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

Most UX professionals spend years trying to be good at everything. Eric Shumake, founder of HXR Labs, spent 20 years getting really good at one thing and it kept opening doors he didn't expect.Eric is a principal UX researcher and a well-known voice in healthcare UX. His career has taken him through companies like Pfizer, Johnson & Johnson, Novartis, Myriad Genetics, and AliveCor.He also teaches, including a popular course on Maven on breaking into healthcare UX, and has been exploring how AI can meaningfully (and responsibly) augment research without replacing the judgment that makes research trustworthy.In this episode, Eric and Sarah cover a lot of ground: how specializing almost always beats generalizing, what surprises people when they try to bring standard UX practices into clinical environments, why Eric thinks of every role as a gig, and what he'd prioritize if he were managing someone's job search like a product.Topics Discussed✅ Why specializing beats generalizing and how to niche down even when it feels risky✅ How transferable skills work in practice: why experience in one highly regulated industry (like finance) can open doors in another (like healthcare) ✅ The biggest blind spot people bring into healthcare UX✅ Why "recommendations are where insights go to die" and how to tie research to decisions and numbers so stakeholders actually act on it✅ Treating every role as a gig and why that mindset is more practical than it sounds in today's job market✅ Why posting consistently on LinkedIn is one of the highest-leverage things a UX professional can do in a job search right now✅ Where AI genuinely helps in UX research (desk research, competitive analysis, automating the time-consuming parts) and where to draw a hard line✅ What neurodivergence in the workplace looks like from the insideduring a job searchLinks & Resources🔗 Eric Shumake on LinkedIn🔗 HXR Labs🔗 Eric's Maven course on breaking into healthcare UX💸 See how you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside 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 you can get hired in UX with the help of my UX job search coaching program📋 Take a peek inside my UX job search coaching program👋 Follow me, on LinkedIn, Instagram, & YouTube