Sarah Doody’s Post

We love seeing wins from people in our awesome community, such as Erin from from Toronto, who got hired as a Senior Product Designer at a healthcare company 🎉 Erin had been applying for jobs for 7 months without getting interviews and offers before joining Career Strategy Lab. Here's what she said about her experience ... "The 7 months before I joined CSL were lonely, and my confidence was low after getting some traction here and there but never getting farther along with multiple companies. I joined so I could learn and rebuild assets like my CV and LinkedIn profile and activity. Ultimately, the critiques and the mindset calls convinced me to take the jump and join. I only wish I had taken that jump sooner! Everything that the amazing CSL people said was true: trust in your experience and your abilities, trust the process, and lean on them wherever you need them." 🤔 ➡️ Feel like you're in Erin's shoes – applying for roles, not getting interviews, and unsure how to break this cycle? Here are 3 ways we can help: 1) Check out everything you get in our 3-month UX career coaching program: https://lnkd.in/gZXZp6g2 2) Get our UX career coaching syllabus: https://lnkd.in/g6dJfYgn 3) Or if you prefer to talk to a human to ask questions about Career Strategy Lab, send us a DM here on LinkedIn or book a call here: https://lnkd.in/gSAV7QEV #uxdesign #uxresearch #productstrategy #uxcontent #uxwriting

I wrote a little article about changing careers and the fear that comes with it. Reflecting on this time, there was a lot of uncertainty and anxiety. So to see how far I've come and what I've done in this time makes me so happy I made the change for myself ❤ #careerchange #uxdesign #contentdesign https://lnkd.in/er7n2Gs2

🌟 Testimonial Spotlight: Job Success Story I have the honor of working closely with some of the most determined and talented individuals striving to break into the UX field and I get so excited to celebrate offer days 🥳 This client in particular went from navigating rejections and unanswered applications late last year to securing a Sr. UX Researcher role this month! She also negotiated an additional $20,000 to her base salary and secured professional development resources! Transitioning careers can be isolating and challenging, but having a dedicated coach in your corner can make all the difference. This specific journey highlights the importance of having a mentor, sponsor, coach etc. someone who's deeply invested in your success and supports you every step of the way. Having a coach was a game changer in my career journey too! What stands out about my clients who have the most success is consistency in the midst of a difficult emotional journey. Coaching isn't a magic pill; it's about actively engaging in your own development. This client put it best, "I've used the tools you've given me, and I've made them my own... I've grown so much from it." Despite facing numerous rejections, she remained resilient. She focused on what she could control and continued to push forward. Her perseverance paid off, proving that the right opportunity is out there for those who persist. The best part is that she made first contact with her new manager on January 22 and received a job offer on February 2! At my upcoming Career Masterclass on February 24, we'll dive deep into crafting job materials that tell your professional story. From resume writing to portfolio creation, we'll equip you with the tools and strategies to stand out in today's market. 📅 Date: February 24 🕙 Time: 10 am - 6 pm PT 📍 Location: 1528 Webster St. Oakland, CA 94605 *** (also, streaming virtually!) 🔒 Secure Your Spot: bit.ly/uxoutloud Take the next step towards elevating your career! #Testimonial #SuccessStory #UXCareer #Masterclass #UXR #ProfessionalDevelopment #UserExperience #UXOutloud #WomenInTech #Dovetail #OptimalWorkshop

It’s your career

🎉 Exciting Announcement: Completing My Journey with EntryLevel! 🚀 I'm thrilled to share a significant milestone in my career journey: successfully completing the UX Designer program with EntryLevel! 🌟 Over the past few months, I've immersed myself in a world of creativity, innovation, and learning, and I couldn't be more grateful for the experience. From the outset, I was drawn to EntryLevel's commitment to providing a comprehensive and immersive learning experience. As a visual artist with a passion for design, I was eager to explore new horizons and expand my skill set in the field of UX design. Little did I know that this journey would exceed my expectations in every way possible. One of the most invaluable lessons I've learned throughout this program is the power of empathy in design. Understanding the needs, desires, and pain points of users lies at the heart of creating impactful and user-centered solutions. Through engaging projects, insightful lectures, and hands-on exercises, EntryLevel equipped me with the tools and techniques to empathize deeply with users and translate their needs into compelling design solutions. Moreover, the emphasis on a structured design process has been instrumental in shaping my approach to tackling design challenges. From conducting thorough user research to crafting mood boards, defining color palettes, and refining prototypes, I've gained a holistic understanding of the design journey and the importance of each stage in creating exceptional user experiences. As I reflect on this transformative experience, I'm filled with gratitude for the opportunities, challenges, and growth that EntryLevel has provided me. Armed with newfound knowledge, skills, and confidence, I'm excited to embark on the next chapter of my career journey, where I'll continue to apply the principles and practices I've learned to create meaningful and impactful experiences for users. Thank you, EntryLevel, for the incredible journey and for empowering me to reach new heights in my career as a UX designer. Here's to the endless possibilities that lie ahead! 🌟 EntryLevel Ajay Prakash #UXDesign #EntryLevel #CareerJourney #EmpathyInDesign #DesignProcess #CommunityOfLearners

📢 Career Changers with 5, 10, 20, or more years of experience coming from other fields: You may not have experience specifically at your target job yet. However, you have a perspective that is unique to everyone else out there. Here's what I've noticed: ✳️ You're willing to dive into detailed work given limited direction with a hunger to learn while others may push this away. ✳️ You ask amazing questions and are not deterred by "how things always have been" ✳️ You have a curiosity, excitement, and willingness to push through the negativity to somehow end up better and improve in a short amount of time. ✳️ You bring new knowledge of software, tools, systems, processes, and mindsets, that many experienced designers shun or dismiss. BOTTOM LINE: We need more people like you, and it is on the rest of us to help guide, train, and lead you into this future so we don't end up in our own knowledge bubble without a ruthless inclusion of voices. Diversity includes generational diversity! ===== Are you thinking about changing careers? I can help guide you in the right direction. PM me or visit www[.]shiftux[.]co #uxdesign #uxdesigner #designthinking #uxui #userexperiencedesign #productdesign #careerchangers #careergrowth #careercoach #mentorship #learnux

Insightful post with equally insightful comments. Progress and success both can come from concentrating in an area of work and developing expertise. It's not always about climbing up but it can be about diving deep. #success #progress #career #progression

I knew career changing would be hard. I was and ( 😅 still am?) prepared for it to take a long time. Here's my story. Spring of 2022 I was recovering from hip surgery for 3 months at home, unpaid because I could not lift 50# for my job as an occupational therapist (OT). I spent that time thinking about what career I could transition into that would allow me: 🧘♀️ Flexibility (a remote job would let me be injured and still work) 📈 Career growth (therapy professionals have few paths for growth and pay has stagnated) 🎨 Creativity (a job where thinking big picture and innovating is encouraged) 💆♀️ Impact (I want to make things that help people) I wanted to use my skills🤓and spend more time doing things I am good at. Such as... ⚡ Seeing patterns and making connections (yes, that's why I win so much at board games). But also, it helps when analyzing qualitative + quantitative information. 🤗 Empathizing. Working with healthtech companies on UX projects, it helps to have a background working with patients and providers to understand their pain points. But also, all day as an OT, I think about the process someone uses to perform a task, what barriers they might be facing, and how I can make it easier. 📣 Being a vocal advocate and question-asker. If I see something that doesn't seem right, I will follow that thread until I find out why. It's important to me to work for a company that cares about doing and creating the right thing to serve people well. I decided to pursue... User Experience Design. It checks most of the things above and when I am sucked into a project I feel a sense of FLOW. That glorious feeling where your skills align with what you're doing. September 2022 I started a UX Design bootcamp. March 2023 I started internship #1 January 2024 I started internship #2 I hope sometime this year to start job #1 in UX/product. Career changing is a journey to getting to where you want to be to align your job with what's important to you. I am still looking for that right fit 🤞 It's hard to change careers, even harder during mass layoffs. But this is my love letter to myself to keep going. Being ready to enter the job market amidst mass layoffs does not make you worth any less ❤️

Stand Tall Among Others! Showcase your skills, projects, case studies, and impact with a personalized professional portfolio! Why You Need a Product Manager Portfolio: Effective Organization: Keep track of your achievements, case studies, and product launches. Confidence Booster: Present your work confidently during interviews. Lasting Impression: Impress recruiters and hiring managers with a polished portfolio. Skill Showcase: Highlight your expertise in product strategy, UX/UI, and more. Comment “PORTFOLIO” to join our exclusive group for early access and create your portfolio for free! Let’s accelerate your career together!

Sometimes, your progress is that you learned 1 new skill in your current role. Sometimes, your progress is that you're showing up to work and doing ok. From about 2019 to 2021-ish, give or take, I jokingly referred to my performance management strategy as plateauing (Sarah Goelitz can confirm). I didn't want my next gold star yet. Especially when the pandemic hit. I had a lot of personal stuff going on, and "meeting expectations" was more than enough for that chapter of my career. Progress happens on your own timeline and is tied to different kinds of achievements or milestones. PS - Check out Rosie Olaivar's Letters From Tech project and spread the word (and maybe pen a letter of your own!).