Mind Mapping a Pathway Forward
Posted on Apr. 3, 2024 / Subscribe 0
When I was laid off in 2020, I decided it was time for a career change … but what did that mean? A different role? A different industry? How could I possibly begin a job search when I had no idea what I wanted the next step to be?
By creating a mind map.
Generally speaking, a mind map is a brainstorm on paper or on screen. The process examines a central issue from all angles to reveal connections, themes, and courses of action. There are many apps that can turn your brainstorm into a neatly organized, graphically pleasing document, like this nifty template from Canva:
But when I’m mind-mapping, I go the opposite direction: monochromatic, spontaneous, and hastily drawn by hand. A brain dump with doodles.
A graphic designer I am not.
I first asked myself, “What are the ‘buckets’ of skills and experience I’ll bring to an organization?” My poorly-drawn buckets soon morphed into baskets, which explains the hatch marks showing the basket weave … ugh. A graphic designer I am not.
Next, I considered how these skills would show up in my ideal job: the “eggs” in my bucket-baskets. (I know my eggs are not egg-shaped. Again: not a graphic designer.) For example, my Creative Services expertise involves cultivating diverse teams, taking a multi-channel approach, and focusing on fun.
All that free associating led me to list out Must Haves, Nice to Haves, and Never Agains, because knowing what I didn’t want in my next job clarified what I did. After that, I was out of space on the page. My mind map was complete.
This process revealed that I shouldn’t center my search around a specific job title or industry. Instead, corporate culture was going to be the leading factor in identifying my best opportunity.
This gave my search a new focus. I set up informational chats with people at businesses I’d never considered before to learn about their cultures. I researched employee review sites to see how a company’s values play out in everyday experience. Also, my Must Haves/Nice to Haves/Never Agains helped me know what questions to ask during job interviews.
I’m happy to say that by the end of 2020, I’d found a job encompassing nearly everything I’d scribbled onto my mind map. I’m proud to be part of a diverse team that is creative, innovative, and includes a number of talented graphic designers who can draw buckets. And baskets. Even eggs!
While it may not guarantee a successful job search, mind mapping can provide a pathway forward when exploring your options and identifying your Next Big Thing.
Lisa Peers is a creative director at Jack Morton Worldwide and a PRSA Detroit Board member.
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