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

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1

2

3

4

5

6

7

8

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Offers

Accepts

Wharton MBA students

Multi-year Internship Median Monthly Salary: $5,000 (range $1,500 - $10,000)

Innovation & Design Firms – Fulltime Offer History

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0.5

1

1.5

2

2.5

3

3.5

2010 2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016

Offers

Accepts

Wharton MBA students

Multi-Year Fulltime Median Annual Salary: $110,000 (range $65,000 - $175,000)

Innovation & Design Recruiting – What recruiters seek in candidates

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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

Innovation & Design Recruiting – Why to Network

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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

Innovation & Design Recruiting

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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

Innovation & Design Recruiting – 2 key questions

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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

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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