150: From Academia to UX: How Ellen Got Hired As A Content Designer at TD Bank

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.

Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | Instagram

Transitioning from academia to UX can be daunting, but Ellen’s story proves it’s possible. After 17 years as a professor, Ellen pivoted to a Senior Content Designer role at TD Bank, with Career Strategy Lab providing the strategy, clarity, and confidence she needed to make the leap.

In this episode, Ellen shares how CSL helped her reframe her experience, confidently communicate her transferable skills, and land her UX role—all while navigating the challenges of switching careers.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ How Ellen navigated the shift from academia to UX

✔️ Why confidence was her biggest challenge and how CSL helped her overcome it

✔️ The importance of understanding how to communicate transferable skills

✔️ How she used the Compass Statement to connect her past experience to her new career

✔️ The value of having a portfolio and LinkedIn that clearly reflect your skills

✔️ Ellen’s tips on standing out during the job search with an authentic, tailored approach

Timestamps:

00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab

00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context

01:25 Sarah Doody's UX Career Coaching Journey

02:29 Alan's Career Transition Story

03:39 Building Confidence and Skills with CSL

08:33 Mindset Shifts and Life Lessons

10:47 Practical Tips for Job Seekers

12:40 Final Thoughts and Encouragement

14:04 Podcast Outro and Additional Resources

14:44 Special Message for Job Seekers 

⭐ Support the show! Leave a rating on Spotify or a review on Apple Podcasts to help more UX professionals find this podcast.

🔔 Follow & Subscribe for weekly strategies and stories to help you grow in your UX career—without the burnout.

🎬 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.