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.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
In this special open house episode, Sarah sits down with Marcus, a UX designer and recent graduate of Career Strategy Lab (CSL), to share his powerful journey from long-term unemployment to landing a meaningful role in government design.
✔️ How Marcus turned a cold job market into an opportunity for clarity and growth
✔️ Why relationships—not cold DMs—led to the referral that got him hired
✔️ How CSL’s portfolio process gave him the tools and confidence to own his value
✔️ What mindset shifts helped him stay grounded during an uncertain season
✔️ The power of community in navigating the emotional rollercoaster of a UX job search
00:18 Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast
00:56 Episode Overview and Listener Engagement
01:41 Guest Introduction: Marcus' Career Journey
03:15 Marcus' Experience with Career Strategy Lab
05:13 The Importance of Relationships and Networking
06:20 Building Confidence Through Portfolio and Mindset
10:07 Reflecting on Personal Growth and Community
11:48 Advice for New Career Strategy Lab Members
13:06 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
14:20 Outro and Listener Call to Action
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this podcast.
🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly strategies and stories to help you grow in your UX career—without the burnout.
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
In this episode, UX Researcher & Product Designer, Sarah Doody, shares a tool she created to calculate the ROI of your UX job search. You can watch the episode here and if you wish, get your own personalized UX job search calculator.
You might think your DIY job search is saving you money, but the truth is, it’s likely costing you tens of thousands in lost income, time, and emotional energy. In this eye-opening episode, Sarah Doody breaks down the real cost of an inefficient UX job search using her custom-built UX Job Search ROI Calculator. You’ll follow 3 real-world scenarios, a mid-level designer, a career switcher, and a junior designer, and see how seemingly small inefficiencies (like endless applications and resume rewrites) quickly add up to five-figure losses.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
In this candid and encouraging open house conversation, Sarah Doody interviews Fritz Boyle, a UX researcher and Career Strategy Lab (CSL) graduate who recently landed a program manager role at Amazon—after nearly two years of job searching.
Fritz shares what changed when he finally stopped spinning his wheels and committed to a strategic process. From rebuilding his portfolio and resume with intention, to regaining confidence through storytelling, community, and reflection, Fritz walks us through the exact mindset and tactical shifts that helped him move from burnout to breakthrough.
Whether you’ve been job searching for months or you’re just starting out, this episode is a reminder that it’s never too late to get clear, realign your strategy, and step into the next chapter of your career with confidence.
✔️ Why applying to every UX job doesn’t work—and what to do instead
✔️ How creating a portfolio isn’t just about design—it’s about clarity and confidence
✔️ The role of community and coaching in rebuilding after rejection
✔️ How Fritz moved from doubt to a leadership role in AI research at Amazon
✔️ Why following a structured process made all the difference
✔️ What it looks like to think long-term about your UX career (not just your next role)
🎯 Program Manager at Amazon, leading AI-powered UX research initiatives for the shopping experience
💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast.
🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career.
01:41 Meet the Guest: Fritz's Journey
02:52 Challenges in the Job Market
03:15 The Role of Career Strategy Lab
05:11 Importance of Networking and Feedback
06:49 Building Confidence and Storytelling
09:19 Holistic Approach to Career Development
16:03 Long-Term Career Strategy
18:59 Final Thoughts and Advice
22:33 Conclusion
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
Would you ever design a product without doing user research first? Of course not. So why do so many UX professionals walk into job interviews without researching their users—the interviewers?
In this episode, Sarah Doody shares a simple but powerful strategy that can completely change the tone and outcome of your UX job interviews. You’ll learn how to connect on a human level with interviewers by doing just a bit of thoughtful research—and how those small moments of connection can tip the scales in your favor.
This isn’t about manipulation. It’s about building trust, showing empathy, and making your job search more human.
✔️ Why researching your interviewers is a game-changer
✔️ How one candidate at Meta used a single question to create a 5-minute connection
✔️ What to look for in someone’s LinkedIn, blog, or social posts
✔️ Examples of conversation starters that feel natural—not forced
✔️ How to show up as thoughtful, intentional, and memorable in your interviews
Whether you're early in your UX career or a seasoned pro, this episode will help you build stronger relationships—and better results—from every interview.
💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast.
🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career.
00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy
00:56 The Power of Human Connection in Interviews
01:29 Real-Life Example: Making a Personal Connection
02:54 LinkedIn Post Breakdown
04:05 Why UX Research Matters in Interviews
05:27 Tactical Tips for Interview Research
08:18 Creating Conversation Starters
09:37 Conclusion and Homework
11:04 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
You might think soap operas have nothing to do with your UX job search, but in this episode, Sarah Doody shows you why that thinking might be keeping you stuck and invisible.
Back in the 1930s, Procter & Gamble created soap operas to sell, well… soap. But what they really created was one of the most effective audience engagement strategies in marketing history. And today, you can apply the same four principles to dramatically improve your visibility and momentum as a UX job seeker.
Whether you’re on the job hunt now or preparing for the future, this episode will reframe how you think about visibility, consistency, and strategy—and show you exactly where you might be going wrong.
✔️ Why visibility, not just talent, gets you hired
✔️ The 4 key takeaways from Procter & Gamble’s soap opera strategy
✔️ How to show up where your audience (aka recruiters & hiring managers) are already hanging out
✔️ Why timing and repetition are critical to your job search success
✔️ What most UX portfolios and resumes get totally wrong
✔️ The mindset shift that turns your job search from passive to powerful
💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast.
🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career.
00:33 Unlocking Career Success with Strategy
00:55 Soap Operas and Your UX Job Search
01:24 The Birth of Soap Operas: A Marketing Masterstroke
02:13 Applying Soap Opera Strategies to Your Job Search
03:49 Lesson 1: Go Where Your Audience Is
05:53 Lesson 2: Design for Your Audience
08:26 Lesson 3: Repetition Builds Trust
10:59 Lesson 4: Timing Matters
13:05 Conclusion: Applying the Soap Opera Strategy
15:11 Final Thoughts and Contact Information
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
If you’ve applied to 100+ UX jobs and still haven’t landed an interview or offer… this episode is your wake-up call.
Sarah Doody shares the tough love and practical insights you need to finally pause, reflect, and strategically pivot your job search. Because applying to more jobs isn’t the answer—strategy is.
This episode is part pep talk, part intervention, and fully packed with real talk about what it takes to get hired in today’s competitive UX job market.
✔️ Why applying to 100+ jobs without results is a sign—not a failure
✔️ The difference between a numbers game and a strategy game
✔️ Why being great at UX doesn’t mean you’re great at getting hired
✔️ How to assess what’s really not working in your job search
✔️ The mindset shifts and next steps that will actually move the needle
If you’re feeling discouraged, stuck, or ready to give up—this one’s for you.
💬 Love this episode? Share it and tag @sarahdoody with your favorite insight.
⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help others discover Career Strategy Podcast.
🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly stories, strategies, and mindset shifts to help you thrive in your UX career.
Timestamps
00:59 The Job Search Intervention
03:13 Identifying the Problem
04:01 Real-Life Analogies
06:30 The Need for Change
08:49 Seeking Expert Help
09:28 Facts vs. Emotions
17:05 Final Thoughts and Encouragement
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
This episode was from a session on Maven! Click here to watch the replay.
If you’re applying to UX jobs and not getting interviews, your resume might be the problem—specifically, how it interacts with the Applicant Tracking System (ATS).
In this episode, Sarah Doody breaks down exactly how to format your resume so it gets past ATS filters and lands in front of recruiters and hiring managers.
You'll learn why you need TWO versions of your resume, what formatting mistakes to avoid, and how to tailor your resume for each job posting—without spending hours on every application.
✔️ Why ATS matters and how it scans and ranks resumes
✔️ The difference between an ATS-friendly and a human-friendly resume
✔️ Why two-column resumes can sabotage your chances
✔️ How to use job descriptions to tailor your resume for better results
✔️ Three common resume mistakes that could be costing you interviews
✔️ Why a one-page resume could be hurting your job search
Timestamps
01:04 The Importance of a Strategic Resume
03:08 Understanding Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)
06:24 How ATS Parses Your Resume
08:19 Formatting Your Resume for ATS
16:23 Common Resume Mistakes to Avoid
24:01 Recap and Final Tips
25:23 Conclusion and Contact Information
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.
Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.
Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram
Welcome to another Open House episode of the Career Strategy Podcast! In this episode, Sarah Doody sits down with Jon Simmons, a seasoned product designer currently navigating the UX job search.
Jon shares his experience of revamping his portfolio, refining his job search strategy, and preparing for senior-level interviews after a layoff. He discusses how shifting his portfolio approach from a website to a presentation format significantly improved his job prospects and how structured storytelling and community support made a difference in his confidence and clarity.
✔️ The importance of stepping back from just tweaking your portfolio and doing deeper self-reflection
✔️ How portfolio presentations (vs. websites) give you more control over your job search narrative
✔️ The role of mindset and confidence in positioning yourself for high-level UX roles
✔️ Why community and structured frameworks can prevent burnout and job search frustration
✔️ Jon’s insights on interviewing for principal product designer roles and adapting to today’s market
Timestamps
01:43 Episode Overview and Open House Context
03:14 John's Journey in Career Strategy Lab
07:12 Portfolio Presentation Insights
15:58 The Importance of Self-Reflection
18:03 Advice for Prospective Members
20:06 Conclusion and Community Highlights
21:47 Closing Remarks and Call to Action
🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025
👉 Join Career Strategy Lab, a UX job search accelerator for UX and Product people.
👋 Say hi and follow our host, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.
