Here's how you can expand your network in creative problem solving through informational interviews.

Target Professionals: Think about specific individuals whose work in creative problem solving you admire. This could be designers, entrepreneurs, innovators, researchers, or anyone who actively applies creative thinking to their work. Target Organizations: Consider companies known for their innovative approaches and problem-solving skills. Look for businesses that have successfully implemented unique solutions or are at the forefront of their industry.

I love talking with old, successful leaders. My questions often make these conversations feel like interviews. While mainstream leadership advices are well-known, the most helpful insights often come not from fancy new management techniques but from the wisdom and experience of a long life full of struggles and failures. Never underestimate the old foxes, and listen carefully while their wisdom is still available.

This is the most difficult part of building your career network. Being frank with yourself about you are looking for at the moment helps to build towards future opportunities in expanding your creative problem solving skill set.

To maximize the benefits of informational interviews in creative problem-solving, follow these steps: 1- Identify potential contacts in your industry or field through LinkedIn. 2- Prepare for the interview by researching the interviewee, defining your goals, and preparing thoughtful questions. 3- Reach out to request an interview by crafting a compelling message, personalizing it, being clear and concise. 4- Conduct the interview by starting with gratitude, introducing yourself briefly, asking prepared questions, actively listening to the interviewee's responses. 5- Follow up by sending a personalized thank-you note, keeping in touch. 6- Leverage your growing network to continuously learn and grow in your creative problem-solving abilities.

In as much as everyone wants to be on top of their career ladder. However the first thing you want to do is to evaluate and assess yourself, where do I really want to see myself in the next 20 years, what skills are required to get there, what knowledge will be helpful to help me achieve this goal. Then benchmark the responses against your initial status, i.e which amongst this qualities do I possess, and the outstanding ones you want to connect with industry experts to guide you and mentor you to achieve them. Through their connections you also want to learn from their past failures and successfully test approaches that had helped reach the level they are.

To be frank, this situation rarely happens within the service field. Here most of the recruitment or interview are just for name sake, because most of the candidates are selected on their work based feedback from the customers or from their colleagues or friends. Anyhow I personally prefer to have a strong/ insightful/ conditional based questions must be asked with respect to the company products or the technology we are working on; it is not for putting pressure on the candidates but I believe by doing so they can do a self evaluation for themselves to improve by their own.

One technique that worked for me was creating a mix of open-ended and specific questions. For example, I would ask about a particular project they worked on, which led to more insightful responses. Reflecting on my own experiences and comparing them with the interviewee’s challenges can foster a more engaging dialogue. A brief anecdote can encourage them to open up more about their processes and strategies. This exchange not only enriches the conversation but also helps build a connection. Lastly, don't shy away from asking for advice on your personal development. When I asked interviewees how they honed their creative problem-solving skills, I received practical tips and recommended resources that I wouldn't have found otherwise.

Entrevistas informativas são uma ferramenta poderosa para ampliar sua rede de contatos e encontrar soluções criativas para problemas. Ao conversar com profissionais experientes, você ganha insights valiosos e diferentes perspectivas. Isso não apenas enriquece seu conhecimento, mas também abre portas para futuras colaborações. Expandir sua rede por meio dessas entrevistas é uma estratégia eficaz para inovar e resolver desafios de maneira mais criativa.