Career Strategy Podcast with Sarah Doody | UX, Product Design, UX Research 158: From UX Internship to Amazon UX Designer: How Vasudha Got Hired With a Master's in HCI
In this episode, Sarah interviews Vasudha, a UX Designer at Amazon AWS Applied AI, to talk about what it really looks like to invest in your career early, and how the impact compounds for years.
Vasudha joined Career Strategy Lab's UX job search accelerator in late 2023 while finishing her master’s degree, navigating the uncertainty of the job market as an international student, and waiting to see whether her AWS internship would convert to a full-time role. Today, she’s thriving at Amazon, and still actively uses CSL frameworks for LinkedIn updates, internal promotions, and long-term career growth.
This episode is a powerful reminder that Career Strategy Lab isn’t just about landing one job. It’s about building a career operating system you can reuse, refine, and rely on over time.
What You’ll Learn in This Episode:
✔️ Why Vasudha decided to invest in CSL while still in grad school
✔️ How talking to an alumni helped her decide to join
✔️ Why CSL skills extend far beyond the job search
✔️ How the portfolio sprint changed how she approaches real projects at Amazon
✔️ Why answering “why” matters just as much as showing artifacts
✔️ How CSL frameworks support promotions—not just hiring
✔️ The confidence shift that comes from understanding your blind spots
✔️ Why embracing being a UX generalist unlocked clarity and growth
✔️ How CSL helps you tell the right story about yourself (not the wrong one)
Timestamps:
00:00 Introduction to Sarah Doody and Career Strategy Lab
00:38 Episode Overview and Open House Context
01:21 Vasudha's Journey: From Master's to Amazon
05:38 The Impact of Career Strategy Lab
10:56 Portfolio Development and Career Growth
16:37 The Importance of Storytelling in UX Careers
21:54 Advice for Joining Career Strategy Lab
23:41 Conclusion and Final Thoughts
💸 See how I help UX & Product people get 5-figure salary increases in my UX job search coaching program