Promotions don’t just happen—you have to advocate for yourself! In this episode, Sarah breaks down the inspiring story of Marco, a Senior Product Designer who secured a 37% increase in total compensation by leveraging his annual review process, gathering compelling evidence, and using the tools from Career Strategy Lab to make his case. If you’ve ever wondered how to position yourself for a promotion, this episode is a must-listen. Sarah walks through Marco’s exact strategy, from recognizi...
Mar 10, 2025•12 min
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah Doody breaks down the key steps to getting hired—whether for a full-time job or a freelance contract. Through the story of Emily, a former fashion and beauty marketer turned UX writer, Sarah illustrates how refining your resume, portfolio, and LinkedIn profile can dramatically increase your opportunities and earning potential. Emily’s journey highlights the power of strategic career marketing—starting with a $35/hour contract, she grew her r...
Mar 03, 2025•15 min
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast,, Sarah dives into the hidden costs of navigating your job search alone and why a DIY approach may be holding you back. Many job seekers spend months stuck in a cycle of applying, tweaking resumes, and feeling frustrated—without realizing they’re wasting valuable time, missing opportunities, and facing an unnecessary emotional toll. Sarah breaks down why job searching requires strategy, positioning, and persistence —not just endless applications. Sh...
Feb 24, 2025•31 min
In this episode, we’re taking you inside a Career Strategy Lab Open House, where we chat with Jane, a UX researcher who landed a Principal UX Researcher role at Whole Foods—despite having no prior U.S. work experience or connections! Jane’s story is an incredible example of what’s possible when you shift from a scarcity mindset to a strategic approach in your job search. 🔹 What You’ll Learn in This Episode: ✔️ Why treating your career like a product roadmap leads to better opportunities ✔️ How ...
Feb 17, 2025•22 min
Many career coaching programs use cohort-based models to keep participants accountable. But do they really work? In today’s episode, we’re tackling a common question: Is Career Strategy Lab’s UX Job Search Accelerator run in cohorts? Spoiler alert—it's not! And there’s a very good reason why. Host Sarah Doody breaks down why strict cohort schedules can be limiting, how Career Strategy Lab takes a different approach, and why focusing on outcomes over rigid timelines creates a better job search ex...
Feb 10, 2025•20 min
If you’ve been stuck in an endless cycle of tweaking, redesigning, and overanalyzing your UX resume, this episode is for you. Sarah breaks down why perfectionism keeps you from landing interviews, how to shift your mindset, and what you should focus on instead. She also shares why conflicting resume advice from too many sources slows you down and how Career Strategy Lab can help you streamline your job search with a clear, strategic approach. Plus, Sarah announces the 1-Week Resume Sprint happen...
Feb 05, 2025•24 min
This episode of the Career Strategy Podcast features Sarah's interview on the Awkward Silences Podcast by User Interviews . In this episode, Sarah Doody is interviewed by Erin May, the CMO of User Interviews, and John-Henry Forster, who at the time of recording was the SVP of Product at User Interviews. Join them as they dive deep into treating your UX research career like a product and the pivotal strategies to become a UX research manager. 🧠 6 Key takeaways 1) Treating Your Career as a Produc...
Feb 03, 2025•51 min
This is a reminder that enrollment opens TODAY (Jan 29) at 4pm ET Career Strategy Lab's 3-month UX Job Search Accelerator. Here is the page to learn more or join: www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint ... enrollment will close on Fri, Jan 31 at 8pm PT. Career Strategy Lab helps you optimize and finish your resume, portfolio, LinkedIn, etc and position yourself for a 5-figure salary increase, just like these people did: A Senior UX Researcher from Denver got hired at an insurance company with a salary...
Jan 29, 2025•11 min
In this inspiring episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah sits down with Steven, a Career Strategy Lab (CSL) alum who transitioned from uncertainty to launching his own UX research agency. Steven reflects on his journey, from overcoming self-doubt as a career switcher to building confidence, leveraging mentorship, and creating a sustainable business model. Sarah and Steven explore the role of community, structured career tools, and storytelling in navigating the job search and scaling an ...
Jan 27, 2025•19 min
In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , host Sarah Doody dives into the transformative journey of Leon, a Career Strategy Lab (CSL) participant who navigated the ux jobs search after an unexpected layoff. Leon shares insights into how creating a c areer roadmap , leveraging a standout resume and portfolio, and embracing community support helped him secure a role in UX design at a government contractor. Sarah and Leon discuss actionable strategies, including the importance of aligning yo...
Jan 20, 2025•21 min
In this episode, Sarah Doody delivers a hot take on a common mistake in UX portfolios: focusing too much on showcasing the product and not enough on showcasing the designer . Drawing on her experience reviewing thousands of portfolios since 2017, Sarah explains why it's critical to highlight your decision-making process, iterations, and problem-solving skills to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. Timestamps 00:44 Understanding the Recruiter's Perspective 02:41 Key Elements to Highlight...
Jan 13, 2025•12 min
In this special "Open House" episode, Sarah sits down with Career Strategy Lab alum, Kristin, a former graphic design professor turned UX professional, who joined Career Strategy Lab (CSL) as a “switcher”—someone transitioning to a new role or industry. Despite her extensive experience, Kristin found herself stuck in a role where her creative skills were underutilized. After 165 days in the program, Kristin successfully landed a government contract position with the Department of Energy, achievi...
Jan 06, 2025•19 min
This special episode of the Career Strategy Podcast features an episode of the Insights Unlocked Podcast powered by UserTesting. In this episode, Sarah Doody is interviewed by UserTesting’s CEO, Andy McMillan. They discuss navigating your UX career over the next one to two years and dive into crucial themes that resonate with UX researchers, designers, and product managers from coping with tech layoffs to understanding the impact of AI. Key Topics Covered: The State of UX Careers in 2024 I...
Dec 30, 2024•28 min
This is a special episode of the Career Strategy Podcast that features an interview with Sarah on the AIGA Design Podcast with host Lee-Sean Huang. In this episode, Sarah and Lee-Sean dive deep into the innovative concept of treating your career as a product. Sarah shares practical strategies for creating a "career roadmap" and "compass statement" to align short-term goals with long-term ambitions while balancing professional growth and personal life priorities. Sarah reveals how applying design...
Dec 23, 2024•43 min
In this milestone 100th episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, we sit down with Jaden, a Career Strategy Lab alumni, who shares their transformative journey from apparel design to landing a senior product designer role at Zipline as a Senior Product Designer with a 15% pay increase from her previous role. Sarah and Jaden discuss the struggles of job searching, the importance of a strong LinkedIn presence, navigating a career gap, and the power of storytelling in portfolios. Jaden emphasizes the...
Dec 16, 2024•18 min
Don’t forget! Don't miss Sarah's upcoming workshop on December 11, where she'll share detailed strategies for standing out in the UX job search funnel. Visit careerstrategylab.com/events to register. In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast , Sarah dives into the art of standing out in a competitive job market, especially when it comes to UX roles. With practical insights drawn from her experience coaching thousands of candidates and hiring across various industries, Sarah breaks down the ...
Dec 09, 2024•29 min
Imagine treating your job like a freelance gig—always ready for what’s next. This episode dives deep into why adopting a freelancer mindset can boost your career, even if you love your full-time job. Join Sarah to explore real strategies that freelancers use to stay in demand: documenting wins and projects, nurturing relationships, keeping up with industry trends, and treating each project like a portfolio piece. You’ll hear practical tips on timeboxing tasks to fit career-building activities in...
Dec 02, 2024•21 min
Why do your cold messages to recruiters go unanswered? In today's episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, we dive into the reasons why your emails and DMs might be getting ignored by recruiters and hiring managers. This episode discusses the importance of shifting from being a cold contact to a lukewarm one, making you more recognizable and increasing the chances of getting replies. You’ll learn five simple LinkedIn strategies to help you warm up your connections. Find out how to lea...
Nov 25, 2024•15 min
In this episode, Sarah explains how the critiques in Career Strategy Lab work, including how many critiques you can submit, what you can submit, how you'll receive feedback, and more. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any question...
Nov 19, 2024•9 min
In this episode, Sarah explains the 2 types of weekly calls in Career Strategy Lab and shares examples of questions we've answered. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any questions, feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 ...
Nov 19, 2024•16 min
Ever wondered how to finally break through in your career when things seem tough? In this episode, Jamie, a senior product designer from Ottawa, shares his journey of navigating job loss and finding success. Jamie recounts his struggles with imposter syndrome and unemployment, sharing how he applied for hundreds of jobs without landing one. Jamie found his turning point by joining Career Strategy Lab, where the community and structured guidance helped him rebuild confidence. He talks about the i...
Nov 18, 2024•17 min
In this episode, Sarah shares the story of a Lead Design Researcher who got hired with a 35% salary increase. This person, an alumni of Career Strategy Lab, said a that major factor in securing the role was relationships. In the episode, you'll learn the role of relationships in this person's job search and interviews. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundr...
Nov 17, 2024•6 min
In this episode, Sarah shares the story of Dan, a Lead UX Designer who got hired in 56 days. In Dec 2023, he was laid off and joined Career Strategy Lab. A few weeks later, he saw a role and applied despite his UX portfolio not being finished and being "far from perfect." To his surprise, he moved along in the interview process and was offered a job in February 2024 as a Lead UX Designer at a large healthcare company. THIS is what can happen when you stop trying to make a "perfect" portfolio and...
Nov 16, 2024•7 min
In this episode, Sarah details the extra traits of who Career Strategy Lab was designed for. Enrollment is OPEN until Wed, Nov 20. Visit www.careerstrategylab.com/sprint to learn more or join. Career Strategy Lab helps mid and senior UX and Product people be ready to apply in 3 months or less and get hired with a 5-figure salary increases without applying to hundreds of jobs. If you have any questions feel free to email us at hello@sarahdoody.com 🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop an...
Nov 16, 2024•15 min
Tired of endless applications to big tech companies without any luck? This episode of The Career Strategy Podcast dives into industries outside of tech that are actively hiring for UX, product design, and tech roles. From health care to finance, education to retail, discover real data showing where job seekers are finding success. Sarah talks through why these industries are ramping up their hiring and how your existing skills can transfer seamlessly. Plus, you’ll get tips on how to refine...
Nov 11, 2024•22 min
Ever wondered why a coach without UX experience might be the secret to your job search success? This episode dives into just that, answering a common question: why are the Career Strategy Lab (CSL) coaches not UX experts? Discover how the CSL program helps people in user experience, product design, and tech fields navigate their job searches. The episode explains the importance of thinking of yourself as "the product of you” and why great job search coaching involves more than just industr...
Nov 04, 2024•21 min
Navigating a career change or climbing the job ladder can be daunting, but guidance and support make all the difference. In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast we take you behind the scenes into an Open House for CSL where you’ll meet 2 professionals, a Senior User Researcher and a Lead UX Designer, who worked with Sarah and her team directly to improve their career materials and stand out in the crowded job market. In this episode we’ll dive into the unique structure of the Career Strat...
Oct 28, 2024•1 hr 6 min
Are you falling into the trap of getting career advice from too many sources? In this episode of The Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah explores why a piecemeal approach to job searches and career advancement can lead to confusion and wasted time. Join Sarah to discuss the common mistake of piecing together advice from various sources, such as resume reviews, LinkedIn critiques, and one-off coaching sessions, and how this often results in disconnected and conflicting feedback. After list...
Oct 21, 2024•18 min
Do you really need 3 to 5 projects in your portfolio before applying for jobs? Could focusing on quantity be a mistake? In today’s episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah explores why the quality of how you discuss your projects outweighs the sheer number of them. In this episode, we'll discuss: - Why “3 to 5 projects” is a myth - Importance of storytelling in your portfolio - How to highlight your thought process and impact - Applying with just one strong project - Actionable steps ...
Oct 14, 2024•16 min
Are you stuck in a never-ending job search and unsure if investing in a career program is worth it? In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, Sarah breaks down the real cost of DIY-ing your job hunt and how a 3-month job search accelerator can actually pay for itself. In this episode, you’ll discover three crucial ways to rethink investing in your career. First, learn how the time spent job hunting affects your potential earning and find out why landing a job faster can mean extra ca...
Oct 07, 2024•16 min
