Job  searching  with  Design  Thinking      I  had  a  difficult  time  starting  this  assignment,  since  I  am  currently  unemployed  and  didn’t   have  a  project  I  could  apply  Design  Thinking  tools  to.  After  battling  back  and  forth  with   ideas,  that  didn’t  really  work  for  me,  I  realized  I  could  use  Design  Thinking  tools  for  my   job  search.        Why  would  I  need  to  do  that  you  may  ask?  There  are  a  bunch  of  job  offerings  out  there   for  project  managers  in  the  digital  industry,  my  most  recent  position.        Well,  I’m  not  just  looking  for  another  job  in  the  same  industry,  I’m  also  looking  to  change   that  also.  That  means  my  current  network,  marketing  for  financial  institutions,  is  not  very   usable.  So,  my  challenge  is,  how  do  I  develop  a  new  network  and  market  myself  to   potential  employers  showing  my  skills  in  Design  Thinking.         Selection  and  Approach:        First,  I  realized  I  didn’t  know  my  market  well  enough  and  needed  to  do  a  little  research.  I   decided  to  go  out  and  network  with  some  people  in  the  “innovation”  space  and  ask  them   questions  about  their  industry  what  they  do,  products  they  create  and  how  they  look  for   people.  I  took  that  info  back  and  made  some  journey  maps.  I  took  the  individuals  and   made  little  posters  of  each.  I  used  categories  like,  industry  they  were  in,  products  they   produce,  skills  they  look  for  regarding  ‘strategy’.  I  then  sat  back  and  looked  for   connections,  patterns  and  insights.        I  then  took  some  of  those  insights  and  looked  at  myself.  My  skills,  my  experiences  and   my  ideas.           Insights	
      Some  interesting  things  came  into  place.        One  was  that  I  had  the  background  but  not  the  credentials  in  project  management.     Two,  I  need  to  somehow  share  that  experience  without  having  to  go  back  to  school  to   get  the  credentials.     Three,  I  need  to  either  focus  on  a  particular  industry  or  focus  on  product  agencies.        So,  with  those  insights  I  am  going  to  look  at  storytelling  to  develop  a  story  or  two,  about   myself  that  expresses  how  I  used  my  varied  experience  to  help  solve  a  problem  in  a   different  way.  Then  I’m  going  back  to  those  networking  events  and  tell  my  stories  to   people.  I’ll  take  notes  on  reactions  and  ask  questions  if  I  find  appropriate  then  look  at   the  stories  and  refine  them  or  drop  them  if  the  observations  and/or  comments  lead  in   either  direction.


Job searching with Design Thinking I had a difficult time starting this assignment , since I am currently unemployed and did n’t have a project I could apply Design Thinking tools to . After battling back and forth with ideas , that did n’t really work for me , I realized I could use Design Thinking tools for my job search . Why would I need to do that you may ask ? There are a bunch of job offerings out there for project managers in the digital industry , my most recent position . Well , I ’m not just looking for another job in the same industry , I ’m also looking to change that also . That means my current network , marketing for financial institutions , is not very usable . So , my challenge is , how do I develop a new network and market myself to potential employers showing my skills in Design Thinking . Selection and Approach : First , I realized I did n’t know my market well enough and needed to do a little research . I decided to go out and network with some people in the “ innovation ” space and ask them questions about their industry what they do , products they create and how they look for people . I took that info back and made some journey maps . I took the individuals and made little posters of each . I used categories like , industry they were in , products they produce , skills they look for regarding ‘ strategy ’ . I then sat back and looked for connections , patterns and insights . I then took some of those insights and looked at myself . My skills , my experiences and my ideas . Insights Some interesting things came into place . One was that I had the background but not the credentials in project management . Two , I need to somehow share that experience without having to go back to school to get the credentials . Three , I need to either focus on a particular industry or focus on product agencies . So , with those insights I am going to look at storytelling to develop a story or two , about myself that expresses how I used my varied experience to help solve a problem in a different way . Then I ’m going back to those networking events and tell my stories to people . I ’ll take notes on reactions and ask questions if I find appropriate then look at the stories and refine them or drop them if the observations and/or comments lead in either direction .