Problem statement for Stanford Design Thinking Action Lab - Assessment No.2 Empathy

1. MEET JANE
JANE DOE

2. ABOUT
 JANE IS 21 YEARS OF AGE
 COMPLETED 4 YEAR DEGREE COURSE
IN MAY
 WILL GRADUATE WITH 1st CLASS
HONOURS IN SEPT
 DOES NOT HAVE A JOB YET
 THIS IS MOST UNLIKE JANE

3. THE DILEMMA
 JANE HAD HER HEART SET ON JOB
WITH INVESTMENT BANK IN LONDON
 TURNED DOWN OTHER JOB OFFERS
TO PURSUE THE BANK
 MADE IT TO FINAL ROUND OF
INTERVIEWS BUT DID NOT GET JOB
 BURNED HER BRIDGES WITH OTHER
COMPANIES

4. THE FALLOUT
 THE NORMALLY UNFLAPPABLE JANE
IS AN EMOTIONAL MESS
 WAS CERTAIN OF GETTING THE
LONDON JOB
 BLAMING HERSELF FOR NOT
ACCEPTING EARLIER JOB OFFERS
 SELF DOUBT DESPITE CONSISTENTLY
EXCELLENT GRADES

6. INSIGHTS
• The job applications process is often geared
towards the company rather than the candidate
• Relentlessly pursuing one company can result in
abandoning alternative opportunities
• Hiring companies have no way of telling if
candidates have been offered a job in another
company.
• Sometimes job seekers hedge their bets by
applying to many companies even if they don’t
intend working for them

7. “A HARDWORKING, HIGH PERFORMING 21 YEAR OLD
UNIVERSITY STUDENT WHO HAS RECENTLY EXPERIENCED
A KNOCK TO HER CONFIDENCE NEEDS A WAY TO REGAIN
HER CONFIDENCE AND SHOW POTENTIAL EMPLOYERS,
THAT DESPITE NOT HAVING A JOB OFFER SHE IS AN IDEAL
CANDIDATE BECAUSE SHE HAD BEEN PURSUED BY A
NUMBER OF COMPANIES EARLIER IN THE MILKROUND
PROCESS AND THAT NOT CURRENTLY HAVING AN OFFER
IS NOT INDICATIVE OF DETERMINATION OR ABILITY”
PROBLEM STATEMENT