Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research

Have you been applying to UX jobs you know you're qualified for and still not hearing back? Chances are, your experience isn't the problem, it's how you're presenting it.After nearly a decade of coaching UX and product professionals and reviewing thousands of resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles, Sarah has seen the same red flag mistakes show up again and again. The candidates making them are talented, experienced designers who simply were never taught how to market themselves.In this episode, Sarah breaks down one major red flag mistake for resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn. Spoiler alert: fixing it doesn't require months of work.Sarah also shares the story of Jonathan, a UX director with 20 years of experience who was getting ghosted on 75% of his applications. He was qualified, but his materials weren't telling his story effectively. Once he addressed the right things, he landed an executive-level role at the University of Houston.Your materials don't have to be perfect... they need to be 10% better than everyone else making the same, avoidable, mistakes.Topics Discussed✅ What hiring managers and applicant tracking systems are silently penalizing you for✅ Why showing deliverables without context, process, or decision-making is leaving hiring managers cold✅ What to put in your LinkedIn headline instead of just your job title and company name (and why)✅ How to optimize your LinkedIn profile for the algorithm✅ How to rewrite vague resume bullet points so they communicate scope and outcomes✅ Why talented UX professionals with years of experience still struggle to get interviews✅ How to break out of the perfection trap that's keeping you in research modeLinks From This Episode:🔗 Free UX Portfolio Case Study Template🔗 Optimizing Your LinkedIn Headline🔗 How to optimize your resume for the ATS so you can get more UX job interviews🔗 EP 170: Jonathan's Journey From UX Layoff to UX Executive💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

What does it take to build a UX portfolio that makes a hiring manager stop scrolling? Alexander Zeh, Head of Product Design at ManyChat, is here to share how he approaches hiring and what many candidates get wrong.In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah Doody sits down with Alexander Zeh, a design leader with over 20 years of experience who has scaled UX teams from 5 to 43 people. Alexander is refreshingly direct about what he's looking for and what sends candidates straight to the 'no' pile.He breaks down how he structures his hiring process to reduce bias, why a failed project can be a stronger case study than a polished one, how to handle NDA-protected work, and why the "hero designer" narrative is working against you. Whether you're actively applying to UX roles or just trying to understand what hiring managers are really thinking, this conversation will change how you approach your next portfolio presentation.Topics discussed in this episode:✅ Why Alexander treats team diversity as a design decision✅ The grading criteria that lets hiring managers make a confident call✅ Why clear writing and articulation matter more than Figma fluency✅ How constraints and failed projects can make a stronger case study than a polished outcome✅ How claiming to do it all might be a red flag to hiring managers✅ Whether UX job seekers in different countries need different portfolios ✅ How to handle NDA-protected work✅ Why showing your thinking at every fork in the road matters more than the final productLinks From This Episode:ManyChat Careers PageMetaviewCSL Podcast Episode ArchiveTimestamps:00:57 Intro: Alexander and ManyChat03:10 Alexander's career journey07:26 From consulting to in-house leadership12:36 Building diverse teams intentionally15:26 Why grading criteria beats "I'll know it when I see it"16:22 Blind submissions to avoid groupthink18:16 What hiring managers actually look for22:19 What standout candidates do differently28:09 Does location affect your UX job search?35:25 Showing impact without a happy ending44:34 Resilience, vision, and holding the tension47:55 Handling NDA work in your portfolio💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

After being laid off, Jonathan spent months applying to everything and getting almost nowhere. Even with 20 years of UX experience, 75% of his applications ended in silence or rejection. In this episode of Career Strategy Lab, Sarah Doody catches up with Jonathan now that he's landed an Executive Director of Web Experience role at the University of Houston Downtown He shares what changed in his job search when he stopped applying to everything and started being intentional about where, how, and to whom he was presenting himself.Topics discussed in this episode: ✅ Why applying to everything actually slows your job search down✅ How getting more specific and intentional led to significantly more callbacks✅ The power of peer accountability and working sessions in a community✅ How to think about your portfolio presentation vs. your website✅ Why two versions of your resume matter in today's ATS-driven hiring landscape✅ The "ugly first draft" mindset and why it helps you move fasterTimestamps:01:03 Jonathan's new role: Executive Director of Web Experience02:32 Why DIY-ing his job search wasn't working03:16 The tipping point that led him to join Career Strategy Lab05:30 How niching down changed everything07:00 From 50 applications a week to 512:02 The "ugly first draft" mindset13:40 Treating your job search like an experiment14:29 How to stay objective about your own work15:08 Why confidence is a byproduct of action, not a prerequisite for starting15:49 Imposter syndrome17:16 Keep a log of wins to fight negative self-talk when you're stuck18:36 Walking into interviews with a 30-60-90 day plan21:32 Portfolio website vs. PDF deck23:16 Two versions of your resume: ATS vs. human-readable💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

What does it actually take to get hired in UX Design and stand out to UX recruiters? Steph McDonald, a UX Recruiter from HubSpot is here to share how she approaches UX hiring. With 300+ applications often coming in for a single UX design role, the competition is intense. And behind every application is a recruiter making real decisions about who moves forward and who doesn't.In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah Doody sits down with Steph McDonald, a lead UX design recruiter at HubSpot who has spent over 25 years in recruiting. Steph is refreshingly honest about what's happening on the other side of your application. She breaks down exactly how candidates are evaluated, how AI is being used in hiring right now, and the resume and portfolio mistakes that get you skipped. She also shares what she actually wants to see in a portfolio (spoiler: the messy stuff), why one-page resumes drive her crazy, and why those AI-powered bots that apply to jobs on your behalf are doing more harm than good.Whether you're actively applying to UX roles, this conversation will change how you think about showing up as a candidate.Timestamps:00:00 Meet Steph McDonald, UX Design Recruiter at HubSpot01:55 How Steph got into recruiting by accident03:39 How the job market has shifted post-COVID05:28 Why companies are hiring fewer people at higher levels06:35 How long it actually takes to get hired at HubSpot07:51 How HubSpot tweaks its hiring process like a product08:41 Trauma-informed recruiting and candidate empathy10:03 How HubSpot gives candidates real feedback after interviews13:53 How AI is used inside HubSpot's hiring process16:23 Auto-reject questions and how they work18:04 Why AI application bots are hurting candidates21:49 How recruiters feel when they spot AI-generated answers24:58 Resume hot takes: font size, page length, and impact29:22 What Steph looks for in a UX portfolio33:46 Portfolio format: website vs. presentation vs. Google folder34:49 Diversity and inclusion in HubSpot's hiring process38:45 How many people actually get interviewed per role41:21 Can you reach out to a recruiter after getting rejected?45:15 Using video in your portfolio: supplement, not replacement46:02 What "experience with ambiguity" really means50:03 Is HubSpot hiring right now?51:29 Lightning round: first job, dream career, interview pump-up song💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

UX hiring insights from a UX veteran with 25+ years in UX and product. In this episode, Sarah Doody interviews Dan Maccarone, co-founder of Hard Candy Shell and Charming Robot, fractional Chief Product Officer, and a UX expert who's worked on products for Hulu, Rent the Runway, Foursquare, and the Wall Street Journal. In the episode Dan shares about what he actually looks for when hiring UX people (spoiler: it's not your Figma skills).Dan shares why he doesn't care about tools, why he conducts interviews over drinks instead of in conference rooms, and how he evaluates candidates based on curiosity, empathy, and how they think, not what software they know. He also gets into career reinvention, the rise of fractional leadership roles, and why your hobbies outside of UX might matter more than your case studies.If you're a UX or Product professional navigating your next career move, this conversation will challenge what you think hiring managers care about.What's discussed in this episode:Why Dan has hired people who didn't know Figma — and doesn't careWhat curiosity and a humanities background signal to a hiring managerWhy Dan prefers to conducts interviews with candidates over coffee or drinks, not in conference roomsHow he uses observation and empathy cues to evaluate candidates (the same way you'd do user research)Why he hates design assignments and considers them insultingWhat "career reinvention" looks like after 25 years in UX and how to know when it's timeThe real requirements for going fractional (and why it's not for everyone)Why your identity and hobbies outside of work actually make you better at your job\How he's re-invented his own UX career multiple times💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

Career maximalism is a mistake that many high achieving professionals make. When you care too much about your job, you can actually become worse at it. In this video, learn what Career Maximalism is, and why this behavior is everywhere, often rewarded, and quietly working against you.Career maximalism is when your job becomes a major source of your identity and your emotional state rises and falls based on how work is going. It often looks like being a great employee, but there's a tipping point where it clouds your judgment, slows your decisions, and makes everything heavier than it needs to be. Sarah Doody discusses the difference between commitment and emotional over-identification, shares a Reddit thread about treating UX as a job instead of an identity, and gives three practical tips for caring deeply without making work who you are.3 tips for avoiding the trap of Career Maximalism: 1) Build proof of your self-worth outside your job with physical challenges, creative projects, community, etc.2) Practice emotional detachment without disengagement. Detachment isn't apathy, it's clarity.3) Set clear standards and boundaries. When expectations are vague, everything becomes emotional.Resources & Links Mentioned: Reddit thread about treating UX as a job instead of an identity🎙️ Ep 163: What is Career Minimalism and How It Can Quietly Weaken Your Career 💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

Erica 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 "messy" career path across social work, public health, and UX research actually became her biggest strength, and how she got hired using a whiteboard and Mural board instead of a polished portfolio. She also shares why she negotiated her salary and got what she asked for, and what hiring managers actually look for when multiple candidates are equally qualified.Erica's 3 lessons from her UX job search:1) Follow what you're passionate about2) Go for it even if you're not ready3) Know your worth and advocate for yourself — the worst they can say is noTimestamps0:00 Introduction 1:00 Meet Erica, the first UX Officer at WK Kellogg Foundation 3:00 The career roadmap: realizing how unintentional her career had been 4:30 From social worker to UX researcher — a 12-year non-linear path 5:00 Seeing the story in a "messy" resume 7:00 The Product of You: Design yourself before marketing yourself 8:00 Getting clarity vs. jumping straight to tactics10:00 The Gumby mindset & reframing your experiences12:00 Lesson 1: Follow what you're passionate about13:00 Lesson 2: Go for it even if you're not ready 15:00Lesson 3: Know your worth & salary negotiation17:00 The heroes exercise & discovering what matters beyond UX19:30 Applying UX skills beyond big tech20:00 Advice for anyone on the fence about Career Strategy Lab22:00 Why the human element matters most in hiring💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

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 wrong role. From networking on LinkedIn to being picky about where she applied, Faith’s story will inspire anyone going through a career transition or navigating a tough job search.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ Why being intentional about your job search makes all the difference✔️ How to avoid the trap of applying to jobs just for the sake of it✔️ How Faith used Career Strategy Lab to design her job search strategy✔️ The importance of knowing your “Compass Statement” to guide decisions✔️ Why Faith turned down a “perfectly good” offer in favor of the right fit✔️ How CSL’s support and community made her more confident in interviews✔️ Tips for networking and finding job opportunities that align with your values✔️ Why staying true to your career goals led to better offers and more optionsTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context01:46 Faith's Career Journey and UX Experience03:09 Navigating Job Search Challenges05:05 The Importance of Intentionality in Job Applications07:43 The Role of Career Strategy Lab in Job Search09:21 Finding Job Opportunities and Networking14:38 Impact of Career Strategy Lab on Personal and Professional Growth17:11 Advice for Prospective Career Strategy Lab Members25:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

In 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 long-term career growth.This episode is a powerful reminder that Career Strategy Lab isn’t just about landing one job. It’s about building a career operating system you can reuse, refine, and rely on over time.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ Why Vasudha decided to invest in CSL while still in grad school✔️ How talking to an alumni helped her decide to join✔️ Why CSL skills extend far beyond the job search✔️ How the portfolio sprint changed how she approaches real projects at Amazon✔️ Why answering “why” matters just as much as showing artifacts✔️ How CSL frameworks support promotions—not just hiring✔️ The confidence shift that comes from understanding your blind spots✔️ Why embracing being a UX generalist unlocked clarity and growth✔️ How CSL helps you tell the right story about yourself (not the wrong one)Timestamps:00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context01:21 Vasudha's Journey: From Master's to Amazon05:38 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab10:56 Portfolio Development and Career Growth16:37 The Importance of Storytelling in UX Careers21:54 Advice for Joining Career Strategy Lab23:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

In 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 portfolio that focused on thinking and storytelling, not flashy visuals.This episode is a powerful reminder that career pivots don’t require starting over—they require structure, strategy, and the confidence to own your experience.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ How Kellyn reframed market research experience for UX research roles✔️ Why the Compass Statement was the turning point in her job search✔️ How narrowing focus saved her time, energy, and burnout✔️ Why LinkedIn optimization led to real recruiter interest✔️ How storytelling, not a portfolio website, landed her UX job interviews ✔️ The role of community, coaching, and feedback in rebuilding confidence✔️ Why CSL is an investment with long-term, compounding career impact✔️ How clarity led to better interviews, better offers, and better payTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context02:10 Kellyn's Career Journey and Success Story05:00 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab on Confidence and Job Search13:55 The Importance of LinkedIn Optimization16:11 Crafting Compelling Case Studies and Portfolios23:44 Final Thoughts and Advice for Career Strategy Lab Participants27:08 Conclusion and Additional Resources27:49 Special Message for Job Seekers💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

In 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 at PepsiCo with confidence restored.This episode is a powerful reminder that confidence isn’t something you “should already have.” It’s something you rebuild through clarity, structure, and self-trust.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ What it actually feels like to “lose your mojo” after years in UX✔️ Why giving yourself grace is a strategic career move—not a weakness✔️ How taking inventory of your work restores confidence fast✔️ The role of external feedback in uncovering hidden strengths✔️ Why trying to rush ahead in your job search often backfires✔️ How watching others’ critiques can improve your own portfolio and storytelling✔️ Why treating your job search like a real project changes everythingTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context02:29 Meet Allie: A UX Journey03:59 Confidence and Career Strategy Lab08:19 Mindset Shifts and Lessons Learned11:18 Impactful Feedback and Storytelling13:40 Final Thoughts and Advice16:58 Conclusion and Podcast Outro17:38 Special Message for Job Seekers💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.

In 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 about 20+ years of experience, streamline his job search, and even reinvent himself as a business owner.Whether you're mid-career, coming out of a layoff, or curious about consulting, Steven’s story is a grounding reminder that clarity, strategy, and community can completely change your UX career trajectory.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ How Steven went from 25% confidence to 80% confidence in his job search✔️ The myth he had to unlearn: your portfolio is not the first step✔️ Why clarity + foundational work = faster, less stressful job search✔️ How CSL’s community accelerated his progress and kept him motivated✔️ The mindset shift that helped him stop applying blindly to jobs✔️ How he now uses CSL’s frameworks to land consulting and contract roles✔️ Why your “career operating system” needs ongoing updates✔️ How knowing your values helps you choose the right opportunitiesTimestamps:00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context01:26 Sarah Doody's Background and UX Career Coaching02:31 Steven's Journey and Career Strategy Lab Experience04:13 Building Confidence and Telling Your Story06:25 The Power of Community and Networking09:55 Mindset Shifts and Career Value Criteria13:03 Freelance and Consulting Success Tips16:01 Final Thoughts and Advice18:53 Conclusion and Next Steps💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube.