105: How A UX Specialist With 20+ Years Experience Got Hired After A Layoff With Only 1 Project In His UX Portfolio Career Strategy Podcast With Sarah Doody

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105: How a UX Specialist With 20+ Years Experience Got Hired After A Layoff With Only 1 Project In His UX Portfolio

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In this episode of the Career Strategy Podcast, host Sarah Doody dives into the transformative journey of Leon, a Career Strategy Lab (CSL) participant who navigated the ux jobs search after an unexpected layoff. Leon shares insights into how creating a career roadmap, leveraging a standout resume and portfolio, and embracing community support helped him secure a role in UX design at a government contractor. Sarah and Leon discuss actionable strategies, including the importance of aligning your job search with a clear vision, the value of mindset work, and breaking the myth of needing multiple projects in your portfolio.

Timestamps

01:01 Meet the Coaches

01:12 Open House Insights

03:14 Career Roadmap Creation

06:43 The Importance of Community

09:31 Tactical Resume and Portfolio Tips

16:33 Navigating the Job Market

20:11 Conclusion and Final Thoughts

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

How a career roadmap can serve as your "North Star" in the job search.
The impact of combining tactical elements (resume, portfolio) with mindset and confidence-building.
Why one excellent portfolio project can trump multiple mediocre ones.
The importance of persistence and deliberate job applications.
How community support and structure can keep you motivated during challenging times.

Key Takeaways:

Focus on Vision: Start with a career roadmap to clarify your direction before tackling resumes or LinkedIn profiles.
Quality Over Quantity: A single well-crafted portfolio project can land you your dream job if it clearly highlights your skills and fit.
Stay Structured: Treat your job search like a job or school to maintain routine and productivity.
No Shortcuts: Success comes from following proven, structured approaches rather than chasing hacks.
Community Counts: Sharing struggles and wins within a supportive group builds confidence and accountability.

Resources Mentioned in This Episode:

Career Strategy Lab – Learn more about Sarah’s program that helps professionals level up their job search.

Share Your Feedback:

Did this episode resonate with you? Tag Sarah on social media or email at [email protected]. If you found this episode helpful, don’t forget to rate us on Spotify or review us on Apple Podcasts.

🎬 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.

128 episodes