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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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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
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