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

Struggling to get responses to your cold emails and messages? This episode of the Career Strategy Podcast dives into practical tips for improving your follow-up game. 

In this episode Sarah explores why people might not reply and how you can increase your chances of a response without being annoying. 

Sarah also breaks down a 5-day follow-up cadence and suggests experimenting with specific days and shares a simple and effective template for your follow-ups, ensuring you stay clear and direct. 

Plus, Sarah shares a handy hack involving TextExpander to make your follow-up process quicker and less stressful.

Tune in to learn why you should stick to one communication channel and avoid bombarding your contacts across multiple platforms.

Timestamps 

01:40 Set expectations, use GAIN framework for replies.

05:55 Limit follow-up to original communication method.

07:07 Create reusable email templates to expedite communication.

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In today's special episode, we dive into the raw, unfiltered experiences of alumni from the Career Strategy Lab who have recently secured new roles and transformed their careers. 

Our guests share their personal journeys and the pivotal moments that propelled their career success. From overcoming the fear of posting on LinkedIn to mastering the art of storytelling in portfolios and resumes, this episode highlights the importance of community, mentorship, and structured support. 

Listen as Senior Product Designer at Contact Monkey, Jamie, Global Head of Product Design & Experience at DSI, Duncan, and Product Designer at Zipline Retail, Jaden, discuss how Career Strategy Lab's curated curriculum and 5-sprint program helped them gain confidence, clarity, and authentic self-presentation in interviews.

Whether you're looking to switch careers, enhance your job search strategies, or build a standout portfolio, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-life insights. Stay tuned as we uncover the transformative power of investing in oneself and the invaluable role of a supportive community in achieving career success. 

Timestamps

03:20 Left previous job, struggled, found new role.

09:00 Laid off while pregnant, found new job.

15:39 Mindset shift in job search for designers.

17:16 Emphasizing self-recognition and value in past work.

22:58 Support and connection in overcoming career challenges.

30:37 Owning your story is important in career.

37:04 Impactful case study sprint improved job prospects.

43:33 Choose best option for best results.

46:28 Investing in career advice paid off well.

55:48 Join strategylab.com/applyv2 for info and updates.

58:30 Course is primarily self-paced with weekly Q&A.

01:03:37 Portfolio important for interviews and confidence boost.

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Are you doing enough to stay ahead in your career? 

In this episode Sarah discusses why you should always be applying, even if you're happy with your job. 

You’ll learn the two main scenarios where this practice can make a difference and why it's important to apply for jobs right up until you start a new role.

Even if you’re comfortably employed, Sarah also shares the benefits of keeping your resume, LinkedIn profile, and interview skills sharp.

Tune in for actionable advice on how to take charge of your career and always be prepared for whatever comes next.

Quotables

“If you're in a job and you really have no plans on leaving, I think it's a very healthy exercise to explore other roles at different companies from time to time."

"It's not until you look outside of the confines of your current job that you realize: wait a sec, I really like the structure of this company's teams or these benefits or their salary or their job title or who knows what."

Timestamps

00:32 Always apply for job opportunities to grow.

04:45 Applying while employed helps gauge worth, reduces anxiety.

08:06 Use job search tools, set up alerts. Apply.

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In today's episode, Sarah addresses a crucial mindset shift for your job search: how your ability to communicate can be more important than your qualifications. 

Often times professionals hyperfocus on their credentials but struggle to convey their value effectively.

Sarah explores common pitfalls in resumes and interviews, and actionable tips on improving your communication to boost your job search success.

Quotables

"Your qualifications don't matter unless you can communicate them, right?"

"If you're applying to jobs and not getting interviews it's more than likely a communication problem not a qualification problem."

Timestamps

00:15 Resume should have a clear elevator pitch.

03:15 Effective resume tips.

04:10 Self-audits and communication improvement on resumes and job search.

06:57 Aligned messaging during your job search.

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In today’s episode, Sarah shares how to include numbers on your resume, even if you think you don't have any. 

Many people believe that only monumental achievements, like saving or making a million dollars, are worthy of metrics on a resume. But that's far from the truth! 

This episode will walk you through a simple mindset shift from focusing on outcomes to showcasing your processes. 

Sarah explores practical examples for various roles like user researchers and designers, illustrating how to quantify your work and make your resume stand out. 

Ready to boost your career strategy and grab that dream job? Tune in.

Quotables

“When it comes to job applications, change your focus from outcomes to processes."

"Many designers say, for example, I created a design system. Well, great! But let's highlight the scope by telling people more about that design system."

Timestamps

00:53 Elevate your resume with relevant metrics.

01:39 Examples of process metrics for different roles.

04:34 Including numbers enhances the power of resumes.

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If you're someone with 10, 15, or even 20-plus years of experience in user experience or product roles, this episode is tailor-made for you. 

Sarah breaks down how experienced professionals like you are still landing great opportunities in diverse industries, the crucial difference between settling and compromising in your job search, how overconfidence can mask underlying fears and why it's essential to embrace modern job search strategies to stand out and succeed.

Whether you're looking to climb higher in your current field or pivot to new opportunities, this episode is packed with actionable advice and real-life examples to help you strategize and thrive.

Quotables

"You have to communicate what you have done. You can't just rely on your qualifications."

"There is a difference between settling or sacrificing and compromise. And with compromise, you still have the power."

Timestamps

00:42 Career climbers: hiring, mindset, imposter syndrome tips.

04:28 Highlight accomplishments, not just qualifications, in resumes.

08:50 Recognizing bills, imposter syndrome, and career challenges.

10:27 Optimize career materials, LinkedIn; mindset essential.

🎯 How I can help with your UX job search

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In today’s episode Sarah addresses a topic that affects nearly every job seeker: the Applicant Tracking System, or ATS. With so much misinformation and myths swirling around about how ATS works, Sarah spends intentional time cutting through the noise to give you the real story. She’ll break down what an ATS is, how it processes your resume, and why it's crucial to optimize your document for these systems. Sarah also shares actionable tips to increase your visibility to recruiters and hiring managers. If you're in the middle of a job search or gearing up for one, this episode is packed with insights to help you navigate the complexities of the ATS and land your next role.

Quotables

“One of the myths out there is that the ATS is a robot rejecting people. And that is not totally true."

"You want to be customizing your resume for every job you apply to. Now that does not mean recreating it from scratch every single time. It could mean that you're just rewriting certain bullet points, reordering bullet points, maybe even removing bullet points to draw attention to the bullet points that are more relevant to that job you are applying to."

Timestamps

00:28 Applicant tracking systems organize and rank candidates.

04:01 Recruiters and managers make final hiring decisions.

08:37 Applicant tracking systems and self-ranking summary in hiring.

12:43 Understanding applicant tracking systems & its human impact.

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In today’s episode Sarah shares valuable strategies for analyzing job descriptions in detail, so you understand how to highlight your most relevant skills and experiences.

You’ll learn practical tips for tailoring resumes and portfolios to catch a hiring manager's eye by emphasizing specific examples that match job requirements. 

Sarah also addresses the challenge of being perceived as overqualified and offers insights on presenting yourself effectively regardless of extensive experience. 

If you’re navigating a job search and wondering how to make your experience count, this episode is packed with actionable advice to help refine your approach and improve your chances of landing interviews.

Quotables

"It's not about your years of experience. It is about how relevant your experience is."

"Read and study the job description and look for things that they've mentioned that you have done and that you have stories to back up the fact that you've actually done those things."

Timestamps

00:38 Experience matters less, relevance is key.

05:11 Customize your resume, portfolio to match the job description.

07:55 Relevance over years of experience in hiring.

10:32 Tailor your approach, highlight stories, get interviews.

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Struggling to know what to post on LinkedIn during your job search? You're not alone, and this episode has you covered.

From sharing your expertise to engaging with people at companies you admire, you'll learn how to boost your visibility and create a strong first impression.

In this episode, Sarah shares why posting regularly and thoughtfully can make a difference when potential employers scroll through LinkedIn profiles and gives practical tips on how to curate content, start meaningful conversations, and share valuable resources. You’ll also learn about the importance of engaging with posts from companies where you want to work and how this can influence LinkedIn's algorithm in your favor.

Sarah also highlights what not to do, like turning LinkedIn into a place for complaints, ensuring your profile gives off the best vibe.

Listen in for actionable advice that could help land you more interviews and get you noticed by the right people.

Quotables

"The moment someone lands on your LinkedIn profile, they are 1 step closer to getting to know you and maybe seeing how you could be a great candidate for a role they're hiring for, whether they're hiring now or maybe in the future."

“When you share your knowledge, you increase your visibility. And when you increase your visibility, you are more likely to be seen and potentially stand out to people hiring or even just people who work at companies where maybe you want to work."

— Sarah Doody 

Timestamps

00:45 Overcome fear of posting on LinkedIn.

03:09 Increase LinkedIn visibility through regular, engaging posts.

07:26 Share expertise by explaining, increasing visibility and standing out.

11:34 Leverage LinkedIn for job visibility and professionalism.

12:57 Leverage LinkedIn for effective job search strategy.

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In today’s episode Sarah addresses this question head-on!

Tune in to learn what Career Strategy Lab offers and how the unique group coaching program and community designed for UX, design, and tech professionals helps clients increase their confidence and achieve their career goals.

Sarah also addresses the lack of negative reviews and discusses why some people choose not to publicly share their experiences.

If you’ve ever been skeptical or simply curious, this fully transparent episode provides the clarity you need to get a real sense of what’s inside the Career Strategy Lab.

Quotables

"Whether you are marketing a physical product, a service, or yourself as a candidate, the principles of marketing still stay the same. You still need to do things that help you become more visible as a new business or a new product or a candidate. You need to catch people's attention. You need to make it easy for them to contact you."

"I am the marketing firm. And if you want to learn how to market yourself as a candidate, then career strategy lab is going to help you do that."

Timestamps

00:39 Addressing the Scam Question

00:58 Understanding Career Strategy Lab

02:36 Handling Negative Feedback

05:58 Marketing Insights and Transparency

🎯 How I can help with your UX job search

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