UX Job Search: Stand Out in Today's Crazy, Crowded Job Market
Jared Spool
World-renowned UX Leader
Grab a hiring manager’s attention when 400+ people apply to every job opening.
Out of work? Use promo code UNEMPLOYED99 to save $200.
The UX job market has changed substantially in the last five years. Before then, you could get away with just talking about UX and proving you knew your stuff. That’s all you needed for hiring managers to snatch you up.
Now, in 2026, those old job-hunting practices no longer work. There are hundreds (and occasionally thousands) of people applying for every position. Getting a hiring manager’s attention is more difficult than ever before. Old tricks don’t get you hired.
You must tell a story that will make you stand out. Your résumé, LinkedIn profile, and portfolio all need to clearly communicate why your previous UX experience makes you perfect for your next job.
Jared will coach you to decode job ads for the requirements you’d be great at, match them directly to your past experience, and show the hiring managers that you’re an ideal candidate for their opening.
You’ll learn the proven techniques to identify compelling stories describing your work experience, package those stories into your résumé and case studies, and leverage them to build a network that will shorten your job hunt.
Be confident in your job search.
What you’ll learn
Stand out from other UX professionals and show hiring managers you’re the ideal fit for their open positions.
Discover why the way you got a job the last time isn’t working this time, and what will work instead.
Uncover what today’s hiring managers are seeking in candidates, so you can tailor your materials to match their top criteria.
Ensure your materials won’t get stuck in the application tracking system’s rejection pile, never to be seen by a human.
Compose the stories that match your most impressive work experience to precisely what the hiring manager is seeking.
Promote your experience and skills to stand out from other applicants going for the same positions.
Overcome the challenges of undiscussable past work experience that’s hidden because of non-disclosures or missing work samples.
Write clear, concise, and easy-to-understand case studies that make the hiring manager think “OMG, I think we found our person!”
Find the perfect balance between text and graphics to showcase your best work.
Identify who is hiring and when, so you can insert your materials at the front of the application queue for immediate consideration.
Attract recruiters and hiring managers who discover your qualifications and invite you to apply for positions before they’re posted.
Prepare for challenging questions so that you can demonstrate that you’re a top candidate for the position.
Navigate questionable hiring practices, such as awkward design exercises or unclear job requirements.
Learn directly from Jared
Jared Spool
Coaches UX professionals on navigating critical career moves.
Who this course is for
Ready to find a new UX job — you’re all set to get your job search moving faster.
Can’t believe how difficult the current job market is — you’ve got great experience, yet you’re doubting if you have what it takes anymore.
Don’t know what you’re doing wrong — you’re applying to every job, yet you’re struggling to get past a first interview.
Prerequisites
You’re ready to look for work right now.
You’re prepared to commit to doing the hard work that’s necessary to find your next job.
You’re open to big mindset changes.
What prevents most people from finding their next job is that they don’t realize how much the market has changed. You’re prepared to adapt.
You’re here to work: exercises, live critique, deliverables.
Looking for a job is a job in itself. It has deliverables and deadlines. You won’t find your next position if you don’t commit.
What's included
Live sessions
Learn directly from Jared Spool in a real-time, interactive format.
Lifetime access
Review course content and recordings whenever you need to.
Pre-recorded lectures and live working sessions.
Watch Jared’s recorded lectures on your own schedule. Then attend the scheduled working sessions, where Jared will answer all your questions, and you can review your job search stories and materials.
A proven method for crafting your personal “value story.”
You can’t get the attention of a hiring manager if you don’t know what your story is or how to tell it. Jared will show you how to formulate and tell a concise, compelling story that demonstrates you’re the right person for the job.
An attention-grabbing résumé and portfolio.
From the moment they open your job application, hiring managers and recruiters must see you as an ideal fit for the position. You’ll get Jared’s advice on how to present your experience in the best light.
Case studies that describe your full potential.
Hiring managers treat your portfolio case studies as your first interview without you being present. What you provide them needs to answer their most pressing questions flawlessly. Jared will give you the guidance you need to make it through the screening process and into a live interview.
An accountability partner to keep you focused and motivated.
It’s hard to keep up the momentum when faced with the chaos and occasional rejection that comes with today’s UX job market. Looking for work requires hard work, with essential deliverables and critical deadlines. We’ll assign you a peer or two, and together you’ll keep your eyes on the prize of landing that next ideal position.
Certificate of completion
A certificate to recognize your hard work and new job finding skills.
Maven Guarantee
Your purchase is backed by the Maven Guarantee.
Course syllabus
4 live sessions • 15 lessons
Week 1
Watch Section 1 Lectures: Navigate today’s wild and wacky UX job market.
Assignment: Find 3 job ads for positions you think you’re an ideal fit for.
Assignment: Write interview answers for ‘tell me about a time’ questions.
Meet with your accountability partner to review your assignments
May
21
Live Working Session: Navigate today’s wild and wacky UX job market.
Week 2
Watch Section 2 Lectures: Update your résumé and portfolio.
Assignment: Craft a first draft of your résumé.
Assignment: Craft a first draft of the home page of our portfolio
Meet with your accountability partner to review your assignments
May
28
Live Working Session: Review your résumé and portfolio
Schedule
Live sessions
1-2 hrs / week
I’ll meet you for a 90-minute live working session to answer your questions and discuss your job search strategy.
Thu, May 21
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Thu, May 28
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Thu, Jun 4
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Thu, Jun 11
6:00 PM—7:30 PM (UTC)
Work on your job search materials
10-30 hrs / week
You’ll need to identify compelling stories that tell hiring managers why you’re an ideal fit. You’ll then put those stories into your résumé, portfolio, and other job application materials. Be ready to invest in yourself by updating these critical deliverables.
Pre-recorded lectures to watch before the live working sessions
2-3 hrs / week
You’ll watch the pre-recorded lectures before each live Q&A session. We’ve broken the lectures into short recordings that you can easily spread out over several days. We’ve included lecture notes so that you can follow along.
Testimonials
Whenever I went to a UX conference, I would always make a point to attend Jared Spool's talk. Always informative (and entertaining), but most of all, insightful. Jared puts together the big picture in a way that so few do.
As an experienced UX-er who is on the job hunt, I (like so many) have been wondering what's been going on with the UX job market. Jared's insights take a step back, consider multiple factors I hadn't, and put it all in perspective.
And of course, he has recommendations for those applying for UX jobs today. Thank you again, Jared Spool. This material helped me take a deep breath, shake off the feelings of doubt and anxiety, and get back at it.
Greg
Service DesignerJared provides excellent advice on dealing with the current state of the UX market. It helped me articulate my approach, which helped me land a new role in 2 months.
Jessica
Principal Product Designer
Frequently asked questions
$299
USD