Ankit Khandelwal is a 27-year-old graduate from India seeking employment who spends significant time online learning skills and connecting with professionals. He enjoys learning about different cultures and takes an ambitious, can-do approach to his job search by directly contacting decision-makers. However, he is frustrated by the lack of feedback from companies on his applications and perceives cultural differences between collaboration in Europe versus competition in India.

1. Empathy map
for school-to-work transition
Interviewed by Skype:
Ankit Khandelwal: Graduate seeking employment
in Kota India
:
Matt Dooley
5 August 2013

2. Problem Statement
• Spends 8 hours online daily – gathering general knowledge
• Attends online courses, seminars, to grow professional
network and learn soft skills like public speaking
• Joined AISEC to connect and network with professionals
• Use online networking tools – LinkedIn discussion
groups, LinkedIn’s “Open link” to reach out, Facebook
discussion groups
• Reads 8 foreign newspapers daily to get global perspective
• Write column for business newspapers
• Works in online teams , around the globe
• Hobbies- Reading, writing, mountain
trekking, cooking, travel (even uses Google maps to visit
different places and view local surroundings)
• “Onus is up to you to find a job”
• “Dream to be “CEO” in the long term”
• “In India, the aim for graduates is to get a job
and not to create things”
• “I would like to work for a company that is
engage on futuristic thinking taking
technology to everyone”
• “I prefer to reach out directly to decision
makers in companies” … I don’t ask for a job
but simply connect and explore
opportunities.
• My degree wasn't’t simply technical. I did
learn other softer skills”
• “I don’t blindly send out resumes to HR
people. I have spent time focused on specific
companies but still get a poor response.
• I‘m ambitious and like to think outside-the-
box”
• Applying via unit job boards/ portal is not
effective.
• Better to approach companies direct
• In Denmark, you think with an open mind and
can challenge teachers. in India you need to be
reserved even with mentors. Mentors offer
general advice rather than proposing specific
guidance and tips
• Having a degree from a top university is a distinct
advantage get “higher chance” at certain
companies
• Passionate and ambitious
• Companies want more than just skills.
Candidates need ambition, and ability work well
in teams.
• Frustration- companies fail to provide any
feedback when rejecting applications –”What’s
missing from my CV?”
• Culture differences b/n Europe and India – Euro
students collaborate but Indian students just
compete.
• Forever learning – not just a single
degree – many transitions between
education and new jobs
• Companies want more than just
qualifications and hard skills. Need
to assess soft skills and attitude.
• Companies fail to provide feedback
when rejecting applications
”What’s missing from my CV?”
• Euro students collaborate but
Indian students only compete.
• Use global communities and access
to various engaging knowledge
experiences online.
• Access to decision makers and real
experience mentors
• Online environment tends to be a
little less stuffy than the real-world
classroom
• Students “unable to get interviews
for engaging jobs
Empathy Map for school-to-work transition – Ankit Khandelwal: 27yo, Graduate (Chemical
Engineering), seeking employment since May 2013, Studied overseas in Denmark, lives in Kota India
A motivated, ambitious degree-holding
graduate, who wishes to collaborate and learn
more about themselves, as well as various
cultures and work environments.
explore, connect and engage
different work
environments, mentors and potential
employers
Employers need to understand more than just qualifications.
Decision makers can engage and learn more about
candidates. Online experiences can engage/ interact to
demonstrate collaboration and review soft skills.

3. Extra notes

4. Interview: questions to ask
Say (Literal Quotes)
• What does he SAY ?
• What’s his attitude ?
Think - core values, major preoccupations
• How much does their problem bug them?
• What are their beliefs?
• How do they think about your product/service?
Do - appearance, behaviour towards others
• What does he do? What is a typical day?
• What does he enjoy?
• What are his hobbies?
• Does he work?
• How do he spend his time?
Feel – worries & aspirations
• What do they feel about what they say, think, and do?
• How is this problem affecting their day to day life?
• How would they feel with a solution?
• What is your dream job?
• What are they yearning for?
• What are you scared of ? Makes you shiver?
• What are they avoiding?
Then probe with “why questions” to get underlying deeper insights

5. • Reads 8 foreign newspapers daily to get global perspective
• Spends 8 hours online daily – gathering general knowledge
• Attends online courses, seminars, to grow professional network
and learn soft skills like public speaking
• Joined AISEC to connect and network with professionals
• Use online networking tools – LinkedIn discussion
groups, LinkedIn’s “Open link” to reach out, Facebook discussion
groups
• Write column for business newspapers
• Reading, writing, mountain trekking, cooking, travel (even uses
Google maps to visit different places and view local
surroundings)
• “possesses a can-do attitude”
• “Onus is up to you to find a job”
• “My dream title would be “CEO” in the long term”
• “I would like to manage people”
• “In India, the aim for graduates is to get a job and not
to create things”
• “I would like to work for a company that is engage on
futuristic thinking taking technology to everyone”
• “I prefer to reach out directly to decision makers in
companies” … I don’t ask for a job but simply connect
and explore opportunities.
• My degree wasn't’t simply technical. I did learn other
softer skills”
• “I don’t blindly send out resumes to HR people. I have
spent time focused on specific companies but still get
a poor response.
• I‘m ambitious and like to think outside-the-box”
• Applying through university job boards/ portal is
not effective. Better to approach companies direct
• In Denmark, you think with an open mind and can
challenge teachers. in India you need to be reserved
even with mentors. Mentors offer general advice
rather than proposing specific guidance and tips
• Having a degree from a top university is a distinct
advantage get “higher chance” at certain
companies
• Passionate and ambitious
• Frustration- companies fail to provide any
feedback when rejecting applications –”What’s
missing from my CV?”
• Culture differences b/n Europe and India – Euro
students collaborate but Indian students
compete.
MORE DETAILED Empathy Map – Ankit Khandelwal: 27yo, Graduate (Chemical Engineering), seeking employment since May
2013, Studied overseas in Denmark Kota India
• Software and filters first screen CVs before HR.
Frustrated being blocked even after effort of
applying