The wealth of nations and the well being of individuals now depends on having artists in the room. In a world enriched by abundance but disrupted by the automation and out-sourcing of white collar work, everyone, regardless of profession, must cultivate an artistic sensibility. We may not all be Dali or Degas. But today we must all be designers. (Pink, p. 69)
Okay, so I’m obsessed with this book. But I think Daniel Pink’s A Whole New Mind has some insightful advice for MBAs and job searchers in general, not to mention insights for life in general. Pink talks about the six essential right-brained aptitudes that are critical for the new Conceptual Age (see Breakthrough Career Advice, No really this time blog). I believe all six have applicability in the career development process. Since Pink starts with “design,” I will too (though of the six, design is the toughest to make the connections). Here’s how “design sensibility” can help you in your next job search:
1. Many interviews have “case” type questions. In addition to the analytical thinking that you must apply to solve the problem, are you also applying design thinking? Are you thinking about the customer and what will make the customer happier or bring the customer more meaning in their life? Are you thinking about how the design might make your solution more of a breakthrough? A “design” approach may make your answer stand out versus others with similar analyses.
2. I believe that rather than staking your “interview” success on “analytical thinking, problem solving, leadership or team player”, how about your point of difference is that you have “design sensibility?” Let me try it out as if I were interviewing:
Interviewer: I’ll be interviewing so many candidates today. What makes you different?
Me: Well besides my natural good looks and exceeding charm (laugh), I think you’ll find in me and my classmates a group of well-prepared, highly analytical, problem-solving team players. I really am humbled some days, ha, most days, in class by how much experience and how sharp my classmates are. But I believe what makes me a better fit with your company, what makes me different from my classmates, is my design approach to life. I find that I am constantly trying to improve the design of things to create better experience for the customer. A good example of my sometimes fanatical (laugh) way of thinking is my re-launch of the Fruit Snacks business at Nabisco in my last assignment there. Through better understanding the “kid” consumer, and relentless pursuit of the design of the packaging, the product, the advertising, the promotion, the partners, we launched a business that grew over 50% in its first year, increased distribution by 200 points, and was profitable for the first time. This is just one example—sometimes I feel like I want to redesign the CDC lobby while I’m sitting out there waiting because I think it could be better suited for a recruiter, a student, a prospective student interaction. I believe this design thinking approach is a good fit at XYZ Corp because in my discussions with some of your associates, you have a maniacal focus on satisfying the consumer as well.
In this answer, I hope you see how design thinking might make you stand out. The critical part of the answer though, that I am unable to complete as well as you will want to, is in the last part about fit with their company and a specific example of how you see them using a design approach. Making this intimate connection will link you to the firm in ways your classmates may not.
3. Finally, can you take a “design sensibility” to your overall approach to your job search? What would make your job search pleasing? Rather than let your job search own you, you should design a job search that fits your needs. Be creative in your target company list. “Design” your marketing materials so that they meet the needs of your target audience. Use design sensibility as you think about answers to common interview questions.
Not buying this yet? A great anecdote from the book: think back to the 2000 U. S. presidential election. The difference in the election was the count of ballots in the state of Florida. 8714 ballots were marked incorrectly because of a poor design. These were not ignorant people voting—when I look at the actual ballot, I too would have been confused and could have easily cast a vote for Buchanan accidently, or cast a vote for both Gore and Buchanan because the design was unclear.
If you are sitting there thinking that perhaps this skills is not for you, that you can’t even draw a straight line, no worries. In today’s computer world, everyone can design. Pink calls it the democratization of design. The skill of design is not necessarily the artistic skill of drawing. I understand it to be a mentality, or as Pink calls it, a “design sensibility.” At the end of each chapter, Pink has a “portfolio” of exercises to help you develop these senses. My favorite—“keep a design notebook.” (Pink, p.89)
Next is story telling—what a great, and inimitable, attribute for career development.
Reference: Pink, Daniel. A Whole New Mind. USA: Penguin Group, 2006.