Lena Kul

Cohort 5

Cohort 1

Cohort 2

Cohort 3

Cohort 4

Cohort 6

Cohort 7

Cohort 8

What's Inside? <ul><li>Overview of the Recruitment Process: Get an outline of each step of the hiring journey and the critical touchpoints involved.</li><li>Portfolio Insights: Discover what recruiters love about portfolios and what to avoid.</li><li>Interview Insights: Learn how to impress recruiters in interviews by understanding the essential qualities they seek.</li><li>Presenting Yourself Effectively: Gain tips on how to best present yourself during the initial recruiter call.</li><li>Essential Soft Skills:&nbsp;Identify the key soft skills that can set you apart.</li></ul>

Navigating 
UXR & Product Design
Recruitment - Free Guide!

This is a template that would help you reflect and build a job search strategy. Inside you will find: <ol><li>Self-Reflection Framework: Explore techniques for self-assessment </li><li>Using Insights in Your CV and Portfolio: Discover how to leverage self-reflection insights effectively </li><li>Targeting &amp; Prioritizing Employers: Learn how to identify and focus on employers that align with your goals and values.</li><li>How to Craft Your Pitch: Creating a compelling narrative that works</li><li>Finding the Right People to Network With: Identify effective &amp; free methods for networking </li></ol>

Free Job Search Template 

Founder @ ku:l | I help designers land great roles & teams find great designers

Master Your Product Design and UX Research Job Search

Visual/Product Designer

Freelance Creative Director Digital

Senior Product Designer

Product Designer

Principal Designer

Sr. Product Designer

What You’ll Master (and Why It Works) ⚫️ A CV &amp; Portfolio That Actually ConvertsYou’ll build materials shaped by real recruiter decision-making.My students consistently report higher interview conversions within weeks. ⚫️ Understanding the Hiring ProcessYou’ll learn how recruiters think, how they screen, what they look for, and how to use that to your advantage. Students say they walk into interviews calmer, sharper, and more prepared than ever. ⚫️ A Pitch That Reflects Your SeniorityYou’ll learn how to talk about your impact, not your tasks — and only in a few minutes. Students received feedback like: “This was the best pitch I’ve heard” ⚫️ Networking That Turns Into Real LeadsI’ll show you exactly how to connect, message, and follow up without being awkward.Several students landed roles purely through networking after this course. ⚫️ Practical Work + Personalized FeedbackThis course is hands-on.You’ll build your materials and get real feedback from a Product Design &amp; UXR recruiter.Students say this was the main benefit of the course. ⚫️ Community of Designers &amp; UXR Who Are On the Same JourneyYou’ll learn from each other, review each other’s work, and move faster.My alumni consistently say:"This community kept me going and helped me level up so much faster."

100+ designers have already gone through this system. Are you ready?

Course syllabus

This course is designed for Mid-to-Staff level Product Designers and UX Researchers.

Experience Level:

You need to be open to letting go of old habits and ways of thinking. Trust the instructor and the proven process to really succeed.

Mindset:

Successful completion requires consistent effort and engagement, so please ensure you can commit the time to apply the learnings.

Availability:

Join me for weekly live sessions to get all of your questions answered, practice, and connect!

4 Live Sessions

Access all pre-recorded materials and go through them at your own pace to maximize your learning from the course. You’ll retain access even after the course is complete, allowing you to refresh your knowledge at any time!

Pre-recorded Sessions with all Materials You Need

Everyone will be completing their projects and submitting them to the designated channels, providing an opportunity for all to view each other's work.

Access to All Projects from Other Students 

Course schedule

Mid, Senior, Lead-level in Product Design and UX Research who are looking for a new role

Product Designers and UX Researchers who are struggling/ want to secure new roles in a very challenging market

Anyone in Product Design and UX Research who has at least 2 years of experience in a company / freelance

Who is this course for

What you’ll get out of this course

Four modules include hands-on projects to create CV, Portfolio Case Study, Pitch, and Networking Outreach. Get personalised feedback to leave with "ready to be used" assets or strong templates.

Live Sessions and Personalised Feedback

Analyse common mistakes in CVs and learn the exclusive framework I've developed to highlight your skills, experiences, and impact with concise and powerful bullet points. Create a CV that stands out and receive personalised feedback from me.

Guidance on Building a Winning CV 

Review 5 examples of strong portfolios from Product Designers and UX Researchers at leading design-driven companies. Dive into the best and worst portfolio practices, and craft your own strong case study with personalized feedback from me.

Real Examples of Strong Portfolios 

Insider information on what to expect during skill assessment tasks and whiteboarding challenges, how to best prepare for them, and examples of how to present your hard and soft skills while solving problems.

Problem-Solving & Whiteboarding Session Tips

Overcome imposter syndrome by showcasing your achievements, impact, and goals in a way that inspires both you and your employer. Build confidence and success with methods like video prep, ice-breakers, and mental strategies.

Confidence Building

Learn what makes any pitch a strong pitch! Understand its key elements, how to best prepare, and the ways to build a connection with an interviewer to smoothly transition from the pitch to interview questions.

Pitch Development

Rethink what effective networking means and learn how to build it from day one. Enhance your outreaches with exercises and examples of both successful and unsuccessful networking to boost your success.

Networking Essentials

Learn how to better understand ambiguous job descriptions and role requirements through real-life examples of job posts. Discover what questions you can ask and how to prepare your CV, portfolio, and yourself to show that you are a match for any role you decide to apply for.

Role Clarity

Learn how to get recruiters' feedback and handle ghosting by creating effective follow-ups.

Feedback and Persistence

Are you a Senior, Lead, or Staff Product Designer, or a Product Design Manager, grappling with career uncertainty or promotion barriers? Through a series of toolkits and individual and group reflective exercises, you'll develop a clear agenda for your career, going beyond traditional promotion and job search preparation. You will define your strengths, identify areas for growth, and set actionable goals. The course will guide you in crafting compelling case studies that showcase your contributions and strategic impact, making you a standout candidate during promotion cycles and interviews. / Addressing Common Challenge /- Career Path Uncertainty: Decide between pursuing an Individual Contributor (IC) role or a Leadership position with confidence.- Lack of Clarity: Define your purpose, vision, and the ideal work environment for your career growth.- Promotion Barriers: Overcome hurdles in getting promoted or hired for senior roles by effectively articulating your experience and impact. / Course Content /- Personal Career Canvas: Define your current status and future aspirations.- Self-Reflection Diary: Document achievements to inform your CV, portfolio, and promotion materials.- Career Goals: Establish clear, actionable objectives.- Creating Impactful Case Studies: Structure narratives that highlight key competencies and achievements.- Final Case Study Presentation: Refine your storytelling through feedback from instructors and peers after you present your newly developed case study. / Who Will Benefit /This course is ideal for Senior, Lead, Staff Product Designers, and Product Design Managers who:- Are uncertain about choosing between an IC or managerial path.- Struggle to articulate their strategic and leadership impact.- Face challenges in achieving promotions or securing senior positions. / Time Commitment /Invest ±10 to rapidly accelerate your career progression. By the end, you'll have a clear career strategy, a compelling case study, and the confidence to excel in promotion evaluations and job interviews. / Course Outcomes /- Clarifying Your Career Path: Reflect on essential questions to determine your ideal role.- Setting Real Goals: Articulate and plan your career objectives with structured guidance.- Building Credibility: Create a compelling CV and portfolio that effectively communicates your skills.- Articulating Your Impact: Develop case studies that illustrate your strategic contributions.- Gaining Feedback and Insights: Benefit from constructive instructor and peer feedback. during your case study presentation. Both instructors have successfully launched and led other courses on Maven in multiple cohorts.

Toolkits, frameworks, and templates that would help you move up.

Session lengths vary from 60 to 105 minutes, with each designed to foster collaboration and interactive learning while also allowing time for self-paced work on projects.

3 days of live sessions

During the course, students will complete five individual assignments designed for self-reflection, the creation of promotion packs and application materials, and receive feedback from instructors and peers.

5 Individual Assignments 

"All students will have access to pre-recorded lessons on best practices for creating portfolios and CVs. Additionally, they will receive case study templates and progress-tracking tools designed for use in 1:1 conversations with their managers.

Access to Bonus Materials 

Senior / Lead / Stuff Product Designers and Product Design Managers who want to take the next step in their careers

Senior / Lead / Staff Product Designers and Design Managers who struggle to articulate their strategic impact during promotions/applications

Same seniority design professionals who are struggling to get promoted or hired for the next level of seniority

Through the Personal Career Canvas exercise, you will reflect on who you are, where you currently stand, and where you want to go in your career. This will help you determine whether an Individual Contributor (IC) role or a leadership position suits you best.

Clarifying Your Career Path
 

During the course, we will work together to establish clear and actionable career goals. You’ll have the opportunity to articulate what you want to achieve and develop a structured plan to reach those objectives, ensuring you stay focused on your aspirations.

Setting Actual Career Goals
 

The course provides lessons on crafting a compelling CV and portfolio that highlight your core competencies and impact. You’ll develop a self-reflection diary that serves as a baseline for these materials, enhancing your ability to communicate your candidacy effectively.

Building Credibility for Promotions and Job Applications 
 

You will create detailed case studies that illustrate your contributions and their strategic significance to your company’s success. We provide templates and guiding questions to help you reflect on what to highlight and how to structure your narrative.

Articulating Your Impact through Case Studies
 

You will present your case study to instructors and fellow participants, gaining valuable feedback to strengthen your narrative and improve your presentation abilities. This experience will equip you with the skills needed to effectively communicate.

Enhancing Presentation Skills

Explore your next career step and prepare to make a move.

Kate Syuma

Growth Advisor, ex-Miro Head of Growth Design | Founder at Growthmates

Recruitment & Job Search Advisor, ex-Lead Design Recruiter | Founder at /kuːl/

Evolving Dynamics in Product Design and Research Hiring

Design Recruitment & Job Search Advisor | Founder at ku:l | ex-Miro

Dalia El-Shimy

Director of UX Research at Wise | ex-Miro | ex-Shopify

Andrea Pilutti

Product Design Director @ Mews | UX & Product Design Leadership | B2C, B2B, SaaS

Learn about the current positioning and evolving roles of product design and research within teams

Understanding Role Dynamics

Explore recent shifts in hiring processes and what hiring managers are looking for at different levels of seniority

Navigating Hiring Trends

Receive practical advice on how to present portfolios effectively, ensuring alignment with the expectations of companies

Effective Portfolio Presentation

Q&A About YOUR 
Job Search

I will answer your questions about CV, Portfolios, Cover Letters, and any other  application assets

Strategies for Crafting Application Assets

I will answer questions and can show how to best target and approach people on Linkedin

Networking and Personal Branding

I will answer questions about different stages and roles in recruitment process

Navigating Application Processes

Get Hired in 2025: A Guide for Product Designers and UXR

Recruitment & Job Search Advisor, ex-Lead Design Recruiter | Founder at kuːl

How to effectively reflect on your major strengths and the projects that have driven the most impact in your career.

Framework for Self-Reflection

Discover strategies for identifying and targeting the right employers that align with your career goals and values.

Targeting & Prioritizing Employers

Understand how to incorporate your self-reflection insights into a compelling CV and portfolio.

Using Insights in Your CV and Portfolio

Learn how to use insights from your CV and portfolio to create a powerful pitch.

Crafting Your Pitch

Learn how to find and connect with the right people to network with for your priority roles.

Finding the Right People to Network With

Nonlinear Design Careers: Reflect, Invision, Execute

Kate Syuma (speaker)

Dilara Cumhur Neutze (speaker)

Fractional Design Leader & Advisor, ex-Klarna, Delivery Hero, Checkout.com

Lena Kul (facilitator)

Explore how non-linear paths can lead to greater wealth and personal fulfillment.

Embracing Non-Traditional Design Careers

Learn how to create space for reflection to build a clearer picture of your career goals.

Creating Space for Reflection and Vision

Learn how to evaluate the benefits and challenges of being an individual contributor (IC) versus a manager in design.

Choosing What's Right for You: IC vs. Manager

Gain insights on how to effectively implement your strategies.

The Power of Execution in Achieving Success

Breaking Through Recruitment Myths

Recruitment & Job Search Advisor | ex-Lead Design Recruiter | UX Research @ Miro

If you see over 100 applications for a role, should you still apply?

Navigating High Competition

Learn what happens to your CV after submission, including insights about ATS and AI rejections

Demystifying ATS and AI

Should you wait for a recruiter to provide the salary range? No, and I will explain you why

Understanding Salary Bands

We’ll analyze how to discern credible advice from unreliable sources

Evaluating Recruitment Advice

We’ll cover effective ways to engage with your existing connections and utilize their networks "for free"

Networking Without Premium Accounts

Turning Scary Networking into
Job Leads

Learn ways to reconnect with your existing network and build a broader community in just one month.

How to go from "I am scared" to "I have a powerful network"

Learn who you should contact and how to reach out to them, depending on the roles you are aiming for.

Understand why you are being ghosted and how to avoid it

Learn how to incorporate networking into your daily routine to keep progressing and get noticed.

Learn directly from Lena Kul

Lena Kul

Courses

Master Your Product Design and UX Research Job Search

Product Design Career Accelerator: Navigate Your Next Career Step

Lightning Lessons

Evolving Dynamics in Product Design and Research Hiring

Q&A About YOUR Job Search

Get Hired in 2025: A Guide for Product Designers and UXR

Nonlinear Design Careers: Reflect, Invision, Execute

Breaking Through Recruitment Myths

Turning Scary Networking into Job Leads

Resources

Navigating UXR & Product Design Recruitment - Free Guide!

Free Job Search Template