Innovation & Design Recruiting Wharton MBA Career Management & Innovation & Design Club
Part 1:
Overview of the Innovation & Design space / roles Mike Lytle Innovation & Design Club Co-President
Part 2: Recruiting with Innovation & Design Firms Porsha Alexander Recruiting Relationship Manager
Jennifer Savoie Sr. Associate Director/Career Advisor
recruiting.
“Who you are: A fun, genuinely open-minded collaborator who wants to turn their previous work experience and MBA education into an exciting and nontraditional venture into the branding innovation space.� - co:collective
Innovation & Design – Major Players
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A few firms where Wharton Alumni are now or have been:
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Innovation & Design Firms - Internship Offer History Wharton MBA students
8 7 6 5
Offers Accepts
4 3 2 1 0 2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Multi-year Internship Median Monthly Salary: $5,000 (range $1,500 - $10,000)
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Innovation & Design Firms – Fulltime Offer History Wharton MBA students
3.5 3 2.5 2
Offers Accepts
1.5 1
0.5 0
2010
2011
2012
2013
2014
2015
2016
Multi-Year Fulltime Median Annual Salary: $110,000 (range $65,000 - $175,000) MBA Career Management
Innovation & Design Recruiting – What recruiters seek in candidates Ability to work in multi-disciplinary teams Can work with designers, social researchers, engineers, etc. Strong qualitative and quantitative skills Firms generally just expect quant skills because you are at Wharton Passion for conducting research and finding answers Quirky people welcome – non-linear thinking valued Creativity / comfort with creative concepts Don’t always need management consulting experience Creativity / comfort with creative concepts 15 MBA Career Management
Innovation & Design Recruiting – Why to Network
Exposure – Gain insights into what’s happening in the field, at the firms Learn – Every firm is different. You must internalize those differences as you get into
the process in order to do well Advice – Seek to understand how to most successful in the job search
Sell – Know your value proposition – for this sector, for each firm Referrals – Get more connections
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Innovation & Design Recruiting Still a relatively “new” arena; don’t worry that the process is enterprise Recruiting is often organic, accomplished through both active networking and submitting impressive job applications Show initiative: Hustle and be “scrappy” Keep your eye on your target firms’ sites (and CareerPath) for postings Network and follow up - Cultivate connections in this industry Use club, students/alumni and LinkedIn Learn how target firms talk about themselves and their methodology Participate in key events (like treks and the MBA Innovation Summit) Figure out your story; talk succinctly about your goals and passions Recognize the importance of “fit” Tell stories with vivid language and imagery Have a point of view on innovation and/or design 17 MBA Career Management
Innovation & Design Recruiting – 2 key questions
Where can I find a list of these firms? Quora Article “What companies are similar to IDEO?” https://www.quora.com/What-companies-are-similar-to-IDEO
Should you create a portfolio / webfolio ? Not all jobs ask for one, especially those that target MBAs However, it’s nice to have something when asked for it Here is an alumni example: https://justine-lai-bekw.squarespace.com/#hello
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APPENDIX
Every firm is different. Do your homework Example 1 . . .
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Every firm is different. Do your homework Example 2 . . .
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Every firm is different. Do your homework Example 3 . . .
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