2024 Career Shortcuts
Annual round of hand-picked resources to level up your career
Last year, I shared my first compilation of career shortcuts, and I’d like to make this an annual tradition. Throughout the year, I hand-picked various tools, learning resources, and sources of inspiration that I discovered. This year, I am excited to share my favorite finds with you.
10 categories, 3 picks per topic, 30 shortcuts in total. Let's dive in!
Favorite new tools
I've been gathering and organizing thousands of reference materials for over a decade without finding a definite material, until I found mymind and haven't looked back.
As a relentlessly curious person, being able to easily find an answer to almost any question has been a dream come true.
Presenting and taking notes during a call isn't an easy task at all, but now I can focus on the conversation while Granola is taking notes.
Tools I'm eager to try
I'll get my hands dirty and try to build a few personal projects next year.
I'll be trying a new material next year by prototyping on iOS with native elements.
I'll be tinkering with interactive graphics to create delightful moments.
Clever use of AI
Trained on all Lenny's podcast episodes and newsletter posts (Including paid posts), this tool is like a massive wiki for all your product-related questions and so much more.
How to build your designs with Claude and Cursor AI
An inspiring story of how Meng To built DreamCut in 3 months with Claude and Cursor.
How to leverage AI tools as a strategic designer
This d.MBA webinar with Femke and Alen Faljic is a practical example of how we can leverage AI to increase our Business and Strategic Thinking.
Inspiration
Emily Campbell created a fantastic collection of emerging design patterns to interact with AI products.
A design repository full of magical interactions to get inspired by.
Invisible Details of Interaction Design
This essay by Rauno is a wonderful exercise of observation, collecting everyday interactions and their physical counterpart.
Design Systems resources
If I were to get started with Design Systems in 2025, I would go with Dan Mall's DSU before anything else.
A collection of curated resources for all things Design Systems.
Whenever you're looking to reference components from well-established Design Systems, this is the place to go.
New courses
Executive Communication & Influence for Senior ICs and Managers
I took this course by Wes Kao this year during the very first cohort, and it has been a tremendous investment to improve my day-to-day communication.
How to measure UX and design impact
If you're looking to get started with design metrics and KPIs, this new course by Vitaly Friedman is for you.
This course by Tommy Geoco is aimed at improving a core skill for designers: High-impact and pragmatic decision-making, even under pressure.
Talks
How to give and receive feedback
This talk by Julie Zhuo is a practical and relatable approach to giving feedback, a sometimes tough but necessary skill.
What makes a truly great software designer
This Dive Club episode featuring Soleio is jam packed with lessons for software designers to stand out in today's context.
4 questions Shreyas wishes he’d asked himself sooner
This candid conversation from the Lenny and Friends Summit dives on tricky questions for product builders: Time management, taste, enjoying your work, and listening.
Articulating the impact of design
How to sharpen your analytical thinking—even if you’re "not a numbers person"
Sharpening our analysis will help us to know what to look for and how to make sense out of it.
Get started with Business Thinking by learning 5 key concepts every designer should know.
Show design impact, without metrics
There's a lot more than metrics to demonstrate the impact of design decisions.
Job hunting tools
How to Write a UX Case Study to Showcase Your Skills, Experience, & Process
This article by Sarah Doody provides a simple 5-step process for writing effective UX case studies.
Easily create and remix your resume to tailor it for every job you apply.
My go-to answer whenever someone asks me where to build their portfolio for the first time.
Interview prep
The Product Designer's Interview Playbook
A quick and practical guide to stand out in the interview process, filled with tips, strategies, and expert insights.
Interviewing in today's UX design job market – prepare for 2025
A full rundown of the UX design application process, from job market analysis all the way to negotiation.
How to pass any first-round interview
Single-handedly the most useful article I read to prepare for interviews during the time I was job hunting.
If you scrolled all the way through, here's a bonus for all Arc users out there:
Easily add these links as a folder on your browser 📁
It's always more fun to learn with others than doing it alone, so don't hesitate to reach out on Threads and Bluesky if you want to continue the conversation. If this article has been helpful, share it with a friend!
Over and out,
Laura ✌️