NN/G UX Podcast 59. Getting Hired in UX: What to Do When Apply-and-Wait Isn't Enough
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Apr 1, 2026 Evan Sunwall, Director of Self-Paced Training at Nielsen Norman Group and seasoned hiring manager, shares practical tactics for standing out in the UX job market. He discusses building self-paced courses, tailoring applications instead of blasting AI-generated materials, concise storytelling for interviews, using custom GPTs for practice, networking strategies, and managing burnout and finances during a job search.
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Set Job Search Goals Before Applying
- Plan your job search by clarifying values and constraints before applying so you avoid taking the wrong job out of desperation.
- Evan Sunwall recommends retrospectives to identify geography, hobbies, and long-term priorities that guide targeted applications.
Customize Applications To Hiring Manager Needs
- Align applications to the hiring manager's needs instead of mass-blasting generic resumes.
- Evan advises curating evidence for X, Y, and Z abilities and tailoring messages and portfolios to be punchy and relevant.
Practice Storytelling For Interviews
- Practice structured storytelling and rehearse interview answers to clearly communicate context, actions, and results.
- Evan built custom GPTs in the course to critique answers and reveal vague or unfocused interview responses.