In this special coach takeover episode Erin, one of the coaches inside Career Strategy Lab's UX job search accelerator, breaks down the three most important things UX and product professionals should focus on in Q4 to set themselves up to get hired in Q1 of 2026.

Whether you're feeling stuck, doubting your materials, overwhelmed by your portfolio, or unsure what support you actually need, this episode gives you a strategic and human approach to moving your job search forward.

Erin shares what she and the CSL team are seeing every week while reviewing resumes, portfolios, and LinkedIn profiles—and the biggest patterns that determine whether someone gains traction or stays stuck in place.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Why you must rethink who you’re getting job search feedback from

✔️ How inaccurate feedback erodes confidence—and what to do instead

✔️ The “back to basics” portfolio reset that outperforms flashy trends

✔️ Why hiring managers want clarity over cleverness (and no, you don’t need animations)

✔️ How to build trust through your case study storytelling

✔️ How to determine what level of support you actually need—structure, community, coaching, or therapy

✔️ Why Q4 is the perfect time to prepare for Q1 hiring surges

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy Lab

00:38 Three Key Strategies for Getting Hired in Q1 2026

01:11 Assessing Feedback on Your Career Materials

05:50 Back to Basics: Improving Your Portfolio

09:19 Getting the Support You Need

16:04 Recap and Final Thoughts

18:49 Conclusion and Additional Resources

19:32 Special Message for Job Seekers

🎬 Watch Sarah's free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in today's UX job market

👉 Join Sarah Doody's 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.