The dictionary defines “disruptive” as tumultuous, chaotic, troublesome, or unruly. None of these words sound too good in a job search or work context. But in business, being disruptive is taking on a whole new meaning:
Disruptive Marketing
Sometimes criticized for being more like spam or unwelcome communications, disruptive marketing at its best is marketing that is so different from what came before that it takes over for it. We can understand why this might be troublesome to those who are more traditional marketers, but creatives are outside-the-box thinkers and when given the opportunity to come up with a new way of doing things, they may very well come up with something that disrupts tradition in a good way.
Disruptive Innovation
Great developers and designers are practicing disruptive innovation—creating something new that replaces the previous technology. When we pick up a new app or tool, soon we wonder how we ever lived without it. Talented creatives are thinking of new ways to perform familiar tasks every day.
Disruptive Job Search
No one looking for a new role wants to be “unruly”, but what if you think of “disruptive” as “unexpected” instead? Most candidates are trying to match the keywords on their resumes and skillsets as closely to a job description as possible. But every candidate is also unique, with unique qualities and value they bring to a company.
If your job search has continued for longer than you’d hoped, it might be time to try something new, displace your old way of doing things, take a chance on a new story in your next interview or showcase something unexpected about what you bring to the table. You might even disrupt your search by landing an amazing job!
Let us know what works for you!
Wendy Stackhouse, for Artisan Creative