As educators transitioning into UX and product design, the sting of rejection can feel overwhelming. But remember, you're not alone in this. Every "no" you encounter is an opportunity to adapt and grow. In today's episode, I share a personal story of rejection and guide you on transforming these challenging moments into stepping stones towards success. Embrace the journey, and let rejection propel you to new horizons in your career transformation. Tune in for encouragement, insight, and a reminder that your worth is not defined by rejection but by your ability to persist and flourish.

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• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
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A moment of rest and reflection. 

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*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

Ready to transform your teaching skills into a thriving UX career? Join me, Coach Zee, as I share my personal journey from a 15-year teaching tenure to becoming a Senior UX Researcher in EdTech. This episode will equip educators with the tools needed to craft their first UX portfolio piece. By leveraging your current teaching experience, you'll learn how to tackle the unique challenges of portfolio creation, turning them into an opportunity to shine in the world of user experience and product design. Discover how to brainstorm solutions based on everyday problems and tailor your portfolio to fit your dream roles, whether in ed tech or beyond.
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• Click here to sign up for a Career Strategy Call and receive the PDF file of my first UX portfolio project that I walked you through in this episode!
• In case you missed it: Season 1 Episode 15 - Building Your UX Portfolio for Transitioning Teachers
• Listen to my most popular episode: Communicating Your Why in Job Interviews

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

Meet Joe Natoli, a seasoned UX expert whose career trajectory offers invaluable insights for both aspiring and experienced UX professionals. Join us as we uncover the wisdom Joe has amassed over three decades, from overcoming imposter syndrome to teaching over 350,000 students on platforms like Udemy. Joe also discusses his collaboration with Leah Buley on "The User Experience Team of One," reflecting his dedication to empowering UX teams and individuals.

Whether you're new to UX or aiming for growth, this episode is packed with insights and resources tailored to your journey.
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Bio: 

Joe Natoli is a UX consultant, author and speaker — and a household name in UX and product design. For three decades, he’s advised, trained and empowered the UX, design and product development teams of some of the world’s largest organizations, from Fortune 100 companies to U.S. Government agencies and startups. He has published ten books — the most recent being the second edition of the bestselling The User Experience Team of One with Leah Buley for Rosenfeld Media — and is a regular keynote speaker and lecturer at industry conferences and corporate events across the globe.

Joe has also taught more than 344,000 students through his online courses and his own UX 365 Academy, at ux365academy.com, in addition to a private coaching practice.

Joe’s approach to improving product UX and design focuses on addressing systemic, personal dynamics issues across individuals, teams and organizations: combating impostor syndrome and increasing self-confidence, improving communication and collaboration, addressing fear and dysfunction driving poor management practices and redesigning inappropriate, counterproductive processes.

His experience has been that when these root causes are improved and solved, the output of the work—and the experience people have with it—improves dramatically.

Joe lives in Washington DC with his wife Eli and three kids, and he strives to be the person his dog Rosie thinks he is. You can find Joe (as well as a voluminous collection of free UX + product design resources) online at givegoodux.com.

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• Connect with Joe on

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Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

Is the era of remote work really over? Are we officially seeing the end of remote work? Is all hope lost for transitioning teachers who want to work from home? Tune in as we unpack the latest buzz around major companies like Amazon, Boeing, UPS, and Disney, calling their employees back to the office. We’ll explore whether remote corporate roles, especially in UX, are still a viable option for teachers making a career transition. You’ll gain a clear understanding of how hybrid work models are shaping the new landscape and which industries continue to embrace remote work.

*Listen to Episode 19: The Pros and Cons of Remote Work here.

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

Learn about the secrets of a successful career transition as I chat with Shaine Frazier, a former New York City Special Education Teacher turned UX and Customer Experience Design expert. Shane shares his journey from classroom discontent to his thriving new role in tech, including the pivotal moments of self-study, LinkedIn networking, and professional certifications that made it all possible. With a background rich in psychology, web design, and entrepreneurship, Shaine reveals how these skills formed the foundation for his career pivot, and how his experience with neurodivergent students parallels UX research. He also shares the significant boost in work-life balance his new role offers.

Don't miss this inspiring episode filled with practical advice for anyone considering a leap from education to the tech world.
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Get in touch with Shaine:  Instagram s.d.fraizer and LI: at Shaine Frazier. 

Get in touch with Maleeka Catlin on Linkedin.

Bio: 

Shaine Fraizer was born and raised in the Bronx. He is former Special Education Teacher with a unique journey from education to web design, to user experience design, cumulating in his current role as a Digital Customer Experience (CX) Manager.

Shaine studied psychology at New York Tech, where he gained early teaching experience as a program facilitator with Changing the Odds, mentoring teens on mental health and positive sexual behavior. This sparked his passion for education.

After earning his degree, Shaine pursued Educational Psychology at Columbia University's Teachers College but soon joined the NYC Teaching Fellows, serving Bronx students for five years. During this time, he ventured into web design, creating platforms for his own short-term rental business and an e-commerce company, Science.Teacher.Mom.

His growing interest in UX design led him to complete Google’s Professional UX Design Certification on Coursera. Combining this knowledge with his web design experience, Shaine secured a role as Digital Customer Experience Manager at AIG.

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Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

Unlock the secrets to a successful career transition with Hilda Naluanga, a senior UX researcher at Xsolla, in our latest episode. Discover how Hilda navigated the fascinating shift from a career development coach in South Africa to becoming a key player in the video game industry. You’ll learn how her passion for design thinking and human-centered approaches led her to pursue an innovative path in UX research, and gain valuable advice for educators eager to break into the tech world.

Explore with us the art of relationship building and effective communication within the realm of UX research. Hilda shares eye-opening insights from her tenure at Meta, including the unexpected need to advocate for UX research, even in large organizations. We'll also touch on the challenges and strategies for maintaining a healthy work-life balance while working remotely with a global team, and the distinct dynamics of large companies compared to startups.

Understand the strategic shift from junior to senior UX researcher as Hilda reflects on her career growth. The conversation highlights the importance of marketing one's skills, proactively seeking opportunities, and translating experiences from other fields into the tech industry's language. Whether you're looking to advance in your current role or pivot to a new field, Hilda's journey offers invaluable lessons on navigating career transitions, understanding business goals, and adapting to various work environments.

The following acronyms were used in this interview:

MAANG: an acronym for the five most prominent tech companies; Meta, Amazon, Apple, Netflix, and Google.

NGO: Non-governmental organization

Connect with Hilda on Linkedin

Email Hilda: [email protected]

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

What if your teaching skills could help you land an exciting career in User Experience Research?  This season finale will guide educators through the essential skills and methodologies that make them uniquely qualified for a transition into the UX Research space. You'll learn how lesson planning and classroom management are directly applicable to UX research processes, from defining research goals to designing studies and preparing materials like surveys and interview guides.

We'll break down the similarities and differences between teaching and UX research, illustrating how your experience in understanding and empathizing with students can be an invaluable asset in understanding users.

Don't miss this final chapter—it's packed with insights to help you make a seamless transition into tech!

Want to learn more? Listen to episode 2: Teacher Turned UX Researcher: Job Overview and Transferrable Skills

Season 2 kicks off September 3, 2024 with the first episode available then-stay tuned! In the meantime, check out our popular episodes here. 

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

If you want to transition to a career in tech, you have to use tech! Ever wondered how AI can transform your career transition from teaching to UX design? I'm Coach Zee, a 15-year teacher turned UX Researcher and in this episode, I uncover the secrets behind leveraging AI to streamline your job search and land your dream role in the tech industry. Whether you're a seasoned educator ready for a career change or simply curious about merging education with technology, this episode will give you actionable insights to guide you smoothly into the tech industry. 

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!

What if you could skip the exhausting daily grind, commute less, and transform your work-life balance entirely? That's exactly what happened to me as I transitioned from a traditional teaching role to becoming a Senior UX Researcher working remotely. In this episode of the UX Teacher Prep Podcast, I share my journey, recounting the joy of trading in my hour-plus commute for the freedom to choose my work environment.

Join me as I unpack the pros and cons of remote work. If you’re curious about making the switch to a remote or hybrid role, or just want to explore the potential lifestyle changes it brings, this episode is packed with insights that might just inspire your next career move.

Curious about the UX Research job overview? Listen to this episode

Want to hear why I left teaching after 15 years? Listen here 

Text Me! 📱I’d love to hear from you! Click here to send me a message.

Support the show

*Click the Support the Show link above to become a UXTP Premium Member and join the monthly Q & A for members only! Thanks for the love!

Resources:

• Follow us on Linkedin, Instagram, and YouTube for daily updates and tips.
• Grab your free UX transferable skills cheat sheet to get started on your transition journey to UX.
• Ready to find balance and unleash your creativity? Explore uxteacherprep.com to see how we can support you.
• Subscribe to our email list to be the first to receive updates about workshops and networking events.
• Want to be a guest on the show or know someone who’d be a great guest? Sign up here.
• Have ideas for a podcast topic you want to hear next? Email us at [email protected].
• Don’t forget to scroll down and leave a ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️review. Thanks for listening!