#186 - Positioning Your Portfolio for AI Skills with Aneta Kmiecik of Be Your Own Design Team

In this episode of Awkward Silences, host Erin May sits down with Aneta Kmicik of Be Your Own Design Team to explore how designers can strategically position their portfolios and resumes for the AI era. Aneta, a veteran in UX design and career coaching, emphasizes that while AI skills aren't yet explicitly listed in most job descriptions, they are increasingly valuable—especially in AI-native companies, startups, and forward-thinking organizations. She introduces her PPF framework (Past, Present, Future) to help designers analyze their experience, current skills, and career goals to tailor their positioning. Key insights include the importance of understanding audience context, avoiding generic AI use, and focusing on high-level human skills like judgment, storytelling, and strategic decision-making. Aneta warns against blindly following 'magic' tips and instead encourages designers to test, iterate, and think critically about their unique value proposition in an evolving landscape. The conversation shifts to practical strategies: how to frame AI use as a competitive advantage, avoid portfolio overload, and stand out through creativity and authenticity. Aneta advocates for questioning the status quo—using AI not just to generate content, but to rethink storytelling, format, and impact. She predicts a future where portfolios become more product-like, with fewer case studies and more tangible proof of work. She also stresses the importance of self-reflection, curiosity, and personal branding. The episode closes with Aneta’s advice to think independently, stay true to one’s identity, and leverage AI as a tool for amplifying human insight rather than replacing it.