I had a job interview today. It was the sort of job interview that you could only go for if you already have a job with the people who are interviewing you for the job, so it’s not quite as nervewracking as most. Still, I was a little nervous, and I think that helped.
The position I applied for was called Innovation Mentor on the Service By Design project. What that means is that my time would be bought out from the department for half a day a week, so that I can go and work within industry as someone who has new and exciting ideas about how people can do what they do in new and exciting ways.
In other words, I’d do a little less teaching in classrooms, and a little more hanging out with people who actually produce things of value.
For the job interview, I was to give a five minute presentation about what Service By Design means to me, based upon my experience within the university. Figuring that admitting that I wasn’t really sure what the phrase even means, I thought instead I’d speak about the kind of stuff I’ve already been doing with music businesses and let them draw their own conclusions.
I brought along a powerpoint presentation on a USB key, but I told them that actually, I could tell them in five minutes much more effectively without the distracting slides, so I talked them through it using my own non-computer-mediated vocabulary.
At any rate, it must have worked. I just received word that they are happy to offer me the position of Innovation Mentor should I wish to proceed. Which I’m very happy about.
Again — it’s not any more money, or any sort of advancement — it’s just that I’d do something different for half a day a week, and I’d get a few days training so that I might be good at it — and hopefully know what the words mean by the end of it.
There were 50 of these positions going across the university. My guess is that fewer than that number applied.
But I was a bit nervous — and so getting the job feels like accomplishment.
Go me.
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