Thinking Outside of the Box
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It’s a new year! Is it time for a new job, too? If you’ve been in the market for awhile, I hope you didn’t let up over the holidays. I’ve had some very busy interview schedules in December!
The purpose of this website is to help you stand out from the competition, primarily through the use of direct mail techniques. This is an example of “thinking outside of the box,” because most people do not use these techniques. But there are other ways to think out of the box, as well.
But first, lets try a little brain stretch, shall we? Here are four words:
Which one does not belong to the group?
Most people would say that the word “decrease” does not belong because all the other three words are mathematical terms and “decrease” is not. But what happens if you get a little creative? What other word or words don’t fit?
You could have chosen the word “add” because it only has three letters, while all the other have six and more. That’s what thinking out of the box is all about — looking at a situation is a way that is not common.
The prevailing component in the way our minds work is inserting some changes from past experiences and processes. These patterns are helpful because they help finish tasks such as driving, eating or drinking. However, they are the same patterns that make it hard for people to think out of the box and create alternative solutions to a dilemma, especially when challenged with unwanted data.
So how do you break this pattern? Try reversing it, turning it inside out or upside down. Turn it around and look at from another angle. You may be surprised with the result. This was Henry Ford’s personal experience. His conventional plan was to just “bring people to work.” He tried to change all this into: “bring work to the people.” This plan generated more revenues.
Another way to stimulate creativity is to take a break and think of something else. Letting go of the question at hand carn release the stress you are under. Once you let it go, all the power of the universe is free to find a solution and the solution will come to you when you least expect it.
So, how does all this apply to the job search process? Well, sometimes, if you want a job badly enough, you’ll need to think out of the box to get yourself noticed. Maybe you’ll create a unique resume format. I heard of one person creating a custom label for a wine bottle that had their resume on it and sending it to the winery they wanted at job at. Make sure that whatever creative thing you do is appropriate — both in light of your skill set and the job for which you are applying.
Being creative and out of the box is wild some times, but could move you through growth and self-development. You’ll be surprised at how easy and differently it will be for you to fix and try to solve things away from the tried-and-true habits. Let thinking out of the old box be your guide to a new and better, wonderful approach to life.
