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

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 options

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab
00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context
01:46 Faith's Career Journey and UX Experience
03:09 Navigating Job Search Challenges
05:05 The Importance of Intentionality in Job Applications
07:43 The Role of Career Strategy Lab in Job Search
09:21 Finding Job Opportunities and Networking
14:38 Impact of Career Strategy Lab on Personal and Professional Growth
17:11 Advice for Prospective Career Strategy Lab Members
25:33 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Learn more about Sarah Doody's UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab.
👋 Say hi and follow me, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

In this episode, Sarah talks about how AI is reshaping the UX landscape and why three key skills are more important than ever for professionals looking to stand out in the evolving job market.

Despite the rise of AI tools, it’s not about being replaced—it’s about evolving your mindset and skills to stay relevant. In this episode, Sarah explains why UX professionals need to stop thinking like "doers" and start thinking like "drivers." You’ll also hear why the critical skills of speed, quality thinking, and impact are necessary to stay valuable in your career.

This episode is for anyone feeling uncertain about how AI fits into your skillset or wondering how to stay relevant in an AI-powered UX job market.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why shifting from being a “doer” to a “driver” is essential for staying valuable in UX
✔️ The 3 most important skills for UX professionals in the age of AI: speed, quality thinking, and impact
✔️ How to leverage speed without sacrificing quality in your UX work
✔️ Why quality thinking (and not relying on AI) is crucial to uncovering nuances and insights
✔️ How to make sure your work has true impact—going beyond just delivering information
✔️ The danger of de-skilling and how to stay sharp while using AI as a tool

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction: The Future of UX Jobs in the Age of AI
00:39 Meet Sarah Doody: Your UX Career Guide
01:19 The Value of Strategic Thinking Over Task Execution
02:05 Three Critical Skills for UX Professionals
05:39 Skill 1: Speed with Strategy
09:42 Skill 2: Quality Thinking
14:52 Skill 3: Impact and Influence
19:44 The Risk of De-Skilling in the Age of AI
24:50 Conclusion: Be a Driver, Not a Doer
25:54 Call to Action: Support the Podcast

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Learn more about Sarah Doody's UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab.
👋 Say hi and follow me, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and 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 Lab
00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context
01:21 Vasudha's Journey: From Master's to Amazon
05:38 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
10:56 Portfolio Development and Career Growth
16:37 The Importance of Storytelling in UX Careers
21:54 Advice for Joining Career Strategy Lab
23:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Learn more about Sarah Doody's UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab.
👋 Say hi and follow me, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.

In this episode, Sarah chats with Ben Peck, Director of Product Design & Global Strategy at nCino and a longtime community builder in the UX and product world, to demystify how UX hiring really works, from the perspective of someone who’s hired again and again.

Ben brings over 20 years of experience across agencies, tech, leadership, and community building. As the co-founder of Front Conference and former Executive Director of Product Hive, he’s reviewed hundreds of portfolios, partnered closely with recruiters, and built high-performing design teams across industries.

Together, Sarah and Ben unpack what actually happens after you click “apply,” how hiring managers scan portfolios, why storytelling matters more than polish, and how community and relationships quietly shape most UX careers.

If you’ve ever wondered what’s going on behind the scenes of UX hiring, or how to stand out without burning yourself out, this episode is for you.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ What hiring managers actually look for in UX portfolios
✔️ Why your portfolio needs a hook—and what that hook should be
✔️ How recruiters and hiring managers split screening responsibilities
✔️ The biggest mistakes candidates make when telling case study stories
✔️ Why generalists are thriving in today’s UX job market
✔️ How to make industry or role pivots without starting over
✔️ The smartest way to reach out to companies (and who not to DM)
✔️ Why community—not cold applications—is the real career accelerant
✔️ How hiring managers evaluate experience beyond “years on paper”

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction and Purpose of the Podcast
00:38 Guest Introduction: Ben Peck
03:25 Ben Peck's Career Journey
05:31 The Value of Being a Generalist
10:22 Hiring Insights and Job Market Trends
20:59 Portfolio Tips for Job Seekers
28:57 The Importance of Storytelling in Portfolios
30:42 Balancing Content and Design
32:21 Effective Use of Prototypes and Videos
40:00 Transitioning to a UX Career
43:22 The Role of Community in Career Growth
48:37 Advice for Job Seekers
49:33 Lightning Round: Fun and Personal Insights
53:13 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Learn more about Sarah Doody's UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab.
👋 Say hi and follow me, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and 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 pay

Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab
00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context
02:10 Kellyn's Career Journey and Success Story
05:00 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab on Confidence and Job Search
13:55 The Importance of LinkedIn Optimization
16:11 Crafting Compelling Case Studies and Portfolios
23:44 Final Thoughts and Advice for Career Strategy Lab Participants
27:08 Conclusion and Additional Resources
27:49 Special Message for Job Seekers

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market
👉 Learn more about Sarah Doody's UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab.
👋 Say hi and follow me, Sarah Doody, on LinkedIn, Instagram, and YouTube.