The document provides guidance and techniques for job seekers to take a creative approach in their job search. It encourages moving beyond habits, rules and assumptions to explore less likely ideas and opportunities. Specific techniques mentioned include exploring analogies, metaphors, broadening out one's thinking before narrowing down options, and challenging preconceived notions. The overall message is to bring an open and creative mindset to the job search process.

1. Light Dark CREATIVITY FOR JOB SEEKERS David Woodward davidw@communicating-power.com Communicating Power … for peak communications performance

2. X

3. Habit Rules Convention Assumptions X Familiarity Conformity

4. Habit Rules Convention Assumptions Relevance X Job Title Language Posted Jobs Gatekeepers Familiarity “No Phone Calls” Modesty Conformity

5. Habit Rules Convention “Why Would They?” Personality Reserved Assumptions Relevance X Job Title Self Censorship Risk Averse Language Posted Jobs Gatekeepers Emotions Familiarity “No Phone Calls” Modesty Negativity Conformity Uncertainty

6. Habit Rules Convention “Why Would They?” Personality Reserved Assumptions Relevance X Job Title Self Censorship Risk Averse Language Posted Jobs Gatekeepers Emotions Familiarity “No Phone Calls” Modesty Negativity Conformity Uncertainty I CAN’T

7. Habit Habit Rules Rules Convention Convention “Why Would They?” “Why Would They?” Personality Personality Reserved Reserved Assumptions Assumptions Relevance Relevance X X Job Title Job Title Self Censorship Self Censorship Risk Averse Risk Averse Language Language Posted Jobs Posted Jobs Gatekeepers Gatekeepers Emotions Emotions Familiarity Familiarity “No Phone Calls” “No Phone Calls” Modesty Modesty Negativity Negativity Conformity Conformity Uncertainty Uncertainty I CAN! I CAN’T

9. Problem Fix Fix

10. Problem Solution

11. Non-judgmental Deliberate jumpsin ideas Explores least likely Chooses Open procedure Welcomes chanceintrusions Information usedfor its meaning Information usedto trigger new ideas Focus on relevance Changes Closed procedure Follows most likely Judgmental - based onyes/no system Ideas follow directly &logically from another

15. Objective:Join all nine dots with four straight lines,without taking the pen off the paper.

16. What do you do with rejection?

19. Start 1 3 4 2

20. Objective:Join all nine dots with three straight lines,without taking the pen off the paper.

21. Creative Process Broaden out (diverge) Narrow down (converge)

22. Creative Process Phase 1 Phase 2 Flow of process Phase 3 Phase 4

25. Rich Pictures

26. Analogies

27. Metaphors

29. Paired comparison analysis

30. Biggest laugh

31. Least likely to work

32. Random selection

34. Objective:Join all nine dots with one straight line,without folding or tearing the paper.

35. Friends of Progress Crisis Creativity Innovation Open Minds Identified Assumptions Challenged Assumptions Teams Playfulness Space

36. It’s already there - let it happen Use all mental modes It needs space Attend closely, understand broadly Involve others Be a “reflective practitioner” Aim for absorbed playfulness Know what you really want Cycle often and close late Connect and be receptive Ring the changes Manage the process Overcome inter-personal pressures Challenge the givens Build up, don’t knock down

44. Brainteaser:You’re in the office one day when a meeting is called. You realize that some papers you need are at home 37 miles away. You check your watch: if you average 50 miles per hour you can just make it in time. So you run to your car and drive home. At home, you’re getting back into the car and you check the time – you have averaged 25 mph so far.What speed do you need to do to get back to the office in time for the meeting?

45. Brainteaser:You are the organizer for a tennis tournament. It will be a singles knock-out competition.You receive 117 entries.How many matches do you need to schedule so to find the winner of the competition?

46. Brainteaser:You have two pieces of fuse, the type that you use for gunpowder. Each burns for exactly one hour when lit at one end. Unfortunately, each burns at an inconsistent rate - sometimes quickly, sometimes slowly. How can you use these two pieces of fuse to measure 45 minutes?