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.

Enrollment is OPEN for my UX job search accelerator and will close on Friday, April 11 at 8pm PT. Join by Friday and get 1 extra month in the program for free. You can learn more, watch success stories, or enroll here.

And you can watch to the recording of my UX job search workshop, until deadline Friday.

If you have questions about the UX job search accelerator program (aka Career Strategy Lab) you can book a 1:1 call here or use the chat widget on the websites linked above to send us a message.

🎬 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.