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 her UX contract ended. Spoiler: she was hired again within two weeks, and her new VP of Product found her on LinkedIn.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ How Laura pivoted from medicine to UX and built her confidence along the way
✔️ Why having just one solid case study was enough to land multiple interviews
✔️ The key mindset shift that helped her stand out—even in a competitive market
✔️ How staying visible on LinkedIn led to a job offer without applying
✔️ Why portfolio perfectionism keeps talented UXers stuck
✔️ The benefit of specializing in a niche like cybersecurity or networking
✔️ How CSL’s frameworks helped her lead, mentor, and present more confidently
Timestamps:
02:06 Laura's Career Journey and Success with Career Strategy Lab
05:23 Importance of Testing and Networking
09:06 Specialization and Job Search Strategy
12:53 Applying Career Strategy Lab Skills in the Workplace
17:39 Final Thoughts and Advice for Job Seekers
19:29 Conclusion and Podcast Information
20:09 Special Message for Job Seekers
🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Join Sarah Doody's 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.
If 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.
Whether you’re mid-job search or quietly preparing for your next move, this portfolio tip will make your work easier to read, more memorable, and more effective for all 3 types of portfolio users: recruiters, hiring managers, and future colleagues.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The 3 users of your portfolio—and what they actually need
✔️ Why most portfolios fail the “headline” test (and how to fix yours today)
✔️ How to use the inverted pyramid framework from journalism to structure your slides
✔️ Why a single, sentence-style headline can change how long someone spends with your work
✔️ The easiest way to assess and upgrade your portfolio in under 30 minutes
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doty and Career Strategy Lab
00:43 Starting the UX Portfolio Mini Workshop
03:23 Understanding the Users of Your Portfolio
06:57 The Inverted Pyramid Framework
10:59 Practical Portfolio Tips and Examples
17:33 The Importance of Headlines in Your Portfolio
30:03 Q&A and Additional Advice
33:22 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.
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
After 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 talks with Mariah, a UX researcher and experience strategist with a background in customer support and consulting. Mariah came to CSL after burning out from a year and a half of job searching while trying to relocate to Copenhagen. In this honest episode, she shares what finally helped her stop spinning, reconnect with herself, and gain the clarity, confidence, and support she’d been missing.
Whether you’re new to UX or deep in burnout, Mariah’s story will remind you that it’s not too late—and you don’t have to figure it out alone.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ What job searching for 18+ months taught Mariah about burnout and boundaries
✔️ Why trying to “game the system” kept her stuck and exhausted
✔️ How the Compass Sprint reconnected her to her voice, identity, and strengths
✔️ Why the mindset calls inside CSL helped her finally feel like herself again
✔️ How to balance personal and professional identity in your job search
✔️ Her advice for perfectionists and overthinkers: take action, even when it’s messy
Timestamps:
02:27 Mariah's Background and Career Journey
04:21 Joining Career Strategy Lab: Initial Experiences
08:09 Impact of Mindset Calls
11:50 Tangible Actions and Career Roadmap
18:43 Final Advice and Closing Remarks
21:22 Podcast Outro and Additional Resources
22:03 Special Message for Job Seekers
⭐ 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.
Apple's iconic marketing helps it stand out because it emphasizes it's benefits, not just features. Instead of just listing every feature of it's products, Apple leans into the benefits. And this tactic, is also how you can stand out as a candidate in your job search.
In this episode, we'll use resume examples to show how you can highlight your benefits, and not just your responsibilities and features. .
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why listing responsibilities makes your resume blend in (not stand out)
✔️ How to turn “feature” statements into compelling benefit-driven bullets
✔️ The marketing lesson Sarah borrowed from Steve Jobs
✔️ Real before-and-after examples from UX candidates
✔️ Why identifying and believing your own value is step #1
✔️ How to infuse your unique benefits across every career “touchpoint”
Timestamps:
00:40 The Importance of Focusing Beyond Responsibilities
02:35 Understanding the Product of You
04:32 Communicating Benefits Over Features
05:43 Real-World Examples of Benefit-Focused Statements
09:10 Becoming a Benefit-Focused Candidate
18:52 Recap and Final Thoughts
21:16 Conclusion and Additional Resources
22:04 Special Message for Job Seekers
🎬 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.
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
Wondering 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.
In this episode, Sarah interviews Ellie, a former technical recruiter turned UX designer, who joined Career Strategy Lab while navigating new motherhood, burnout, and the unpredictable job market. Despite landing interviews, Ellie felt stuck—and knew she needed a structured, supportive way to rebuild confidence and stand out.
You’ll hear how she overcame perfectionism, reframed her job search, and built career habits that now extend beyond her portfolio and into her life.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why Ellie left tech recruiting to pursue UX—and doesn’t regret it
✔️ What made her say “yes” to CSL (and why she wishes she joined sooner)
✔️ How the Compass Statement gave her clarity and saved her time
✔️ The unexpected life shifts that came from doing the work with intention
✔️ Tips for breaking perfectionism and building habits that stick
✔️ What it’s like to join CSL while navigating new parenthood and burnout
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy Lab
00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context
02:23 Meet Ellie: From Technical Recruiter to Product Designer
05:19 Ellie's Career Journey and CSL Experience
09:16 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
18:47 Advice and Final Thoughts
21:32 Conclusion and Next Steps
⭐ 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.
Still 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 you need to attract the right opportunities, without burning out, second-guessing, or rewriting your portfolio 100 times.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ The one LinkedIn section that has the biggest impact on recruiter outreach
✔️ Why most UX job seekers get their headlines totally wrong
✔️ How to apply product strategy thinking to your career
✔️ The 3 essential UX job search strategies: Design, Marketing, and Sales
✔️ What happens when you’re missing even one of those strategies
✔️ How to stand out in a sea of qualified candidates (without starting from scratch)
Additional Resources:
Episode 18: Avoid This Mistake When Writing Your LinkedIn Profile headline
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Purpose
00:38 The Power of LinkedIn Optimization
01:27 Understanding the UX Hiring Process
02:45 Crafting a Standout LinkedIn Headline
05:33 Three Key Strategies for UX Job Search
07:27 Invitation to the Workshop
08:10 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
09:29 Conclusion and Additional Resources
10:09 Special Message for Struggling Job Seekers
🎬 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.
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
Laid 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 UX designer who transitioned into UX after a decade in graphic design and just landed a role at Fidelity. After getting laid off and spending weeks spinning his wheels, Manny joined Career Strategy Lab to bring clarity, structure, and confidence back to his job search.
In this honest and insightful conversation, Manny shares what helped him rebuild momentum, how the Compass Sprint shaped everything from his resume to interviews, and why he wishes he’d joined sooner.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ How Manny landed a UX role at Fidelity after being laid off
✔️ The single most valuable CSL exercise (that he didn’t expect)
✔️ Why clarity leads to faster progress across your materials
✔️ How the Compass Statement helped him shape his story and stand out
✔️ Why applying early in your job search saves you time, money, and confidence
✔️ How to make the most of CSL—whether you’re employed or not
Timestamps:
02:28 Meet Manny: A UX Designer's Journey
03:51 Navigating Job Search Challenges
06:16 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
12:27 Advice for UX Job Seekers
14:54 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
15:07 Podcast Outro and Additional Resources
15:47 Special Message for Job Seekers
⭐ 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.
Feeling 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 hikes into problem-solving sessions, Chris offers powerful reminders that progress isn’t about perfection—it’s about intention, space, and support.
✔️ How Chris navigated a layoff after 9 years at the same company
✔️ What helped him stay focused and finish his portfolio without burnout
✔️ Why the LinkedIn sprint was a game-changer for getting found
✔️ The mental shift that helped him stop over-explaining and start storytelling
✔️ How nature and structure kept his confidence high and mindset grounded
✔️ His top tip for anyone thinking about joining Career Strategy Lab
00:00 Introduction and Host Welcome
00:16 Meet Sarah Doty: Your Career Guide
00:54 Episode Overview and Open House Context
01:38 Chris's UX Journey: From CD-ROMs to Career Strategy Lab
04:05 Navigating Job Search Challenges
06:49 The Importance of Diligence and Balance
07:21 The Healing Power of Nature
08:39 Career Strategy Lab Sprints: A Deep Dive
11:54 Final Tips and Encouragement
13:03 Conclusion and Farewell
13:19 Podcast Outro and Additional Resources
13:59 Special Message for Job Seekers
🎯Want to learn more about the critiques, community, coaching calls, and everything inside Career Strategy Lab? Apply or learn more.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this 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.
Worried your career break in UX has made you unemployable? Let’s talk about what’s actually holding you back.
In this episode, Sarah tackles a concern she hears constantly: “Did my career break ruin my chances of getting hired in UX?” Whether you took time off for caregiving, burnout, travel, or health, this episode will help you stop spiraling and start focusing on what really matters, your story.
You’ll learn the 3 strategies every UX job seeker needs (Design, Marketing, Sales), how to tell if you’re missing one, and why the story you're telling about your break matters more than the break itself.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why your break isn’t the problem—but your story might be
✔️ What “terminal uniqueness” is and how it keeps you stuck
✔️ The 3-part strategy you need to get hired (and how to know what’s missing)
✔️ How to shift from self-doubt to clarity in your job search
✔️ Why visibility and connection matter more than perfection
✔️ How to rebuild your momentum with intention—not burnout
00:38 The Impact of Career Breaks on UX Careers
00:56 The Importance of Your Personal Story in Job Searches
01:22 Addressing Career Break Concerns
03:37 LinkedIn's Career Break Feature
05:28 Three Essential Strategies for UX Candidates
09:53 Identifying Gaps in Your Job Search Strategies
12:23 Building and Leveraging Professional Relationships
16:51 Final Thoughts and Workshop Invitation
18:35 Conclusion and Additional Resources
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this 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.
Think your UX background is too different to get hired? That mindset might be the real problem. In this episode, Sarah discusses the concept of terminal uniqueness, the belief that your career path is so unusual or messy that none of the strategies that work for others could possibly work for you. Whether you’ve been freelancing, pivoting careers, or have decades of experience, this mindset could be holding you back far more than your resume.
You’ll hear real-world examples of how terminal uniqueness shows up, why it's so common (especially in UX), and what to focus on instead so you can finally move forward with clarity and confidence.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ What terminal uniqueness is—and how it sabotages your job search
✔️ Why your unconventional path is not the problem (your mindset might be)
✔️ How to reframe your “messy” UX story into your biggest asset
✔️ Why recruiters and hiring managers aren’t looking for a perfect path
✔️ The role of strategy, structure, and storytelling in getting hired
✔️ How Career Strategy Lab helps you own your story and communicate it clearly
00:00 Introduction and Background
00:38 Understanding Terminal Uniqueness
03:12 Examples of Terminal Uniqueness
04:50 Overcoming Terminal Uniqueness
06:54 Communicating Your Unique Story
08:11 Career Strategy Lab Overview
14:49 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
16:58 Podcast Outro and Additional Resources
17:37 Special Message for Job Seekers
🎬 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.
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
Tired 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 Sage—the AI agent exclusively available inside Career Strategy Lab—and why it’s already helping job seekers finish their resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles faster without sacrificing clarity or confidence.
You’ll learn why this tool is more than just a shortcut—it’s a UX-informed, coach-trained experience designed to get you unstuck and back into momentum, 24/7.
✔️ The two problems most UX job seekers face: info overload + execution overwhelm
✔️ Why most AI job search tools fail (and how Sage is different)
✔️ How Sage is trained on CSL’s proven curriculum and thousands of real conversations
✔️ Why context-specific feedback beats ChatGPT every time
✔️ How CSL members are using Sage to move faster and stop second-guessing
✔️ The one mindset shift that will help you use AI effectively in your career
00:00 Introduction and Common Job Search Struggles
00:46 Introducing Career Strategy Lab's AI Tools
02:01 Why UX Professionals Struggle in Job Searches
02:39 The Problems Our AI Tools Aim to Solve
06:53 How Our AI Tools Work
13:58 Demo of Sage, Our AI Agent
27:51 Benefits of Using Sage
29:36 Conclusion and Call to Action
🎯Want to learn more about the critiques, community, coaching calls, and everything inside Career Strategy Lab? Apply or learn more.
⭐ 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.
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
Feel 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 Steve Jobs’ greatest strengths—his ability to say no—has shaped the design of Career Strategy Lab and her own career choices. You’ll hear how saying no to shiny objects, distractions, and opportunities that seem exciting on the surface actually leads to deeper results, more momentum, and a better UX for job seekers inside CSL.
Whether you’re applying to every job that pops up, overcommitting to upskilling, or trying to be everything to everyone, this episode is a reminder that focus is a strategy—and saying no is a skill.
✔️ What Steve Jobs’ product philosophy can teach you about your UX career
✔️ How Sarah decides what to say no to in her business—and why it matters
✔️ Why not doing “all the things” actually creates better outcomes for clients
✔️ The trade-offs you’re making every time you say yes
✔️ How saying no led to CSL’s newest AI tool + all-in-one experience
✔️ 3 reflection questions to help you narrow your focus and move forward
01:50 Steve Jobs' Focus Strategy
03:55 Applying Focus in My Career
08:01 The Importance of Specialization
11:47 Real-Life Examples of Saying No
13:28 The Ripple Effect of Focus
17:50 Final Thoughts and Career Advice
20:07 Conclusion and How to Connect
⭐ 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.
Feel like your UX experience is too complex to explain—or too chaotic to package into a clear story? In this open house interview, Steve Sanshwe shares how he went from a chaotic job search and overwhelming case studies to landing a Principal Product Designer role—faster than he expected and at a higher level than he applied for.
Steve explains how he used the Career Strategy Lab to reframe his experience, clarify his story, and attract the right roles (without redesigning his resume 10 times or burning out in the process). Whether you’re drowning in too much experience or unsure how to stand out, Steve’s journey offers practical takeaways and proof that progress—not perfection—is what moves the needle.
✔️ Why Steve finally stopped rewriting the same case study and joined CSL
✔️ The mindset shift that helped him clarify his story and build confidence
✔️ How reframing your portfolio can attract better-fit opportunities
✔️ Why he landed a higher-level role than he applied for
✔️ How he used his Compass Statement to own the interview
✔️ Why saying “no” to the wrong roles helped him find the right one—fast
01:00 Episode Context and Audience
02:09 Steve's Career Journey and UX Experience
05:26 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
11:32 Iterative Process and Sprints
16:52 Final Tips and Conclusion
19:02 Closing Remarks and Podcast Information
⭐ 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.
What 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.
✔️ The UX behind Sarah’s early inspiration for Career Strategy Lab
✔️ How “perceived effort” can help job seekers at every level thrive in the same space
✔️ Why group coaching helps beat procrastination and self-doubt
✔️ What Peloton and portfolio reviews have in common (hint: shared energy)
✔️ The power of community, cognitive offloading, and normalization in your job search
✔️ Why DIYing your career might be the thing keeping you stuck
00:56 The Inspiration Behind Career Strategy Lab
01:29 The Concept of Group Fitness at Scale
04:51 Applying Group Fitness Principles to Career Coaching
06:50 Benefits of Group Coaching
10:20 Normalization in Group Settings
13:40 Cognitive Offloading in Group Coaching
16:10 Community, Accountability, and Belonging
17:49 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
23:32 Call to Action and Additional Resources
24:47 Encouragement for Job Seekers
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.
⭐ 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.
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
Nancy 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 uplifting open house conversation, Nancy shares how she moved from self-doubt to spaciousness, and why she finally feels like herself again—professionally and personally.
Whether you're later in your career or just feeling disconnected from your value, Nancy’s story will remind you that it’s never too late to rewrite your narrative and re-energize your future.
✔️ Why years of experience can make job searching harder, not easier
✔️ The emotional toll of being a runner-up again and again
✔️ How Nancy reframed “aged out” into “experienced pioneer”
✔️ The surprising career impact of mindset and community
✔️ Why CSL didn’t box her in—but actually set her free
✔️ How showing up, experimenting, and getting feedback changed everything
00:58 Episode Overview and Special Format
01:42 Introducing Nancy: A UX Veteran
02:10 Nancy's Journey in UX
03:16 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
04:47 Mindset Shifts and Career Growth
12:04 The Role of Community and Coaching
15:56 Final Thoughts and Advice
17:20 Conclusion and Podcast Outro
18:04 Special Message for Job Seekers
⭐ 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.
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
Still 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 working—but what you’re working on?
In this episode, Sarah unpacks one of the most powerful mindset shifts you can make in your career: moving from working in your career (busywork, perfectionism, burnout) to working on it (strategy, clarity, confidence). Drawing from her own business experience and the journeys of UX professionals she’s coached, Sarah shows you how to stop spinning your wheels and start making high-leverage decisions that move your career forward.
✔️The difference between working in vs. on your career or job search
✔️ Why busy doesn’t equal progress—and what to do instead
✔️ The costly habits that keep you stuck (like redesigning your resume for the 10th time)
✔️ How to zoom out and make more strategic, long-term career decisions
✔️ What cupcake bakers, physical therapists, and UX designers have in common
✔️ 3 reflection questions to help you shift into CEO mode for your career
00:00 Introduction: Troubleshooting Formulas and Business Insights
01:47 Starting My First Business: The Journey Begins
02:13 The Importance of Working On Your Business
03:22 Examples of Working In vs. On Your Business
09:40 Applying Business Strategies to Your Career
17:43 Actionable Tips for Career Growth
21:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
Feeling scattered or stuck in your UX career? Join Sarah Doody for a free, live UX Career Audit Workshop to help you pause, reflect, and plan your next move with intention.
✔️ Why you need to audit your career like a product roadmap
✔️ How to identify what’s working (and what’s not)
✔️ Why you need Career Performance Indicators (CPIs)
🎯 Register here → maven.com/sarahdoody
Not sure what stage you're in—or what to focus on next in your UX career?
Download Sarah Doody’s free UX Career Roadmap to get clarity on where you are and what matters most right now, whether you're job searching, pivoting, or planning ahead.
✔️ Identify your current stage in the UX career journey
✔️ Prioritize what to work on (and what to ignore)
✔️ Avoid wasting time on the wrong things
🎯 Download the roadmap → Here
⭐ 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.
After 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 You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why being experienced doesn’t always make job searching easier
✔️ How Duncan rebuilt his confidence after a layoff
✔️ The surprising value of self-reflection in a job search
✔️ What made interviews feel radically different this time
✔️ Why your “mentor model” and “compass statement” matter more than you think
✔️ How Career Strategy Lab helped him clarify, focus, and land a high-level role
00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy Podcast
00:40 Meet Duncan Abel: Career Journey and Challenges
04:29 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
10:30 Mentorship and Career Roadmap Insights
14:09 Global Relevance of Career Strategy Lab
16:45 Final Advice and Encouragement
19:58 Conclusion and Social Media Call-to-Action
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.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this 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.
In 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 every day.
✔️ What makes CSL truly different (hint: it’s not just the curriculum)
✔️ The #1 thing clients think is their problem—and what it actually is
✔️ What happens when people stop doom-scrolling and start taking action
✔️ The unexpected power of community, mindset support, and critique feedback
✔️ How CSL helps you tell a better story—not just land a job
✔️ Why the coaches choose to stay (and why that matters)
00:53 Meet the Coaches: Erin, Steph, and Becca
01:25 First Impressions of Sarah Duty
05:05 What Sarah Gets Right in Career Coaching
09:47 Behind the Scenes of Career Strategy Lab
15:14 Client Success Stories and Transformations
17:32 Why We Choose to Stay with CSL
24:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
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
🎬 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.
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.
✔️ 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.
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.
✔️ 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
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.
