Mar 6 | 12:00 PM

Location: Room 3

In this session we will examine a key skill explored in the Stanford Design Your Life curriculum: How to gain access to insider networks when you are an outsider. Studies show that 60-80% of internships and jobs are never publicly posted, the majority of positions get filled by referrals. Referrals tend to advantage the friends, family and colleagues of people who are already in positions of power and influence inside organizations and institutions. Individuals that are outside the existing power and organizational structures often find it hard to gain referrals because they lack access to insider contacts. This is called the “Iceberg Problem”, and the goal of this session is to engage participants in a short design based brainstorming exercise aimed at overcoming this barrier. It is intended to demonstrate how design thinking can be applied to life design and career search, while also discussing some of the challenges a curriculum such as Design Your Life from Stanford encounters when it is utilized with diverse audiences and participants.