UX job search "narrative kit"
Let's coherently connect the pieces into a personal story of value
Over the past several weeks of mentoring junior & mid-level designers through their UX job search, one thing became clear—navigating the many elements that shape your story requires some kind of structure. With portfolios, resumes, interviews, and so forth constantly in flux (amidst high anxiety), it’s easy to lose sight of how all the pieces tie together nicely. 😬
So in response I created the following Narrative Kit—a visual map, as a sense-making tool, to bring clarity to the overall process. The goal is to enable UX job seekers to identify critical elements, refine their story, and approach their search with greater confidence, even as the landscape continuously, agonizingly evolves.
Just knowing what pieces you can directly control and how they connect can be very empowering in itself, especially in uncertain times!
And let’s face it — most designers are kinda winging their job search, on the fly. 😆 Hey, I’ve been there too! No judgment here.
Many of us apply to roles we’re super excited about, maybe quickly update the portfolio, dust off a resumé, slap on a generic cover letter—and hope something sticks. If that sounds familiar, you’re not alone. But here’s the hard truth: hiring managers aren’t just evaluating your skills. They’re parsing your story. And most don’t know what story is being told, if there’s one at all. 🤔
To land the job you actually want (not just one that happens to call you back), you need a cohesive narrative—a system of materials, messages, and moments that consistently & compellingly communicate who you are, what you bring, and why you're the right fit for their needs.
I want to be clear, this it not about “personal branding.” It’s really about strategy. Think of this as your practical toolkit to align your strengths, goals, and artifacts with the role you’re aiming for. Let’s take a closer look. 👀
💼 1. What’s in your “kit”?
Every designer has a professional kit: the resumé, LinkedIn profile, portfolio deck, cover letter, work samples, personal site, and maybe a few recommendations or posts floating out there. These are your narrative artifacts—they tell your story when you’re not in the room.
But here’s the question: Are they coherent? Do they reinforce a connected, consistent positioning?
Each artifact should work like a node in a system, reinforcing a consistent narrative:
Your cover letter should connect your purpose/goal with what they need.
Your resumé should highlight your impact & trajectory relevant to the role.
Your LinkedIn should show alignment (and even social engagement) with your target job, not just your past. Have you written about the issues/problems related to the target job, sharing your informed perspective, or even commenting on their posts? Think of it as your “social footprint” in the professional network.
Your online work samples should be clear, scannable, and accessible — but not overwhelming! Remember: the recruiter and/or the hiring manager will spend like 30-60 seconds due to applicant load. They want to know if you’re worth an initial 30 minute screening call with clear solid signals.
Your portfolio deck (when you reach that stage) should tell compelling, contextual stories of impacts & insights, beyond a few slick screens.
None of this should be robotically templated or casually scattershot. You’re tailoring, curating, and orchestrating. Own your narrative. 🙌🏽
📑 2. What's your narrative?
Every strong candidate owns a clear, focused story that connects a few essential things:
1) Positioning: Who are you as a professional? Are you the 0-to-1 pioneer? The deep navigational/IA analyst? The design system wrangler? Choose your frame intentionally—it’s the through-line for every interaction.
2) Strengths & superpowers: What can you uniquely do? Avoid saying things like you’re a great collaborator; that’s a bit too generic. A better phrasing is how you bridged PM and Eng priorities to ship a feature that moved a real metric. Your superpowers should be evidenced in your artifacts and stories.
Some other quick examples:
Close the gap between business goals and user behavior
Clarify ambiguity with deeply informed user journeys
Design with technical constraints, not despite them
3) Growth goals: Where are you headed? Ambition kinda matters! A job isn't just about what you've done—it's also about what you're trying to become. A clear growth direction helps hiring managers see not just fit, but potential as they think about their team evolution, as well. I know I did when I was hiring designers!
4) Motivation: Why this role? Not just “why design,” but “why this team, this mission, this problem space?” — given what you know publicly, of course. When you articulate a compelling why, you reduce risk in the eyes of the hiring manager. It shows commitment and drive.
💠 3. How does it all align?
Think like a UX/product designer: map the job description against your kit. Where do you have strong alignment? Where are the gaps? Where can you emphasize, tailor, or add supporting evidence, whether it’s in your resumé or LinkedIn or portfolio examples.
Remember, hiring teams are evaluating:
Your skills: both the hard tactical, and the soft human/social
Your experience: how it’s relevant to their context
Your trajectory: are you growing towards or maybe beyond this role?
Your storytelling: can you communicate clearly and compellingly?
They’re also picking up signals from your materials. Is your narrative clear, intentional, and specific? Or messy and generic? Note: this is not about gaming the system. It’s about respecting the opportunity by showing you’ve done the work to connect your value to their needs. And yes, it’s hard work indeed — I get it! It’s like a real design project. 🙃
🗣️ 4. Rehearse your story
There’s “one more thing” — your kit might get you in the door, but you still have to tell the story live. Yup, it’s a performance. 🕺🏼 That’s basically what the “on-site” portfolio prezo is really for. You’re not simply reciting case studies you’ve laboriously crafted in Keynote or Figma. You’re demonstrating how you think, adapt, and handle complexity, while responding to questions from folks who want to challenge you, see how you handle pressure or critical feedback. Think of it like an audition for the role.
But the goal is actually not to impress or “wow”. The goal is to build trust. They should walk away thinking “Yes, we can trust this person to do the job we need” based upon the signals and stories shared.
Rehearse. Tailor. Show the real you—that’s aligned to the job. ⚡️
TL;DR: Act like the director of your job search
Hope that’s not too provocative! 😆 But yes, treat your job search like a product. You own it. Define your audience, understand their needs, craft your messaging, test your assets, iterate based on feedback. Your narrative isn’t some fluff piece—it’s the connective tissue that holds your job search together. 🙌🏽
The best candidates don’t just show their work. They show up with a clear, intentional story about who they are, what they bring, and where they’re going.
So before you hit “Apply” on that next role, maybe ask yourself:
Do I have a strong, aligned narrative that clearly shows why I’m the right hire?
If not, start creating it. ✨
✦ If you’d like guidance with identifying or presenting that narrative for your UX job search, reach out for a free initial consultative call. Learn about my coaching services here →
Yes! This is super helpful. I can remember a time when I went 0-7 on interviews, but I kept perfecting my narrative iteratively, so that when I walked in on interview #8, I was so smooth, I got the job.