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Product Design & UX Research Portfolio Accelerator

2 Weeks

·

Cohort-based Course

Craft standout portfolios, ace interviews, and build a strong personal brand with storytelling frameworks backed by 400+ hours of coaching

CLIENTS INCLUDE

Capital One
Autodesk
Prudential
WSIB

Course overview

Craft your portfolio & case studies with confidence to get you hired

We will review strategies that will improve your chances of getting hired, learn about what recruiters and hiring managers want you to include in your portfolio, leverage your strength, incorporate storytelling, develop your personal branding, and make you stand out from the crowd.



What you’ll leave with:


- A portfolio ready for interviews: showcase your skills and resonate with interviewers, leading to first-round interviews.


- Polished case study interview slides and scripts: use conflicts, plot twists, and reverse storytelling to ace case studies.


- Confidence in interviews: know exactly what to say and leave a lasting impression.


- A killer personal brand: craft a unique strategy that sets you apart from the competition.


- Tailored job market positioning that aligns with your career goals.



Successfully mentored 20+ early-career product designers & UX researchers who transitioned into working full time in their dream companies worldwide. 


Previous students are now working at: Service Australia, One North, MetLife, Precision Technologies, and freelancing.

This course is for...

01

Self-taught, bootcamp early-career product designers and UX researchers who want to break into UX design and land their first job.

02

Product designers and UX researchers with 1+ years of working experience who are looking to advance in their career.

03

This course is not for product design directors or VP-level design leaders. Its focus is also not on the leadership level job prospects.

What you’ll get out of this course

How to build a portfolio that resonates with hiring managers

Craft a portfolio that showcases your unique skills and experience, while telling the story that hiring managers are looking for.


  • How to create compelling case studies that highlight your strengths.
  • How to align your portfolio with the expectations of hiring managers.

A step-by-step guide on what to include in your case study

Receive hands-on and practical feedback on your case study to get you discovered by recruiters. 


  • How to structure case studies in a structured and engaging way.
  • Techniques to make your case studies visually and narratively compelling.

Acing interviews with proven storytelling frameworks

Master the art of storytelling in interviews to leave a lasting impression.


  • Practical steps to tell a cohesive story through your case study slides.
  • The "high-low-high-low-grand finale" pacing strategy to maintain interest.

Navigate job market competition with confidence

Personalized interview practices that future proof your design interviews

  • How to speak authentically and build a personal brand that leaves a lasting impression
  • Tailored job market positioning that aligns with your career goals

This course includes

4 interactive live sessions

Lifetime access to course materials

In-depth lessons

Direct access to instructor

Projects to apply learnings

Guided feedback & reflection

Private community of peers

Course certificate upon completion

Maven Satisfaction Guarantee

This course is backed by Maven’s guarantee. You can receive a full refund within 14 days after the course ends, provided you meet the completion criteria in our refund policy.

Course syllabus

Week 1

Sep 30—Oct 6

    Oct

    1

    Course welcome

    Tue 10/11:15 PM—2:00 PM (UTC)

    Oct

    4

    Optional: Live portfolio feedbacks & Q&A

    Fri 10/41:30 PM—2:30 PM (UTC)
    Optional

    Foundational Storytelling Frameworks for Portfolio

    4 items • Free preview

    Advanced Storytelling Frameworks

    4 items

    Personal Branding and Good Examples

    5 items

Week 2

Oct 7—Oct 12

    Oct

    9

    Case Study Interview Workshop

    Wed 10/91:00 PM—2:00 PM (UTC)

    Oct

    11

    Optional: Live portfolio feedbacks & Q&A

    Fri 10/111:30 PM—2:30 PM (UTC)
    Optional

    A Step-by-Step Guide on Crafting Your Presentation Slides

    4 items

    Presenting Your Case Study with Confidence

    2 items

    Understanding Hiring Manager's POV

    6 items

Bonus

    Advance Your UX Career: Ongoing Mentorship with Alicia

    1 item • Free preview

    🔗 Workshop: Case Study Slides Template and Example Link

    1 item

What people are saying

        Meeting Alicia as my mentor has been one of the best parts of my UX journey. She has been supportive since day 1, creating a safe community for me as a fellow woman of color in tech. My favorite thing about her is her sincerity—Alicia is a mentor who isn’t afraid to give you critique and truly challenge you to become a better UX designer.
Lydia Han

Lydia Han

UX Strategist @ One North
        I recently switched jobs and joined MetLife insurance company. I am extremely grateful for Alicia's guidance during my initial learning journey and for all the valuable advice she provided. I often refer back to the notes she gave me while working on my portfolio to make it more compelling.
Haruka Minamino

Haruka Minamino

UX Designer @ MetLife
        Alicia was an inspiring and patient mentor, couldn’t recommend her highly enough. Her honest critiques, insightful guidance and words of encouragement were all incredibly valuable for me as a (not so young) whipper snapper making a covid-inspired career pivot into UX Design. Thanks Alicia!
Danny Melham

Danny Melham

Assistant Director - Lead Service Designer @ Service Australia
         I had the privilege of being mentored by Alicia. Her guidance was instrumental in shaping my understanding of UX. Beyond the curriculum, Alicia offered invaluable insights, encouragement and support not just professional but personal growth. I'm deeply grateful for her mentorship and the impact it continues to have on my journey in the field.
Le Trang Nguyen

Le Trang Nguyen

Product Designer @ le trang STUDIO

Meet your instructor

Alicia Zhong

Alicia Zhong

Alicia Zhong is a UX career mentor who is dedicated to helping early-career product designers and researchers land their first job.


With almost 8 years of experience in UX design research, Alicia is the founder and principal user researcher at Future Insight Group. She specializes in cross-cultural research in APAC countries.


Alicia has collaborated with clients such as Capital One, Autodesk, Prediential, and WSIB. Her design work has been recognized and honored by the Core77 Service Design Awards.


Being an immigrant herself, she understands the challenges and obstacles that individuals face when trying to break into the UX industry. Her goal is to promote diversity and foster the growth of a more inclusive and ethical future.

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Course schedule

4-6 hours per week

  • Wednesday

    Oct 9th, 9:00am - 10:00am EST

    Interactive workshop where we'll talk through case studies storytelling frameworks + complete short activities designed to help you solidify what you've learned.

  • Every Fridays

    9:30am - 10:30am EST

    On Fridays, we hold live portfolio feedback sessions and Q&As to address any questions you may have throughout the week. This is a great opportunity to listen and learn from your peers.

  • Take-Home Project

    2 - 3 hours per week

    Complete the home assignments on time and get personalized feedback from me on strengths and areas for improvements!

  • Guaranteed a 1:1 Session with Me (Value $250)

    1 hour 

    You will get a 60-minute 1:1 coaching session with me for personalized feedback on their portfolio, resume, career goals, and overcoming any career roadblocks.

Learning is better with cohorts

Learning is better with cohorts

Active hands-on learning

This course builds on live workshops and hands-on projects

Interactive and project-based

You’ll be interacting with other learners through breakout rooms and project teams

Learn with a cohort of peers

Join a community of like-minded people who want to learn and grow alongside you

Frequently Asked Questions

Is this course for UX Researcher?

What happens if I can’t make a live session?

I work full-time, what is the expected time commitment?

What’s the refund policy?

Can I get reimbursed by my company?

Does this course provide a certificate?

Are the live sessions recorded?

Do you offer payment plan?

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Product Design & UX Research Portfolio Accelerator