute annual review with Sarah DoodyGet 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.
2024-01-2313 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research051: 15-minute annual review with Sarah DoodyGet 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.
2024-01-2213 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research049: Building a UX portfolio to get hiredThis 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.
2024-01-0854 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research048: How to stop applying to hundreds of jobsThis 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 asp...
2024-01-0247 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research047: Design a fulfilling UX career (and start thinking beyond job titles and salaries)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 you...
2023-12-2645 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research040: How to vet career advice and know who to trust How do you know what UX career advice is actually worth listening to? If you're searching for your next UX or Product role, it's likely you've been bombarded with advice from blogs, social posts, and well-meaning strangers in Slack groups. In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah Doody, a UX Researcher & Product Designer, breaks down how to critically evaluate UX career advice so you can stop spinning in circles and start making real progress in your job search.This episode is especially for UX, Product Design, and UX Research professionals who are sick...
2023-11-0607 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research039: Q&A with Sarah on where to start when you’re new to UX, getting promoted, and portfolio transformationThis 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 be...
2023-10-3026 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research035: Q+A with Sarah: UX bootcamp portfolio projects, presenting case studies during an interview, 1-page resumes & more!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
...
2023-10-0221 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research032: Q+A with Sarah: Navigating saturated job markets, creating case studies when you signed an NDA, AI and moreThis 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 n...
2023-09-1134 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research027: Career Strategy Q+A with Sarah: UX job titles, portfolio tips, and hiring outlookThe 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...
2023-08-1232 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research027: Career Strategy Q+A with Sarah: UX job titles, portfolio tips, and hiring outlookThe 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 r...
2023-08-0700 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research023: [Job Search, Pt. 3 / 5] Why you should NOT play the numbers game in your job searchWelcome 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...
2023-07-1012 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research020: Listen in on a Career Strategy Lab Mindset CallIn 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...
2023-06-1952 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research014: LinkedIn mistakes job seekers make & how to optimize your LinkedIn profileIn 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...
2023-05-0324 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research013: Create a resume that stands out with these 3 user experience (UX) tipsIn 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...
2023-04-2621 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research012: You got the offer! How to determine if it's the right fit and what to do if notAlthough 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...
2023-03-2109 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research011: How to stop doubting your resume and portfolioWhat 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...
2023-03-2115 minCareer Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research010: The 3 considerations most people miss when it comes to the job searchMany 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...
2023-03-2106 min
Awkward Silences#96 - Your UX Career Is a Product with Sarah DoodyMost people—including product people—don't think of their career as a product. And even the best researchers often neglect to do the research to identify suitable roles and opportunities. The result? They stay in roles for too long, or accept one that simply doesn't align with their career goals, interest, or values. They burn out and feel stuck. Sarah Doody, Founder and CEO of Career Strategy Lab, joins us to share why you should start thinking of your User Research career as a product and how you can start doing so today.In this episo...
2022-06-3050 min