
#127 How to get promoted in UX design
Anfi and Ioana discuss what factors influence promotions and strategies for designers in various contexts to achieve advancement in your career.This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.In this episode: • What factors come into play when seeking a promotion?• How can designers in different contexts achieve promotion?• What are the tips for designers who feel frustrated about not being promoted?• What strategies can designers employ if they work in environments that do not have formal promotion cycles?Check out these links:Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.Ioana's AI Goodies NewsletterEnroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.❓Next topic ideas:Submit your questions or feedback anonymously hereLinks:🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana🧡 Want to support us?Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/moFollow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.🗂 Our instagram👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
5 Mar 38min

#126 I am a senior designer now, what's next?
Anfisa and Ioana delve into the challenges that senior designers face as they reach the peak of their careers.In this episode: • Anfi and Ioana share their personal experiences• Should you aim for a management position, or is it better to focus on growing as an individual contributor?• What skills should I learn next?Check out these links:Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.Ioana's AI Goodies NewsletterEnroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.❓Next topic ideas:Submit your questions or feedback anonymously hereLinks:🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana🧡 Want to support us?Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/moFollow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.🗂 Our instagram👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
25 Feb 44min

#125 A director's perspective on hiring UX designers in 2025 w/Chris Abad
Chris Abad is a design leader at ex-director at places like Google, Square, Dropbox, and Salesforce. He is launchingDesign Storytelling: Turn Resistance into Buy-in course, which starts on February 17th.Anfisa andChris discuss the essential qualities that make a great designer, the importance of storytelling in portfolios, and the role of designers in today's market and beyond.In this episode:• Do you think the roles of Product Manager and Product Designer will merge in the future?• Is being a good designer more about inherent talent, or is it a skill that can be developed?• How do you define a good designer in today’s industry?• What is your thought process when hiring designers? What do you look for in their portfolios?• According to Chris, what constitutes a good design portfolio?• What is a storytelling portfolio, and what does it mean to you?• What advice would you give to junior designers on how to frame themselves while figuring out their path in the industry?• Will having a UX design degree or completing a bootcamp alone make someone competitive in the job market?• What other important factors should junior designers consider?Relevant links:Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.❓Next topic ideas:Submit your questions or feedback anonymously hereOther resources:🎓 Into UX design UX-thinking online courses by Anfisa🤖 Ioana'sAI Goodies Newsletter🎓 Domestika course: Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana🤖 Enroll in Ioana's AI course"**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.🧡 Want to support us?Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/moFollow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.🗂Our instagram👩💻Anfisa’s instagram👩🏻💻Ioana’s instagram
11 Feb 1h 1min

#124 The skills UX designers need in 2025
Anfisa and Ioana explore strategies for navigating the design market in challenging times and discuss what essential skills designers need to acquire.This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.In this episode:• What skills should I focus on learning now to stay relevant in the design market?• How will technology advancements impact the job market and skills demand in 2025 and beyond?• How can I adapt to emerging technologies, including AI?Check out these links:Ioana's AI Goodies NewsletterJoin Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.❓Next topic ideas:Submit your questions or feedback anonymously hereLinks:🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana🧡 Want to support us?Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/moFollow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.🗂 Our instagram👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
21 Jan 39min

#123 Year-End Reflections
Anfisa and Ioana share their reflections on the year.This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio.In this episode:• What achievements are we most proud of from this year?• What were the defining high and low moments we experienced?• What key themes or words resonate with our intentions for the coming year?Check out these links:Ioana's AI Goodies NewsletterJoin Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey.Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount.❓Next topic ideas:Submit your questions or feedback anonymously hereLinks:🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana🧡 Want to support us?Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/moFollow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes.🗂 Our instagram👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
24 Des 202442min

#122 The State of Design Jobs in 2024-2025 w/Lena Kul
Ioana and Lena explore the design market for 2024-2025, highlighting key trends, in-demand skills, and insights to help you navigate and thrive in this dynamic industry. This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio. In this episode: 0:59 Episode starts 1:54 Wix Sponsorship 4:46 How did Lena get into recruitment, and what’s her background? 9:17 What’s the current state of the design industry? 17:06 Are specialized roles still relevant? 19:23 In light of economic downturns and layoffs, why are job openings showing signs of recovery? 26:20 What does this mean for aspiring designers? Is pursuing a UX career still viable for newcomers? 32:34 What skill sets are hiring managers prioritizing in 2025? Are technical skills being overshadowed by AI? 39:46 What advice can you share about storytelling and pitching, and where can people find freelance opportunities? 45:41 How can listeners connect with you? About the guest: Lena Kul is a Recruitment & Job Search Advisor, recently she founded /kuːl/ - Boutique Recruitment & Job Search Advising agency. With years of experience scaling Product Design and UXR teams in demanding, designer-driven hyper-growth environments, she has successfully hired dozens of talented individuals from FAANG companies and other renowned organizations, including Spotify, Zendesk, Shopify, and Booking. comShe is offering a range of tailored advising services designed to support companies in their growth, and career development of job seekers in Product Design and UX Research. She also has a course Master Your Product Design and UX Research Job Search Check out Lena's website and articles. Lena's Five newsletter Lena's course "Product Design Career Accelerator: Navigate Your Next Career Step" Check out these links: Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey. Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount. ❓Next topic ideas: Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here Links: 🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa 🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana 🧡 Want to support us? Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes. 🗂 Our instagram 👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram 👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
17 Des 202449min

#121 How to prevent burnout? w/Meg Rye & Laurence Galland
Ioana engages in a thoughtful discussion about burnout with guests Meg Rye and Laurence Galland. This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio. In this episode: 0:46 intro 02:05 Wix sponsorship message 04:11 - Guests' background and interest in burnout 07:36 - Observations on designer experiences and industry challenges 15:57 - Symptoms and manifestations of burnout 20:17 - Steps to take upon realizing burnout + prevention tips 28:23 - Advice for those facing burnout threats 38:54 - Key takeaways Our guests: Meg Rye (she/her) - founder of Good Maven, recruiter and coach. Meg’s been at the center of the global design community for 20+ years, working with professionals to build ambitious and fulfilling careers. Most recently, Meg was the first international design recruiter at Meta. She led the team’s growth from 4 to 700 designers across 13 countries, while building a strong community and culture made up of product designers, content designers, user experience researchers, and artists. She’s built teams, hiring processes, and programs for enterprise, agency, start-up, and cultural institutions, including WhatsApp, Instagram, Meta Reality Labs, Publicis Sapient, Havas, eBay, Comcast, Siemens, Verizon, The Wharton School, and the Philadelphia Museum of Art. Laurence Galland has worked with a huge range of teams and individuals and has vast experience across career management, leadership skills development, change management, self-development, business set up/scale up and work/life balance. Before becoming a coach, she spent 10 years in consumer goods and tourism organisations as a senior HR professional. She holds a Professional Coach Certification (PCC) from the International Coaching Federation (ICF), an Individual Team Coach Accreditation (ITCA) from the European Mentoring and Coaching Council (EMCC) and Masters degrees in international business and business administration. Check out these links: Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey. Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount. ❓Next topic ideas: Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here Links: 🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa 🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana 🧡 Want to support us? Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes. 🗂 Our instagram 👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram 👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
10 Des 202444min

#120 Favorite product design books
Anfisa and Ioana talk about their favorite UX design books. This episode was recorded in partnership with Wix Studio. In this episode: • What were some of the most influential books that shaped our careers? • What are some of the must-read books that we would recommend to stay up-to-date with the latest trends in the industry? Design book classics we mentioned: The design of everyday things (by Don Norman) Don't make me think (by Steve Krug) Visual Explanations (by Edward Tufte) Steal Like an Artist / Keep Going / Show Your Work! (by Austin Kleon books) Articulating Design Decisions (by Tom Greever) About Face (by Alan Cooper) Hooked (by Nir Eyal) The Culture Map (by Erin Meyer) Just Enough Research (by Erika Hall) Recent must-read books we mentioned: Ruined by Design (by Mike Monteiro) The Politics of Design (by Ruben Pater) Mismatch (by Kat Holmes) Storyworthy (by Matthew Dicks) Design Is Storytelling (by Ellen Lupton) The Art of Noticing (by Rob Walker) The Design Thinking Playbook (by Michael Lewrick) Emotional Design (by Don Norman) Check out these links: Ioana's AI Goodies Newsletter Join Anfi’s Job Search community. The community includes 3 courses, 12 live events and workshops, and a variety of templates to support you in your job search journey. Enroll in Ioana's AI course "**AI-Powered UX Design: How to Elevate Your UX Career"** on Interaction Design Foundation with a 25% discount. ❓Next topic ideas: Submit your questions or feedback anonymously here Links: 🎓 Into UX design online course by Anfisa 🎓 Domestika course Create a Learning Strategy by Ioana 🧡 Want to support us? Sign up here to get access to exclusive locked episodes for $0.99/mo Follow us on Instagram to stay tuned for the next episodes. 🗂 Our instagram 👩💻 Anfisa’s instagram 👩🏻💻 Ioana’s instagram
5 Des 202439min