Creative Advent 2008: Scott Doty

Read “What color is your parachute”

As a graduate student studying Industrial Design, I was not required to take the undergrad professional practice course. Fortunately, I absorbed some of this knowledge through the other students. Most important was the name of the book to read if you want a great job after graduation, “What color is your parachute”. This introduced me to the concepts of networking, writing great targeted letters, and researching companies thoroughly. I practiced these principals and within a few months of graduation I had two compelling offers from which to choose. My guide had an answer to this dilemma as well, choose the firm where you will develop the broadest skill set.

These lessons have also served me well in my own design practice. Though I target myself to the housewares industry, having broad experience has allowed me to take on some interesting projects outside this arena. Writing about what you bring to the table, researching, and networking are perhaps even more vital skills for a solopreneur than a job seeker. This is a “career book” that I can recommend to any designer, no matter what side of the table they sit on at job interviews.

Guest Author Bio

Scott Doty is an industrial designer based in Philadelphia. He cut his teeth working for one of the world’s most famous designers, Michael Graves. He has designed products for Target, Marshall Fields, and Delta Faucets among others. Email him at info [at] scott-doty.com, or check out www.scott-doty.com.