101: Creating a UX Career Roadmap: Sarah Doody's Episode on the AIGA Design Podcast

This is a special episode of the Career Strategy Podcast that features an interview with Sarah on the AIGA Design Podcast with host Lee-Sean Huang.

In this episode, Sarah and Lee-Sean dive deep into the innovative concept of treating your career as a product. Sarah shares practical strategies for creating a "career roadmap" and "compass statement" to align short-term goals with long-term ambitions while balancing professional growth and personal life priorities.

Sarah reveals how applying design principles like research, iteration, and systems thinking can help job seekers and professionals stand out, avoid career plateaus, and make meaningful, intentional choices. Whether you're navigating a career transition or striving for your dream role, Sarah's actionable advice on continuous research, leveraging unique skills, and fostering authentic professional relationships is sure to inspire.

Key Takeaways:

• Why your career is the most important "product" you'll ever work on.
• How to use a "career roadmap" for strategic goal setting.
• The role of a "compass statement" in attracting the right opportunities and filtering out the wrong ones.
• The value of continuous research in recalibrating your career vision.
• Building genuine professional relationships without the stress of traditional networking.

Timestamps 

01:00 Treat career as a product for success.

03:58 "Treat careers like a strategic product roadmap."

08:12 Journey map visualizes experiences and emotions.

10:46 Continuous research is crucial for informed decisions.

16:25 Domain experience stands out in career switches.

19:32 Prioritize life's needs for career planning.

20:47 Vision clarifies goals; compass guides decisions.

25:44 Optimize LinkedIn headline for relevant searches.

28:00 Transitioning to product design from art direction.

32:44 Schedule regular engagement and post interested content.

37:32 Cover letters help capture recruiter's attention.

38:28 Use specific examples in your cover letter.

More about Lee-Sean

Lee-Sean Huang is a designer, educator, and storyteller who brings engaging conversations to the forefront of the design world on the AIGA Design Podcast.

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