130: From UX Portfolio Rewrites to Hired as a Principal Product Designer: How Steve Owned His Career Story

Feel like your UX experience is too complex to explain—or too chaotic to package into a clear story? In this open house interview, Steve Sanshwe shares how he went from a chaotic job search and overwhelming case studies to landing a Principal Product Designer role—faster than he expected and at a higher level than he applied for.

Steve explains how he used the Career Strategy Lab to reframe his experience, clarify his story, and attract the right roles (without redesigning his resume 10 times or burning out in the process). Whether you’re drowning in too much experience or unsure how to stand out, Steve’s journey offers practical takeaways and proof that progress—not perfection—is what moves the needle.

What You’ll Learn in This Episode:

✔️ Why Steve finally stopped rewriting the same case study and joined CSL

✔️ The mindset shift that helped him clarify his story and build confidence

✔️ How reframing your portfolio can attract better-fit opportunities

✔️ Why he landed a higher-level role than he applied for

✔️ How he used his Compass Statement to own the interview

✔️ Why saying “no” to the wrong roles helped him find the right one—fast

Timestamps:

01:00 Episode Context and Audience

02:09 Steve's Career Journey and UX Experience

05:26 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab

11:32 Iterative Process and Sprints

16:52 Final Tips and Conclusion

19:02 Closing Remarks and Podcast Information

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