115: How this UX Designer escaped UX portfolio burnout and rebuilt his entire UX job search strategy

Want to get hired in UX faster? Click here.Welcome to the Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody, a UX Designer & UX Researcher who also founded the UX job search accelerator Career Strategy Lab. She's been doing UX career coaching since 2017.Follow Sarah on: LinkedIn | YouTube | InstagramWelcome to another Open House episode of the Career Strategy Podcast! In this episode, Sarah Doody sits down with Jon Simmons, a seasoned product designer currently navigating the UX job search.Jon shares his experience of revamping his portfolio, refining his job search strategy, and preparing for senior-level interviews after a layoff. He discusses how shifting his portfolio approach from a website to a presentation format significantly improved his job prospects and how structured storytelling and community support made a difference in his confidence and clarity.What You’ll Learn in This Episode:✔️ The importance of stepping back from just tweaking your portfolio and doing deeper self-reflection✔️ How portfolio presentations (vs. websites) give you more control over your job search narrative✔️ The role of mindset and confidence in positioning yourself for high-level UX roles✔️ Why community and structured frameworks can prevent burnout and job search frustration✔️ Jon’s insights on interviewing for principal product designer roles and adapting to today’s marketTimestamps01:43 Episode Overview and Open House Context03:14 John's Journey in Career Strategy Lab07:12 Portfolio Presentation Insights15:58 The Importance of Self-Reflection18:03 Advice for Prospective Members20:06 Conclusion and Community Highlights21:47 Closing Remarks and Call to Action🎬 Watch our free UX Job Search Workshop and learn how to stand out in 2025👉 Join 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.