Hi Reader,

I keep most of my personal writing separate from work writing. Sometimes they overlap. Over the years, I've written a lot in my experience with interviewing, finding a job, and feeling some sense of self worth. Most of that writing has been very personal, so it's stayed in my journals. Recently though, I've been reading back through a few and I noticed that when I was interviewing for a new gig, the amount of overlap those experiences affected me in my personal life was big. Today, I want to open up a bit on how those personal experiences helped me turn those moments into tidbits. I don't interview anymore, but share these tidbits with my clients and students, and I'm now sharing them with you.

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10 random things to remember while looking for a job

Rather than explicit prescriptions, these are various tidbits that have helped me find jobs that I felt both fulfilled in and grew in healthy ways from.

1. Know you are unique.
   ​While there are very similar challenges designers and leaders face, you do things in a special way. Whenever exploring new opportunities, ask yourself “what do you make happen that no one else can?”. Answering that question honestly and sharing your answer with others will create a lasting memory.
2. Focus on the job you need.
   ​Everyone deserves to have their basic needs met. If you find yourself in a position to take a job because you need a job, prioritize your financial, physiological, and safety wellbeing so you have the opportunity to focus on creating more love, belonging, and self-esteem.
3. Focus on the job you want.
   ​Your joy and fulfillment matter too. When you include parts of your work with others, be specific with the work you enjoy. When interacting with hiring managers and teams, let them know what brings you wellness in a role.
4. Find data that backs up your experience.
   ​It’s true, data isn’t everything and it’s important. Particularly important if you lead people and teams, data give others the details of the budgets you’ve managed, number of employees overseen, metrics established, etc.. Even if results are indirect, any time you can add numbers or metrics, it’s a good thing.
5. Prepare your script.
   ​Inherently we know it’s good to ask questions, but being on the spot can be daunting. Capture too many questions you’d like to ask ahead of time to ask the relevant questions you want to ask during the interview.
6. Turn jobs down.
   ​There will be times when you contemplate taking a job simply because it was offered to you. This is a very privileged place to be in. If you can afford to turn down a role, trust your gut and let them down. Saying “no” when it’s not a fit for you is respecting and honoring yourself.
7. Understand who you’re up against.
   ​The realities of getting a job is you’re in competition with others. They’re not your enemy, but they are competing for the same gig. If you’re in a place of calm, look at the resumes and portfolios of those who have the job you want and those who might want the job you want. What do they have that you’d like to develop in your next role? What do you have that is uniquely valuable to the company you’re interviewing with?
8. Highlight situations you’ve dealt with.
   ​The majority of portfolio content is a resolution to a problem. The majority of prioritized problems to solve are meant to address a situation a company is facing. Ask yourself, “and so what did that accomplish?” when thinking about the solutions you’ve come up with and you’ll find that those solutions solved specific situations that needed to be addressed.
9. Follow-up with specific appreciations.
   ​You’re going to talk to a lot of people. While getting the job is a lot about you, potential colleagues want to feel seen and heard too. Follow-up with those you spoke with and appreciate one thing specific about your interaction with them.
10. Go on a self-gratitude rampage.
    ​The inner critic is a strong critic. When self-ruminating starts, go on a self-gratitude rampage. List all the things you did well or that went well. Balance is a key to taming your triggers.

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The September cohort Strategic Design Leadership is filling up

A few times a year, we run a six-week course specifically for senior design leaders who want to make meaningful change a reality. And every time we do, the program sells out. This is a nice problem for us to have BUT, it means that if you want in, you gotta get moving.

If you're at that moment of your career where you want to present stronger business cases, grow your influence, and demonstrate your impact, this is the course for you. Apply are now open.

Alright, that’s enough for today. I hope the sun is shining on your face, perhaps your toes are in the grass, or you're warming up by a fire. As always, if I can be of help, please reply to this email.

– Ryan