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  Project development is a creative endeavour?
Project development is a creative endeavour?

Creativity

  Project development is a creative endeavour?
Project development is a creative endeavour?

Creativity

“Every project is an opportunity to learn, to figure out problems and challenges, to invent and reinvent.”

David Rockwell

Creativity is not just about generating ideas. We could argue that project development as a whole is a creative endeavour. If you’re not entirely convinced yet, bear with us for a moment! What we mean is that projects evolve, take unexpected turns and in fact people rarely end up with the result that they envisioned at the very beginning. This whole project development process requires an open mind and willingness to learn, invent, reinvent and create along the way. You could show off your creativity competence by focusing your digital story on project development experience!

  • Have you developed any projects?
  • How has the creativity competence helped you along the way?
  • How did your creativity help you manage your team/or become a better team player?
  • Have you ever identified an opportunity to develop a project differently in order to achieve better/more desirable results?

Teamwork
Teamwork

Collaboration

Teamwork
Teamwork

Collaboration

"It is the long history of humankind (and animal kind, too) that those who learned to collaborate and improvise most effectively have prevailed."

Charles Darwin

Even if you work mostly independently, there will come a time when you’ll need to work with others. Here’s a couple of questions that might inspire you to highlight excellent teamworking skills:

  • Think of a time when you achieved something that was only possible as a team. What was it?
  • Have you ever joined a project midway? What did you do to blend in quickly? How did you manage to work effectively as a team member?
  • Would you consider yourself a team player? If you would, why?

What to do if you do not want to film yourself?
What to do if you do not want to film yourself?

Execution

What to do if you do not want to film yourself?
What to do if you do not want to film yourself?

Execution

"I get stage fright and gremlins in my head saying: 'You're going to forget your lines'."

Alan Rickman

Don’t want to film yourself? Feel camera-shy? There could be a number of different reasons for not wanting to perform in front of the camera. Luckily, you don’t necessarily have to in order to create a video CV! Here’s a couple of examples:

  • Animated video
  • Filming someone else
  • Creating a video from stock footage
  • Filming your pet! 🐕🐈🐟

Willingness to listen and understand different points of view
Willingness to listen and understand different points of view

Flexibility

Willingness to listen and understand different points of view
Willingness to listen and understand different points of view

Flexibility

“We all look at the same object in different ways.”

Kehinde Wiley

Listening and trying to understand different opinions and points of view are crucial to ensure effective teamwork. However, this requires a certain level of flexibility and willingness to compromise. Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you demonstrate this skill:

  • How do you keep an open mind in a workplace?
  • How do you take criticism?
  • Even if you disagree with your colleagues are you willing to (for instance) try out their suggestions?
  • Would you consider yourself tolerant? Why?
  • Do you consider yourself an fair-minded person? Why?
  • Are you curious to hear what other people think?

Don’t have professional equipment to film your video?
Don’t have professional equipment to film your video?

Execution

Don’t have professional equipment to film your video?
Don’t have professional equipment to film your video?

Execution

“I don't get tripped up in technology. I use technology as a tool.”

Spike Lee

Even if you do not own a camera and professional editing software, there’s plenty of resources that you consider. Here’s a couple of suggestions:

  • Visit your local library, Community center, youth center or contact NGOs that help people find employment
  • You can always rent or borrow equipment
  • Create a video using alternatives (ppt, online open-source tools, Blender, Google slides, iMovie ...)
  • Remember you do not have to use professional cameras to create a video, you can always record your video with your phone, tablet or your laptop.

Initiating change
Initiating change

Flexibility

Initiating change
Initiating change

Flexibility

“What you're supposed to do when you don't like a thing is change it. If you can't change it, change the way you think about it. Don't complain.”

Maya Angelou

Flexibility competence could be demonstrated by discussing how one initiates change. For instance:

  • If you see that something could be improved, would you go out of your way to suggest changes? If you would, do you maybe have an example to give?
  • Are you the one that initiates change in your organisation?
  • Do you engage with other people working in your industry and constantly look for networking opportunities that might lead to collaborations?
  • Do you try to constantly learn new things and then apply them in practice?

Empathy
Empathy

Self-management

Empathy
Empathy

Self-management

“The highest form of knowledge is empathy, for it requires us to suspend our egos and live in another's world. It requires profound purpose larger than the self kind of understanding.”

Plato

Claire Cain Miller from The New York Times draws attention to recent research which shows "that empathy makes people better managers and workers, and better family members and friends. But it’s bigger than just its personal effect. We’re all in this together, and researchers say that connection and compassion are crucial to a sustainable and humane future. ". The ability to understand and share the feelings of another is a sought-after skill in all work environments. How do you cultivate empathy? How can you show your prospective employer? Here’s a couple of prompts that might help you get started:

  • Would you consider yourself empathetic?
  • Do you find it easy to understand other people’s feelings, emotions and problems?
  • Do you actively seek to develop empathy? How?(volunteering, reading books …)

Script writing and story boarding
Script writing and story boarding

Preparation

Script writing and story boarding
Script writing and story boarding

Preparation

“To make a great film you need three things - the script, the script and the script.”

Alfred Hitchcock

So by now, you know already what you want to say, but here’s another question: how do you want to realise it in a video, with images and sound? This is the moment to imagine your story! Try to see and hear with your mind’s eyes and ears what you want the viewers to see and hear. Before getting cameras and phones out and recording your video CV, you better prepare. It’s good practice to write a script even if it’s just a simple outline. It will help you focus on what’s important and you won’t forget to mention anything. A script or storyboard should be clear to yourself, but also to the viewer. In fact, the viewer should be able to construct the video you have in mind on the basis of your script or storyboard.