Author: Marisa Crous

Transferable Skills for Career Changers: How to Reposition Your Experience

Posted on by Marisa Crous

Changing careers does not mean starting from zero. Learn how to identify transferable skills, reposition your experience and show employers how your background fits new roles.

Changing careers rarely feels like a clean start. More often, it feels like a mismatch between what you can do and what employers seem to be asking for. You know you are capable of more than your current role suggests, yet job descriptions often demand experience you do not formally have.

The problem is not always a lack of ability. More often, it is that your skills are not being clearly communicated in a way employers recognise.

Employers hire for outcomes, not job titles. They look for people who can solve problems, communicate clearly and adapt quickly. For career changers, the challenge is to reframe existing experience in a way that makes those outcomes visible and relevant.

If you are already thinking about the shift, begin here. 

Why career changers often underestimate their value

Why “no direct experience” is not the full story

“Direct experience” is often treated as a gatekeeper in hiring decisions, used to filter candidates quickly. But it is a narrow and sometimes misleading way to assess capability.

Relevant experience is broader. It includes the skills, judgement and behaviours you have developed across different roles and environments. For example, a teacher who structures lessons and manages a classroom is demonstrating planning, communication and stakeholder management. A retail supervisor handling peak-hour demand is applying prioritisation and decision-making under pressure.

These are not peripheral abilities. They are fundamental skills that sit at the core of many digital and professional roles.

What employers are really looking for

Across industries, the same capabilities appear repeatedly:

  • Problem-solving
  • Communication and presenting
  • Stakeholder management
  • Adaptability
  • Prioritisation, learning agility

Technical skills matter. But they sit alongside these broader skills, not above them.

The real challenge is translation, not reinvention

Career changers often assume they need to reinvent themselves. In practice, the work is more precise. Translate what you already do into the language of the role you want, then fill the genuine gaps.

If you want a deeper view on why transferable skills matter, this distinction is central.

What transferable skills actually are

A simple definition

Transferable skills are capabilities that apply across industries, teams and roles. They are not tied to a single job title.

The difference between transferable skills and technical skills

Transferable skills travel with you. Technical skills are often role-specific. You may need to learn SQL, Python or analytics tools for a data role. But your ability to analyse information, communicate insights or manage stakeholders is already in place. The strongest candidates combine both.

Examples of high-value transferable skills

  • Communication and presenting
  • Research and analysis
  • Project coordination
  • Leadership and facilitation
  • Customer empathy
  • Collaboration
  • Decision-making
  • Resilience

These are not secondary. They are often what determines performance in a role.

How to identify your transferable skills

Start with outcomes, not tasks

Do not begin with a list of responsibilities. Start with what changed because of your work.

Ask yourself:

  • What did I improve
  • What problems did I solve
  • What did I organise, launch or support
  • What decisions did I influence

This shifts your focus away from simply listing what you were responsible for and towards demonstrating the results of your work. Instead of describing activity, you begin to show the value you created, which makes your experience more meaningful and relevant to employers.

Look for repeated patterns across roles

If you have trained people in multiple jobs, managed stakeholders in different settings or worked with data in various forms, those patterns point to core strengths.

Consistency matters more than context.

Ask: What do people rely on me for

Often, your most valuable skills feel ordinary because you use them frequently. This question surfaces what others see clearly, even if you do not.

How to reposition your experience for a new field

Match your past work to the role you want

Job descriptions are signals. Look for recurring requirements across several roles, then map your experience against them.

You may not have held the same title. But you will often find overlap in the work itself.

Use the language of the target role

Translation is a practical process, and in many cases it comes down to the specific words you choose to describe your experience. Small changes in phrasing can significantly affect how your skills are perceived.

For example, instead of writing:
“Handled customer issues”

You could say:
“Resolved customer problems, identified recurring patterns and improved user experience feedback loops.”

The second version highlights problem-solving, analytical thinking and an awareness of broader impact, making your skills more visible and directly relevant to the kinds of outcomes employers are looking for.

Show evidence, not just claims

Employers look for proof. Wherever possible, include outcomes:

  • Reduced response time by X
  • Improved satisfaction scores
  • Delivered a project within a set timeframe

For more structured guidance, see this advice from FourthRev career coaches.

Examples by background

Teaching to product, design or learning roles

Transferable skills include communication, facilitation, curriculum planning, feedback and stakeholder management.

Retail or hospitality to digital marketing or customer success

Transferable skills include customer insight, sales awareness, problem-solving, prioritisation and teamwork.

Operations or admin to project, product or data roles

Transferable skills include organisation, process improvement, documentation, coordination and attention to detail.

Finance or analyst roles to data and strategy roles

Transferable skills include structured thinking, reporting, pattern recognition, decision support and commercial awareness.

Creative or content backgrounds to UX, marketing or product roles

Transferable skills include storytelling, audience understanding, research, collaboration and presenting ideas clearly.

Read more about Emma’s transition from chemical engineering into data analytics here.

What upskilling adds to the picture

Why transferable skills alone are not always enough

Transferable skills help make your experience relevant to a new role by showing that you already bring valuable strengths. However, many roles also require specific technical knowledge, familiarity with certain tools or tangible portfolio evidence.

A credible career transition usually depends on combining both. Your transferable skills demonstrate how you think and work, while new technical skills and projects show that you can apply those strengths in a new context.

The strongest career change story is old strengths plus new capability

The most persuasive narrative is simple:

  • You bring existing strengths
  • You have built new, relevant skills
  • You can now apply both to a new context

This combination signals readiness.

Why structured learning helps career changers move faster

Unstructured learning can stall. Structured programmes provide a clearer path with a defined curriculum, practical projects and career support.

For example, the LSE Data Analytics Online Career Accelerator is designed to help learners build applied skills in tools such as Excel, SQL and Python, develop a portfolio of real-world projects and receive ongoing career support.

For an overview, see how FourthRev’s programmes are structured.

How to talk about transferable skills in your CV and interviews

Lead with relevance in your profile summary

  • Position yourself around where you are going, not just where you have been.
  • Make your direction explicit and connect it to your strengths.

Use bullet points that show impact

Structure each point as: Action + skill + result. For example: Analysed customer feedback data to identify recurring issues, improving response time by 25%.

This keeps your experience focused and outcome-led.

Prepare a clear career change narrative for interviews

A simple framework works:

  • My previous experience gave me X
  • I built Y through upskilling
  • I am now applying both to Z role

Real examples of career change in practice

Career changes rarely follow a straight line, but clear patterns emerge.

A teacher may transition into a data analyst role by building technical skills and reframing experience in problem solving, data interpretation and communication. A waitress may move into product design by drawing on customer insight, fast-paced decision-making and an understanding of user needs.

In most cases, the shift comes from reframing existing experience and adding targeted skills. Structured learning and portfolio work often provide that bridge. 

Notably, 87.5% of learners achieved a desired career goal within six months (FourthRev 2023/24 Completers’ Survey).

You can read more FourthRev impact stories to see how others have approached the transition.

How FourthRev helps career changers build on what they already have

Career Accelerators are designed for people who are not starting from zero. They build on existing strengths and connect them to new, job-relevant skills.

The emphasis is practical with applied projects, portfolio evidence and structured coaching. The aim is not just to learn, but to demonstrate readiness for a new role.

You can explore FourthRev’s Career Accelerators to see how this approach works in practice.

Frequently Asked Questions

What are transferable skills in a career change? 

They are skills that apply across roles and industries, such as communication, problem-solving and stakeholder management.

How do I prove transferable skills if I have no direct experience?

Use examples with outcomes. Show what you achieved, not just what you did.

Which transferable skills matter most for digital roles?

Problem-solving, analytical thinking, communication, adaptability and collaboration are consistently valued.

Do I still need to upskill if I already have strong transferable skills?

Often, yes. Technical skills and portfolio evidence help make your transition credible.

How do I explain a career change to employers? 

Present a clear narrative. What you bring, what you have learned and how both apply to the role.

Changing careers is about making your existing experience visible, relevant and credible in a new context. With the right framing, clear evidence and a focused next step, what once felt like a mismatch becomes a genuine asset.

If you are ready to turn that experience into a new direction, explore our Career Accelerators. They offer a structured way to combine transferable strengths with practical, job-relevant skills and move forward with clarity.

Emma’s Shift into Data Analytics: From Engineering to Solving Business Problems with Data

Posted on by Marisa Crous

Emma Roberts did not set out to start a data consultancy. Nor did she expect a mid-career shift would take her from chemical engineering into running her own analytics business. Yet that is exactly where she is today.

Two years after completing the LSE Data Analytics Online Career Accelerator, an LSE online programme developed in collaboration with FourthRev, Emma now leads Nimble Data, helping small businesses and manufacturers modernise their data platforms through analytics, automation and AI.

In a recent Ask Me Anything webinar, she shared what the transition really involved.

A strong career and a growing question

On paper, Emma’s career followed a clear trajectory.

With a Master’s in Engineering, she joined BP through a graduate scheme, became a Chartered Chemical Engineer and later moved to ExxonMobil. Over 15 years, she worked across both manufacturing and office-based roles, some deeply technical, others less so.

Over time, however, something changed.

She found herself missing hands-on problem-solving and working directly with data. As the industry evolved, a more fundamental question surfaced. Did she want to continue on the same path long term?

Working with a career coach helped clarify her thinking. She recognised two consistent motivations: 1) a preference for data-driven decision-making and 2) a desire to help organisations improve performance.

Data analytics offered a way to bring both together without abandoning the experience she had built.

Choosing structure over going it alone

Emma first explored internal opportunities, but when those did not materialise, she assessed her options.

A second degree felt too time-intensive and costly. Self-study, while flexible, lacked structure and accountability.

Instead, she chose a middle path. A structured, part-time programme with clear milestones and support. The LSE Data Analytics Online Career Accelerator runs over six months, part-time and online, building capability across Excel, SQL, Tableau, Python and R before culminating in a live Employer Project.

For Emma, the deciding factor was not just the curriculum, but the support model.

“I was acutely aware I was changing careers mid-way through my working life and wanted support navigating that transition.”

That combination, subject facilitation, a Success Manager and dedicated career coaching, is built into the programme. For those making a career pivot, it can be the difference between starting and following through.

Building confidence through practical work

Emma was candid about her initial concerns.

“University was a long time ago, and my only previous coding experience was a bit of MATLAB during my degree. SQL and Python felt unknown and intimidating.”

What she encountered, however, was a learning experience grounded in application rather than theory.

“It’s very focused on the approach to solving a data problem and equips you with a whole bunch of tools that you can then use to go and find out a way of doing a certain thing or solving a problem later.”

Projects were designed to reflect real business scenarios. The emphasis was not just on learning tools, but on thinking like an analyst.

This came together in the Employer Project.

“And then you have the Employer Project where you work in a team to deliver something, and that’s quite intensive, and it’s the big finale of the course, where you get to bring everything together, there’s not really any rules, you get a pretty generic statement of please go and solve this business problem for someone.”

The ambiguity mirrored real-world work, requiring learners to engage with stakeholders and define solutions.

“It’s very real-world based, you have interactions with the employer to work out what it is you want to do.”

For Emma, this was critical. It meant she was not just learning concepts. She was practising the kind of work she would later deliver professionally.

Reframing experience, not replacing it

A common concern for mid-career professionals is whether prior experience still holds value.

In Emma’s case, it did, just in a different way.

Her background in manufacturing, operations and stakeholder environments became a strength when combined with analytics capability. She could not only build models but also interpret them within real operational contexts.

The programme helped formalise that shift. Structuring analysis, communicating insights clearly and selecting appropriate tools for different business questions.

Even now, she continues to revisit the material.

“Nora, who was our lead facilitator, her weekly lecture material was just perfect, it’s still my Bible, I go back to it most weeks.”

Breaking into the field

Securing her first opportunity in data was not immediate.

“Breaking into data at a mid-career level without 10 years of Python, AWS, Azure, etc., and a computer science background turned out to be very tricky.”

Positioning became key. Emma focused on clearly communicating her hybrid skill set and maintaining visibility, particularly on LinkedIn.

“One tip for anyone considering a career switch: keep your LinkedIn up to date. I wouldn’t be where I am now if I hadn’t.”

Her breakthrough came through a conversation with a potential client looking specifically for someone with both engineering and data expertise.

One project led to another, and eventually to founding her own consultancy.

Applying analytics in practice

Today, through Nimble Data, Emma supports organisations in modernising how they use data.

“It’s been incredible, it’s been life-changing for me.”

Her approach reflects the structure developed during the programme. Define the problem, analyse the data, test assumptions and communicate outcomes clearly.

“I love it, I love what I do, I’ve now got a really flexible career.”

Support that sustains momentum

Emma credits the programme’s support structure with helping her maintain progress during more challenging periods.

“Success managers are your personal cheerleaders and they check in with you that everything’s okay, they give you little pep talks and make sure you don’t miss deadlines and reminders.”

Balancing part-time study with work can be demanding. Structured milestones, accountability and coaching help reduce the risk of losing momentum.

The programme includes up to 12 months of career coaching, with an extension available if a qualifying career milestone has not yet been reached. This is not a job placement guarantee, but a framework designed to support continued progress.

Looking back

Two years on, Emma’s reflection is measured and realistic.

“Is every day perfect? No, it’s still work. But it’s meaningful, mentally stimulating, and aligned with what I care about.”

Her advice for others considering a similar move:

  • Be honest about what you want to change and how you work.
  • Do not underestimate your transferable skills.
  • Expect moments of doubt. They are normal, especially when you’re doing new and demanding things.

For Emma, the transition into analytics was not about starting again. It was about applying what she already knew in a new and more aligned way.

Interested in exploring the curriculum, structure and support model? Download the programme brochure to learn more.

How the Cambridge PACE Data Science Career Accelerator Helped Sanya Land a Role at John Laing

Posted on by Marisa Crous

When Sanya Setia joined the Cambridge PACE Data Science with Machine Learning & AI Career Accelerator, she wasn’t simply aiming to earn another qualification. Her goal was much bigger: strengthen her technical abilities, grow her confidence, and stay relevant in a world where data and AI were rapidly transforming how organisations operate.

At the time, Sanya was working in Cambridge as a Business Intelligence Developer at a healthcare technology scale-up. Around her, conversations about automation, machine learning and artificial intelligence were becoming more frequent — and she wanted to be part of that shift.

“It was almost criminal not to know what’s happening around me.”

Over the next seven months on the Career Accelerator, Sanya built a portfolio of practical projects and developed a deeper technical skill set. Soon after graduating, that experience helped her secure a new opportunity at John Laing, a leading infrastructure investment company in London. She joined the firm as a Business Information Analyst, doubling her previous salary in the process.

We spoke with Sanya during a recent Ask Me Anything event hosted by Cambridge PACE and FourthRev, where she shared insights about balancing study with work and how the programme helped her progress into a new role.

Before the programme: Building credibility in data science

Sanya already had experience working with data, but she wanted to deepen her understanding and stay ahead of developments in AI and machine learning.

“I wanted to disrupt my workplace using the cutting-edge.”

Her search focused on finding a programme that combined academic credibility with hands-on learning. She wanted something rigorous enough to explore data science in depth, while still grounded in practical applications.

“I decided to do a programme that was backed by a university that’s well-renowned and also was long enough to go into the depths of the topic itself.”

That search ultimately led her to the Cambridge PACE Data Science with Machine Learning and AI Career Accelerator.

Learning by doing: Projects that accelerate real growth

From the outset, Sanya expected the programme to be challenging — but she welcomed that challenge.

Balancing full-time work, personal commitments and study required careful time management. Scheduling dedicated study sessions helped her stay consistent throughout the programme.

“I had dedicated time slots in my calendar for self-study and classes…I used it extensively, and this kept my expectations set.”

A key element of the learning experience was the project-based structure of the curriculum. Each week introduced new concepts that learners could immediately apply, reinforcing their understanding through hands-on work.

“…we were learning on the go and applying on the go, which meant everything I learned was solidified.”

As her skills progressed, Sanya began experimenting with advanced tools and models such as Hugging Face and FinBERT, building small applications she could refine independently. “My achievements were my projects that I was doing week in and week out because I could always go back to them and see how I approached a problem and how I could solve it and make it fit into my new project,” says Sanya.

Creating a portfolio that demonstrates real skills

Over the seven-month programme, Sanya’s weekly work evolved into something far more valuable: a comprehensive portfolio of data science projects.

By the time she graduated, she had developed a substantial GitHub repository featuring data visualisations, machine learning models and AI-driven solutions. These projects became powerful evidence of her technical ability and problem-solving skills.

“This programme gave me an immense portfolio of projects on every machine learning topic that I have, and to put that on my GitHub, to put that on my website, and to be able to showcase that to my new employers.”

From uncertainty to confidence in Python and AI

Beyond technical skills, the programme also helped Sanya develop greater confidence in her abilities.

“I definitely feel more confident in Python programming.”

Before starting the course, she wondered whether someone without a traditional computer science background could succeed in such a technical field. However, the combination of mentorship, community support and structured learning helped change that perception.

She credits much of her growth to the support system around her — including tutors, industry mentors, success managers and fellow learners. “They never made you feel like there is a bad question, or what you’re asking is too basic,” says Sanya.

By the end of the programme, Sanya felt far more comfortable navigating the world of AI and data science.

“The programme gave me an upper hand and the self-confidence to know that knowledge about AI and technology isn’t out of reach anymore.”

A new opportunity at John Laing

During the programme, Sanya made the bold decision to leave her previous role after realising it no longer offered enough progression.

Working closely with her FourthRev Career Coach and Cambridge PACE industry mentor, she refined her CV, strengthened her LinkedIn profile and learned how to present her project portfolio effectively to employers.

This preparation paid off.

“As a result of that, I did get placed in a job right after my course. A big part of it, in terms of my CV and my confidence, was having done this course, where I knew what I was talking about.”

Shortly after completing the Career Accelerator, Sanya accepted an offer from John Laing, stepping into a new role with significantly increased responsibility and double her previous salary.

Advice for future learners

Looking back on her journey, Sanya encourages prospective learners to approach the programme with curiosity and commitment.

“…my recommendation is to prepare well, prepare in advance, know what you’re getting into, and go in with… the learning mindset.”

For her, the key is focusing on genuine understanding rather than simply completing the course. “Don’t do it for the sake of finishing. Do it for the sake of learning something new,” says Sanya.

And for those feeling stuck in their careers or unsure about the next step, she offers this perspective: “…I would recommend it to someone who is stuck somewhere, or feels saturated somewhere, and wants to make that leap to implementing machine learning or AI solutions.”

Explore how the Cambridge PACE Data Science Career Accelerator can help you take the next confident step in your career – just as it did for Sanya.

Designing For Good: Klaudia’s Career Path to Purposeful Product Design

Posted on by Marisa Crous

When Klaudia Skiba graduated with a degree in Spanish and Marketing, she expected to feel a stronger sense of direction. Instead, she entered a kind of limbo: capable, motivated and full of potential, yet unsure how to channel it into work that felt meaningful.

So, she pressed pause.

“I was working in a café… so that I could take the time and figure out my professional career.”

Those shifts in hospitality were not a detour. They sharpened skills Klaudia already had: empathy, communication, and problem-solving under pressure. But they also revealed a quiet misalignment.

“I realised I was applying my skills in industries that, unfortunately, either didn’t value them or they weren’t paid enough for.”

She recognised that her challenge was not capability but direction. Hospitality had shown her she enjoyed helping people and improving experiences. It was simply the wrong environment for her strengths to grow.

In an Ask Me Anything webinar, Klaudia explained how she started to learn more about UX, began exploring different courses and eventually enrolled on the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator. 

That decision set her on the path to becoming a Product Designer in the healthcare technology sector, and eventually Product Lead at Resolutiion®. 

‘I took the leap, even with no experience’

During her self-imposed “gap year”, Klaudia began reading about UX. The more she learned, the more it resonated. Designers she talked to spoke about user journeys and pain points in ways that matched her instincts. This made her think, “…UX would allow me to truly be myself.”

But one question lingered – the same one that concerns many career-changers: don’t you need technical skills to work in UX/UI?

“I knew what UX was, but the entire time I thought… I need to be very tech savvy, I need to know so many different aspects, and I was scared.” 

She worried she lacked the right background. Yet the more conversations she had, the more those fears softened.

Those initial doubts would later highlight just how far her journey had taken her.“I was just a baby when I started this. Now I’m a full-on Product Designer. It can happen to anyone.”

What changed wasn’t that she magically became more “technical” overnight. It was that she found a route into UX that supported people at the very beginning of their careers.

That support quickly translated into practice. The Career Accelerator enabled Klaudia to build a portfolio of real, applied design work that reflected how she approached problems as a designer. By the end of the programme, her portfolio told a clear story through projects shaped by user needs, genuine constraints and measurable outcomes — a compelling proof point for early in their careers.

For Klaudia, and for many others like her, coming from a non-design or non-tech background is not a barrier. It can be a strength.

“Many people in my course were career changers from arts, from data science…. But there are so many different people with different backgrounds, and they make it happen. So it’s definitely possible.”

Learning by doing – and being treated like a designer from day one

From the first weeks of the programme, Klaudia noticed a difference from her previous study experience. This wasn’t months of theory followed by a distant assignment. It was a constant loop of learn → apply → get feedback.

“I remember the first week we were learning about the guidelines for UX and heuristics… and then in the same week we were given… an app, and then we had to audit it.”

Application was immediate, and so were the expectations. Learners were asked not simply to follow instructions, but to interrogate their decisions and justify their thinking.

“Having that practicality ensured that we transitioned, in my instance, smoothly to a successful career.”

Facilitators, all working industry professionals, played a central role in this shift. They pushed learners to articulate their reasoning rather than present polished outputs. They challenged assumptions, asked difficult questions and delivered constructive critique.

“I never felt like I was falling behind, and that was because of the help from facilitators and success managers who were there to help us.”

Through this process, she stopped seeing herself as someone “trying to get into” design and instead began behaving like someone already on the path.

The Employer Project and an unexpected job offer

The programme’s final stage, the Employer Project, was the closest thing to a first job while still studying. For six weeks, Klaudia and her team worked on a brief for a real organisation. 

“There were a lot of unknowns that we had to deal with…but it was so rewarding as well, because once we went through the six weeks of collaboration and designing, we thought, wow, we actually created an entire app that meets the business needs and the project goals.”

What she didn’t know was that someone was taking note. Her facilitator – an experienced designer working in healthcare – had not only observed her work, but her unique approach as well.

In a one-to-one session, Klaudia mentioned to her facilitator that she was applying for roles and asked, almost in passing, “If you know of any projects, whether paid or unpaid, short term, long term…I just want to apply my skills to practice.”

A few days later, the facilitator messaged her: “She messaged me… inviting me to work with her on a project.”

Not every learner receives a job offer from the Career Accelerator’s Employer Project. Yet Klaudia’s story shows what becomes possible when you treat the work like a real job – and someone in industry sees you as the kind of designer they would hire.

Designing for impact, not for aesthetics

After completing the Career Accelerator, Klaudia began working in the healthcare space as a Product Designer at Nuumad – a sector she once felt intimidated by. Yet it quickly became a natural home for her skills and values.

She was struck by problems that affect people at their most vulnerable: “If you’re trying to book an appointment, you’re either stressed or already overwhelmed, either about yourself or the people you love.”

For her, this was the moment UX stopped being abstract and became a question of responsibility. Klaudia elaborated, “Booking an appointment shouldn’t add more complications and more stress to it…Healthcare is something that we should all be able to access….it’s a human right.”

That, she says, is why she took the role. Her work is now not only about creating pretty interfaces, but about reducing friction during high-stress moments, making complex information usable for non-experts, and saving clinicians time so they can focus on care rather than paperwork. 

In short: it is about solving human problems.

Where is she now?

Since sharing her story in the live Q&A, Klaudia has continued to grow her design career – now working as Product Lead at Resolutiion®, leading product redesigns, collaborating closely with engineering and branding teams, and helping to shape the product’s direction. 

Her journey into a leadership role in tech shows not just a successful career change, but true acceleration – powered by clear purpose, applied skills, and confidence built during the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator.

If you recognise yourself in Klaudia’s story, you should consider the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator. The programme can help you pivot into design, build projects for your portfolio, and connect with people working in the industry. Download the programme brochure to find out more.

Real Projects, Real Outcomes: Olga’s Journey to a Head of Marketing Role

Posted on by Marisa Crous

When Olga Sachura set out to restart her marketing career after a break, she knew she needed more than confidence. She needed to get up to speed with the digital world.

“A marketing manager’s job no longer applies just to offline marketing. If you don’t know anything about digital, you just won’t land a job. Marketing is digital now.”

Today, Olga is the part-time Head of Marketing and Advisor at Balentic, a leadership role that blends strategy, analytics, and growth. Her journey there began with the LSE Digital Marketing & Analytics Online Career Accelerator, an online programme delivered in collaboration with FourthRev.

In a recent Ask Me Anything online event hosted by LSE Online and FourthRev, Olga shared her programme experience live:

Bridging the digital skills gap

Returning to work after a break wasn’t easy for Olga. The marketing world had moved on: new platforms, automation tools, analytics dashboards, and AI-driven insights were now central to every strategy.

An experienced strategist with a background in luxury, finance and SaaS, Olga realised her traditional skills were no longer enough. To re-enter the field with confidence, she sought out a programme that could bridge that gap.

As an LSE alumna, she already trusted the School’s academic excellence and global reputation. “I knew the quality of teaching would be top level,” she said. “You don’t only choose the programme; you also choose the brand.”

The credibility of LSE and its globally recognised alumni network became part of her plan to rebuild momentum. She said: 

“Having an LSE name on your CV and LinkedIn profile really makes a difference.”

Learning that maps to real work

The Career Accelerator’s structure immediately stood out to Olga. It combined academic rigour with hands-on marketing practice through real-world briefs, tools, and frameworks. “The programme provides you with a lot of essential tools,” Olga said.

Weekly live sessions and seminars helped bring those tools to life.

“Live sessions are great. You also have a chance to interact with your fellow students, because obviously, one question usually leads to another. And you’ll have a coach, who then leads you through the questions and answers to your questions.”

This blend of flexibility, guidance, and collaboration gave Olga the confidence to apply what she learned directly to her work, and ultimately to her next leadership role.

Turning theory into impact: The Employer Project

The programme’s defining feature was its Employer Project: a live brief from an external organisation where learners work in teams to deliver a digital marketing strategy.

“The real-life project for the employer is next level, and you get to work with other people. It suddenly becomes real because you have a team. You have dedicated roles. You have feedback. You have to organise your time. You have to project manage. It’s great. For the employer, once you present your project or your recommendations, you get feedback….”

Her team partnered with a London-based edtech company called EdPlace, which was seeking to grow and retain its online community while launching new products.

“They came to us with a case study. Pointed out their pain points… where they were struggling, and what they were looking for to achieve. We had to come up with a digital marketing strategy for them, how to take things forward, and what to look out for in terms of KPIs.”

That project became a key part of Olga’s portfolio, showing her skills in strategy, teamwork and results, and giving her something real to talk about in interviews.

Career coaching: Personalised, transformative guidance

Olga also credits her success to the career coaching included in the programme.

“I’m very tempted to say that, for me, perhaps the career coaching was the most valuable part of the programme.”

Her coach helped her reflect on her professional identity, reposition her previous experience, and set achievable goals. “It comes in all forms of advice, from practical advice on how to improve your LinkedIn page to literally sitting down – and it’s a psychological element, you’re sitting down and thinking about what’s really important to you as a person.”

It helped her polish her profile and land her new role through LinkedIn.

Studying online: Structure, support and connection

Far from being an isolating experience, the programme’s online format created a strong sense of connection.

“For anyone who considers this a challenge to study online, it’s absolutely not. It’s really well organised. I think students who invest in this programme are really keen to sit down with you and to find the time. And it’s very manageable online. My study group for my last project, we were all in different places in different time zones.”

Alongside Olga’s Career Coach, support came from her own Success Manager and the dedicated Course Facilitators. “They have been amazing. You can reach out at any point… It is absolutely accessible.”

“It’s a great community for anyone who cannot afford full-time study at LSE. This programme provides an opportunity to get the knowledge, the tutors, the skills, the base, and if you’re lucky to be in London, you even get a library card so you can come and work on campus.”

The outcome: Advancing into a leadership role

By the end of the programme, Olga stepped into a leadership role as Head of Marketing and Advisor at Balentic, a fintech based in Copenhagen. This position draws on both her strategic experience and the digital skills she gained at LSE.

“I’m really glad I had the chance to rethink my career. And most importantly, I learned the skills that I probably otherwise would struggle to learn myself. And that’s another great point about this programme – you’re always supported in terms of organising your time. So yeah, no regrets. I loved it.”

Who this programme is for

“Anyone who’s curious, anyone who’s interested in digital marketing, anyone who is stuck in their career, anyone who just wants to progress with their careers. Anyone who needs a brand on their CV. It’s a great programme.”

She’s equally honest about its value:

“It’s not cheap, but it’s worth it. Even if you break the programme into two parts, the digital marketing programme and the career coaching, and then translate it into budgets, it’s worth it.”

The programme offers a trusted, practical route for experienced marketers and career changers to gain digital fluency, professional confidence, and achieve real outcomes.

Download a programme brochure for a closer look at how the LSE Digital Marketing Strategy & Analytics Online Career Accelerator, delivered in collaboration with FourthRev, can help you transform your career.

From Course to Real-World Impact: Building Cancer Support Netherlands’ Digital Marketing Strategy

Posted on by Marisa Crous

Learning digital marketing is one thing. Applying it when the brief is live, the audience is vulnerable, and the consequences are real is another entirely. 

That’s why the Employer Project sits at the heart of the LSE Digital Marketing Strategy & Analytics Career Accelerator, an online programme from The London School of Economics and Political Science, delivered in collaboration with FourthRev.

The final six-week capstone project is where learners move from “I understand the theory” to “I can execute good decisions in the real world”.

For Fernanda Aventurato, that shift carried extra weight.

“Because our decisions would directly affect a real charity and its community, I felt a deeper sense of responsibility.”

This case study tells the story of how learners in small teams partnered with Cancer Support Netherlands (CSN) – a newly registered charity with limited resources and a deeply sensitive mission – to develop a digital marketing strategy that could genuinely be implemented.

The Employer Project, in context

The Employer Project is the culmination of the LSE Digital Marketing Strategy & Analytics Career Accelerator. 

Learners work in teams to respond to a live organisational challenge – not a simulated case – and produce an end-to-end strategy grounded in evidence, feasibility, and professional judgement.

It’s designed to mirror the business world these learners are re-entering: real stakeholders, real trade-offs, and real accountability.

The employer and the challenge: Where empathy comes first

Cancer Support Netherlands (CSN) exists to ensure that no one walks the cancer journey alone – including the many people living in the Netherlands who don’t speak Dutch and can struggle to access support.

As a new, volunteer-led organisation, CSN faces the classic early-stage charity reality:

  • Limited time and capacity
  • No established marketing infrastructure
  • Little to no usable historical data
  • A multicultural audience with real language and cultural barriers
  • A cause that demands sensitivity, trust, and ethical care.

For learners, this wasn’t simply a “growth marketing” activity. It was a challenge to build awareness and engagement without compromising compassion.

Fernanda captured that tension clearly:

“The organisation is driven almost entirely by volunteers, which means limited time, fluctuating availability, no data available and without any established marketing infrastructure… Balancing these factors made it clear that any digital marketing strategy had to be practical, compassionate, and sustainable.”

The brief: What learners were tasked with

CSN needed a strategy that could help them move from early momentum to sustainable growth. 

Learners were tasked with creating the organisation’s first digital marketing strategy and campaign plan, including:

  • Clarifying target audiences and refining personas
  • Shaping messaging that was inclusive, culturally sensitive, and realistic
  • Selecting channels CSN could actually maintain
  • Designing a campaign plan that balances awareness, engagement, advocacy, and fundraising
  • Recommending lightweight infrastructure to capture and nurture community interest
  • Building an experiment-led approach to validate assumptions early.

This wasn’t coursework. Learners were operating at a mid-level-to-senior digital strategist standard, producing work intended to be used.

As CSN board member Jill Murray put it:

“The balance of strategic thinking and practical application really stood out… Their ability to connect academic knowledge with real-world impact was impressive.”

Inside the project: How learners approached a complex, sensitive brief

The project began where real strategy begins: listening, researching, and pressure-testing assumptions.

Teams explored the landscape of cancer support services in the Netherlands, analysed where gaps existed for non-Dutch speakers, and built a clearer picture of how CSN’s audience discovers support – often through fragmented offline touchpoints like hospital flyers and word of mouth.

Branwen Bindra, one of the group team leaders, described a key shift in mindset:

“The challenge was not simply to promote a campaign but to build a foundation with a clear digital pathway that could reliably capture, nurture, and retain people seeking support.”

From there, learners translated theory into practical choices, prioritising what could be implemented by a volunteer-led organisation, not an idealised marketing department.

“This meant prioritising low maintenance systems, simplifying workflows, and focusing on the channels that aligned most closely with their community’s real behaviours.” – Branwen

For Fernanda, the work became personal. As an immigrant, she recognised the vulnerability CSN’s community can feel and how important it is for messaging to be human, not transactional.

“That feeling of vulnerability and disconnection stayed with me… CSN serves people who face similar moments, and it does so in a culturally and linguistically sensitive way.” 

That lived understanding shaped the tone, channel decisions, and feasibility lens throughout the project.

The solution: Strategy, infrastructure, and campaigns designed for real constraints

Across teams, recommendations focused on building a sustainable foundation CSN could grow with, not a complex plan that would collapse under operational reality.

A practical digital marketing strategy and campaign roadmap

Learners developed integrated strategies to increase awareness and community engagement while acknowledging budget and capacity constraints.

As Leila Ferreira, another learner, explained:

“Our team developed a digital marketing strategy focused on increasing the charity awareness and improving the audience engagement to drive growth.”

A campaign with empathy at the centre

One team developed a campaign concept designed to meet people where they are emotionally:

  • “You Are Not Alone” – an empathetic message aimed at people who can feel isolated by language and cultural barriers
  • A phased, test-and-learn approach to validate messages and channels before scaling.

“We created the ‘You Are Not Alone’ campaign… We recommended a phased approach, beginning with small tests to validate messaging and channels before scaling activity.” – Branwen

Another team built a complementary strategic concept:

“The core of our solution was the ‘Connection of the Heart’ strategy, which combined storytelling, search visibility, and community-centred content…” – Fernanda

Lightweight infrastructure to support growth

Because CSN is volunteer-led, teams focused on systems that were simple, low-cost, and maintainable, including recommendations for CRM and lead nurturing foundations.

Fernanda outlined the goal clearly:

“We designed a lightweight digital infrastructure using low-cost and free tools… and built workflows that volunteers could easily follow.”

Recommendations included practical building blocks such as email capture and nurturing, clearer tracking, and channel planning, with careful attention to consent and responsible use of data.

Confidence-building moments: When theory finally “clicked”

For many learners, the Employer Project is where confidence is earned, not through perfection, but through making real digital marketing decisions under uncertainty.

Fernanda described a moment that changed how she saw herself:

“During one of our planning sessions, I caught myself instinctively knowing which frameworks to use… It was the first time I felt that everything I had learned… had genuinely ‘clicked’… I realised I was no longer just trying to keep up, I actually belonged there.”

Leila had a similar realisation – rooted in connecting insight to action:

“One defining moment when everything clicked was seeing how our research and data insights aligned… Data is the real hero of marketing.”

And Branwen described the moment strategy became tangible:

“When I mapped the messaging, channels, expected outcomes, and measurement approach into one clear framework, something genuinely clicked.”

Impact for CSN and career-readiness for learners

The Employer Project delivers impact on both sides of the partnership, creating tangible value for organisations, while building the confidence and professional readiness learners need to progress their careers.

Value delivered for CSN

CSN received actionable work grounded in research, audience insight, and real operational constraints. Jill Murray summed up what stood out:

“We were genuinely amazed by the strength of the presentations. The strategies were creative, well-researched… [and] offered practical solutions that will help us reach more people and advance our mission…”

She also highlighted the why behind the value of live projects for a volunteer-led organisation:

“For organisations like Cancer Support Netherlands… initiatives like this bring fresh perspectives and innovative ideas that we could not realistically commission or pay for in the real world.”

Value delivered for learners

For learners, this was a portfolio piece that proved they can operate professionally on complex, sensitive projects and deliver work that stands up to stakeholder scrutiny.

Fernanda reflected on how the project reshaped her confidence and career direction:

“This experience was genuinely transformational… I was already speaking with my marketing colleagues at work on a more equal footing… I can say that this project has… helped me feel empowered, capable, and ready to step into digital marketing roles with genuine purpose and enthusiasm.”

Leila echoed the readiness built through real-world practice:

“It gave me… first-hand real-world marketing environment experience… [and] more confidence… in defending my strategic decisions and ideas.”

What career-ready learning actually looks like

The strongest digital marketers don’t just know channels. They know how to make decisions when:

  • The data is incomplete
  • The stakeholders are real
  • The audience is vulnerable
  • The organisation can’t “just hire an agency”
  • The right answer is the one that can be implemented responsibly.

That’s the learning environment the Employer Project creates, and why it resonates so strongly with career changers and career advancers looking for proof they can do the work, not just talk about it.

As Jill Murray put it:

“The Career Accelerator clearly equips participants with both the mindset and the tools to address real-world marketing challenges.”

Ready to explore the programme?

If you’re considering the LSE Digital Marketing Strategy & Analytics Career Accelerator, the Employer Project shows what you’ll graduate with: practical judgement, real proof, and confidence to step into your next digital marketing role.

Download the programme brochure to explore the curriculum, learning experience, and outcomes.

How an LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator Alumnus Advanced His Career at Adidas

Posted on by Marisa Crous

When Jip Sanders joined Adidas, he was driven by curiosity and a desire to improve how things worked. In his role managing product launches across European marketplaces such as Zalando and ASOS, he made sure each release went live smoothly. Yet even with his growing exposure to data, he sensed a gap.

I felt like there was something missing, that I didn’t have the fundamental skills to really show that I can do this, and for that I needed to have these data analytic skills….”

He was seeking a structured approach to learning – one that combined academic credibility with practical, hands-on experience. That search led him to the LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator, developed in collaboration with FourthRev.

Over six months, Jip developed the technical fluency and professional confidence to move into Digital Sales – Product Launch & Optimisation at Adidas. Today, he leads automation projects that simplify data workflows across European marketplaces and contribute to smarter, faster launches. Jip shared his Career Accelerator experience with us during a live Ask Me Anything event.

Building data confidence and collaboration

When he started the Career Accelerator, Jip quickly saw how well it fit around his work. It was designed for professionals like him, people eager to grow while managing full-time careers.

You start off the programme learning about Microsoft Excel. You really learn about what data is, what the different types are, how to read each type of data, and you start at the very first stepping stone and week by week you grow into an individual that understands it.”

For Jip, the Employer Project was the most rewarding part. It brought everything together: technical skill, collaboration and real-world impact.

What I’m most proud of is definitely wrapping up the Employer Project at the end. This is the fourth module, and in this you work together with a group of fellow students… we wrapped up the presentation with a super good feeling. We jumped on a group call, and we celebrated together…”


Working with peers from Amsterdam, the UK, and the UAE on a live brief – forecasting ice cube sales in Spain – showed him how powerful shared problem-solving can be.

To learn how to work as a group is something that was very unique to me, and I think that’s also one of the best qualities of this programme, is that you learn how to work as a team on a data-oriented project.”

The experience mirrored real industry life, where collaboration and communication matter as much as technical expertise. It also gave him a clearer sense of how to use analytics to tell stories and drive decisions.

Career progression and credibility

After completing the programme, Jip’s progress was soon recognised internally. His stronger grasp of Python and SQL, paired with his ability to translate data into business solutions, opened doors to new responsibilities at Adidas.

It’s definitely given me more autonomy to lead on advanced automation projects.”

He soon stepped into Digital Sales – Product Launch & Optimisation, leading automation initiatives that improve how product data flows through Adidas’ European systems.

The credibility of the Certificate of Competence from LSE also made an impression.

When I tell my colleagues that I did a programme at the LSE, they’re like ‘Wow, no way, it’s such a prestigious university.’”

Jip’s story reflects a wider Career Accelerator trend: 87.5% of learners achieved a desired career goal within six months of completing a Career Accelerator (FourthRev 2023/24 Completers’ Survey).

Mindset, support, and advice

Beyond career growth, Jip’s perspective on data changed completely while on the programme. He no longer sees it as a technical process, but as a creative tool for solving problems and shaping ideas.

What this programme really teaches you is that data is not just ones and zeros. There’s a lot you can do with it, and you can really shape it in a certain way, and it can be quite magical... Without this programme, I wouldn’t have been taught that, and I would have put limits on what I believed was actually capable.”

This new mindset has shaped both his work at Adidas and his personal projects. He has built Python scripts to optimise workflows. He continues to explore ways AI can enhance automation and data visualisation tasks — skills also reinforced by the programme’s dedicated AI & Data Analytics Learning Track.

Jip credits the programme’s support system as one of its greatest strengths, saying: “The support system can only be described as excellent. I think you guys are always on standby, ready to answer questions.”

Advice for future learners

Jip acknowledges that starting a new programme alongside work can feel daunting, but he urges others to see it as an investment in their own potential.

I would recommend this to anyone who wishes to shake things up in the world. If you want to learn how to use data and use it to your advantage, or how to change up the ways your organisation works, then this is something that will totally help you.”

Jip’s Accelerator journey is a reminder that data confidence can transform not only a career, but how you think, collaborate, and lead.

Like Jip, you can gain industry-ready skills and an LSE credential that sets you apart. The LSE Data Analytics Career Accelerator, developed in collaboration with FourthRev, equips you to lead with data in any industry – from retail to finance, healthcare to tech.

Ready to take the next step in your data career? Download the programme brochure to see the curriculum, tools and next cohort details.

The AI Tipping Point: Why The Best Product Managers Are Shifting From Technical To Strategic

Posted on by Marisa Crous

AI has quietly, and then suddenly, changed the centre of gravity in product management. Tools that once felt experimental now sit in everyday workflows. Prototypes appear in minutes, research synthesis is instant, and code can be generated on demand.

Yet while AI accelerates the production of products, it simultaneously highlights the importance of something that can’t be automated: strategic clarity.

The Future of Jobs Report 2025 shows that while GenAI can automate many technical tasks, it struggles to replace skills that rely on judgment, communication and making sense of complexity. 

This came through powerfully in the recent King’s College London and FourthRev panel discussion, Be a Standout Product Manager in an AI World, where practitioners from healthtech, edtech, gaming and entrepreneurial product roles reflected on what AI means for the discipline. Across perspectives, one message was consistent: technical ability matters, but it is no longer what differentiates outstanding PMs.

What AI is changing – and what it’s not

AI is transforming the mechanics of product work: analysis, exploration, and production cycles all move faster. But as several panellists emphasised, speed alone doesn’t create value. The discipline still hinges on what humans uniquely offer: discernment.

Alex Cohen, Founder & Ceo at GoScope.AI and AI Masterclass instructor on the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator, outlined how dramatically the environment is shifting:

Software [is] being created infinitely faster… AI is just going to be able to produce new products… but the problem’s still going to remain… making sure that those products are actually delivering on the value propositions that they’re needed for their end users.”

And critically:

In an age of AI, the ‘technical’ is really not the problem anymore… it’s going to be how well you capture that person’s… problem… how can you drive that communication internally, externally… how can you make sure it’s clear, it’s crisp, it’s concise.”

This, and not technical depth, is where product managers now differentiate. Even deeply technical organisations are prioritising business-facing PM capability. As Tom White, Chief Product Officer at Nye and lead course facilitator of the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator, explained:

The technical skills will still be needed… but then it becomes about choice of tool and lifecycle management – not just what’s going to solve my problem today, [but] what’s going to build a sustainable business for tomorrow.”

The PM’s role, in short: making meaning, and making decisions.

The new standout PM: strategic, curious and human

If AI reduces friction, the question becomes: what becomes rare?

Across the panel, three traits emerged: curiosity, communication, and the ability to connect dots across disciplines.

Curiosity as a competitive advantage

Gerald Tan, Chief Product and Operating Officer and AI Masterclass instructor on the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator notes:

Curiosity is actually really important – just to learn more about your customer, but also learn more about what’s available… try it, test it, challenge it.”

In a world where AI can surface answers, the standout PM is the one asking sharper questions, questioning assumptions, exploring alternatives, and pushing thinking beyond the obvious.

Storytelling and alignment

The ability to communicate value – not just features – is becoming central. Elizabeth Jahncke, Product Owner at Allan & Gill Gray Philanthropies, put it plainly:

We need someone who… sees the vision and brings people along with them, that’s key.”

This “bringing people along” is not soft in the superficial sense. It is structural. As teams become more cross-functional, distributed and tool-augmented, the PM becomes the connective tissue.

Tom reinforced this shift:

To see all sides of value… ‘Can we do it?’ – well, the answer is going to be yes. ‘Should we do it? Who’s it for? Who’s buying it and for how long?’ start to become the key questions.”

These questions are inherently strategic and inherently human.

T-shaped capability

Gerald reflected a growing hiring trend:

Some PMs are actually taking on more secondary type skills… PM with data, PM with UX, PM with tech… if you actually have a minor specialisation… it really helps.”

Hybrid skills matter, but not in the old sense of needing to code.

Hybrid now means a combination of breadth (understanding the whole product lifecycle) and a spike (a meaningful strength in UX, data, domain knowledge or commercial thinking).

Why diverse backgrounds are a strength, not a setback

One of the most encouraging insights from the panel was the rejection of a long-held myth: that product managers must come from technical paths.

Alex argued the opposite:

I think we’re going to see people coming from different… industries… if you worked in hospitality, or in law, you bring that insight to the table, and that’s the differentiator.”

Because if AI levels technical execution, the value shifts to domain intuition: understanding how people behave, what motivates them, and where real problems sit.

Nearly half (49%) of Career Accelerator learners who responded to surveys were career changers. This shows the programme works for people from many backgrounds, and highlights why career changers often do well in product management. Teachers, clinicians, marketers, analysts and operations managers all bring real experience with people and complex systems, sometimes more than technical specialists.

Why structured learning still matters in an AI-driven landscape

In a world full of tutorials, courses and AI-enhanced tools, it’s fair to ask whether structured education still adds value. The panel’s perspectives suggest: yes, especially now. 

Recent OECD and World Economic Forum data show that 59% of the global workforce will need training by 2030 to keep pace with AI-driven change. And in roles most exposed to AI, employers increasingly prioritise management, communication and problem-solving skills over tool-specific expertise.

Tom highlighted a core truth:

[Technical skills aren’t] gone forever… but… it becomes about… what’s going to build a sustainable business for tomorrow.”

AI enables fast access to tool-based learning, but strategic judgement, deep feedback, exposure to industry patterns, and the experience of shipping real work with real teams – these remain difficult to replicate alone.

This matters even more for career changers or PMs stepping into more senior roles. As Elizabeth described, organisations want to understand:

How you think… how you approach a problem… because that tells them a lot more than what’s on the CV.”

Structured programmes help refine that thinking, and make it legible to employers.

The future is cross-functional

AI’s rise doesn’t diminish the PM role; it elevates it. 

Product managers will increasingly become:

  • Ethical interpreters
  • Sense-makers, able to navigate ambiguity
  • Integrators, connecting technical, commercial and human perspectives
  • Advocates, particularly in areas like health, point out that failing to innovate carries its own ethical risks. As Tom noted, “…if we don’t innovate, are we behaving ethically?”

A PM’s real value isn’t beating AI at execution, but doing what AI can’t: setting the vision, understanding the problem, balancing tensions, and ensuring the product truly helps people.

As discussed throughout the panel, product managers now operate at the intersection of strategy, empathy and emerging technology. It’s a space where judgment matters as much as execution – and where learning to think, not just to use tools, truly sets PMs apart.

To explore how the King’s Product Management Career Accelerator helps learners build these strategic capabilities – and gain real-world experience – find out more here.

Designing Your Future: Skills, Strategy And Staying Human In An AI-powered Product Design World

Posted on by Marisa Crous

The product design landscape is changing (and that’s a good thing).

The most valuable product designers today aren’t just tool-savvy. They help teams make better decisions – faster, and with more empathy. 

That’s encouraging for starters and career changers alike: crucial skills like strategy, communication and judgement are built through practice and reflection, not gatekept by specific degrees.

As Product & Design Talent Partner and Founder of Multiply Talent, Navin Mahadea, puts it: 

The best design teams have a mix of different experiences – not a group of people who think the same way.” 

In a recent King’s College London and FourthRev webinar, “Path to Product Design: Skills, Advice and AI”, that message rang clear: variety leads to more inclusive, more inventive products.

There’s no one right path, but you’ll need a game plan

The most effective product designers rarely follow a linear path. Teaching, psychology, marketing, engineering, web development, each brings distinct advantages to design work.

Navin explained:

Whatever background you’re transitioning from, you’re bringing in a superpower that perhaps other people in that team don’t have.”

Those transferable skills – simplifying complexity, understanding people, or speaking the language of technology – are what make diverse design teams effective. He also offered reassurance to those making the switch:

 So it’s not a case of completely relearning, reskilling, but using your skills and experience that you already have to transition into product design.”

For career changers, that mindset shift matters as much as any tool. It’s not about erasing past experience but learning how to pivot it.

The truth is, you’ll always feel a bit out of your depth. But that’s kind of the job – you’re always learning, always adapting. So lean into that.”

Tools matter, but mindset wins

Yes, Figma matters. But what really separates junior designers from those who get hired is how they collaborate, explain trade-offs, and bring others along. 

Klaudia Skiba, a Product Lead at Resolutiion and programme alumnus, put it plainly: “It can literally make or break your designs because if you don’t communicate them clearly, people might not get your design thinking.” She also highlighted adapting your message for engineers, sales, or leadership – same design, different conversation.

Navin sees the same pattern from the hiring side: “The best designers I’ve worked with are just incredible communicators, really humble collaborators, and really empathetic listeners.” 

For Justin Hrabec, FourthRev’s Product Design Subject Lead, that humility extends to how designers approach problems. “That’s what great designers do – they ask better questions. They’re not the ones with all the answers, but they help the team get to the right ones. It’s a mindset that also means learning to detach from your work.”

You cannot take your work personally… You constantly need to be updating and changing your designs and throwing away old designs. It’s not a piece of art for you – it’s something for the user and for the business.”

Learn to practise

Credibility in this field is built through doing, reflecting, and doing again. That’s where structured, applied learning helps – not just to improve your craft, but to become job-ready in the way real teams expect. 

The King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator pairs foundations with hands-on projects, career coaching and an Employer Project – a “safe-to-fail” space to test assumptions and learn how real-world teams operate. It’s not about making pretty things – it’s about building the judgement to explain your thinking, navigate pushback, and align people around a decision.

Klaudia’s reflection captures that journey in full. “We made it work absolutely fine, but it was great to experience that firsthand before we experienced that in the work world,” she says. Working with others challenged “our ego” – receiving feedback, giving feedback, and learning to stay focused on the problem rather than the person.

Those moments – negotiating ego in group critiques, defending decisions to sceptical stakeholders, iterating after testing, and adapting how you communicate depending on who you’re talking to – are the messy middle where confidence forms and learners start to sound like hires.

AI has changed the game, but humans still win

AI is now part of everyday design practice, from research synthesis to first-draft wireframes. Used well, it compresses cycles and frees time for higher-order work.

Justin’s view of the near future is pragmatic: “I think we will get to a point where AI might be doing like 80% of your design work and you are bringing the rest of the 20%.” That last 20% is where judgement, brand, ethics and product strategy live – areas that resist automation because they’re rooted in values and context.

Designers are already blending tools into their flow. Klaudia shared a practical example: “My favourite currently is UX Pilot… it gives me something – either an awesome idea or at least something to move forward with.” 

Navin reframed expectations from employers:

The AI aspects just help enhance that. It automates that. It improves efficiency effectively.” 

But he’s also clear about the limits:

AI can give you 100 iterations of something, but it’s still on you to know which one fits your users, your goals, your values.” 

In other words, AI accelerates exploration, but designers own the judgment.

Additionally, McKinsey reports that 78% of organisations now use AI in at least one function – meaning designers who can’t work alongside it will increasingly stand out for the wrong reasons.

Two implications for early-career designers:

  • Treat AI as a junior copilot. Use it to propose variations, draft research guides, stress-test flows, or suggest accessibility checks – then validate with users and stakeholders.
  • Keep the human edge. Communication, critical thinking, ethical awareness and product sense are your moat. LinkedIn’s 2025 skills trends likewise elevate communication and relationship-building alongside AI literacy – a useful tripod for modern product teams.

Want to change to Product Design? Here’s what to do now:

You don’t need a prescriptive checklist. You need momentum – and a practical way to build it.

Start by turning what you already know into evidence. Frame case studies around real problems, the decisions you made, and the outcomes you reached. Be explicit about collaboration and credit the team, because employers want to see how you work with others, not just what you can do alone. 

Then get comfortable explaining trade-offs to people who aren’t designers – engineers, stakeholders, users. That’s where judgement is built, not in mastering another prototyping tool.

Use AI as an accelerator, not a substitute. Let it speed up exploration, but keep ownership of the decisions. And most importantly, put yourself in a structure that accelerates your learning: real projects, expert feedback, and career coaching help you iterate faster than you ever will alone.

That’s the shift Klaudia experienced.

I just thought about the first time I submitted… and how overwhelmed I was,” she reflects. “But I’m here now, so it definitely worked.”

To explore how the King’s UX & UI Product Design Career Accelerator helps learners change to fulfilling product design careers, find out more here.