126: From UX Layoff to Leadership: How Duncan got hired as a Global Head of UX after a restructure

After being laid off from his UX position, Duncan Abel wasn’t sure how to package his 20+ years of UX experience—or if he even wanted to stay in the field. In this candid conversation, Duncan shares how Career Strategy Lab gave him the structure, community, and confidence to move forward and land a global UX leadership role at the British Standards Institute.

Whether you're a senior leader navigating change or just unsure how to communicate your value, Duncan’s story will inspire you to stop doubting your experience and start owning your career path.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Why being experienced doesn’t always make job searching easier

✔️ How Duncan rebuilt his confidence after a layoff

✔️ The surprising value of self-reflection in a job search

✔️ What made interviews feel radically different this time

✔️ Why your “mentor model” and “compass statement” matter more than you think

✔️ How Career Strategy Lab helped him clarify, focus, and land a high-level role

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Career Strategy Podcast

00:40 Meet Duncan Abel: Career Journey and Challenges

04:29 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab

10:30 Mentorship and Career Roadmap Insights

14:09 Global Relevance of Career Strategy Lab

16:45 Final Advice and Encouragement

19:58 Conclusion and Social Media Call-to-Action

Applied to 50+ UX or Product jobs & still no interviews or offers? Get UX job search help.

Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher with 20 years of experience who founded the UX job search accelerator, Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.

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