Who invented the jigsaw puzzle?

A. Ben Franklin B. George Washington C. Abraham Lincoln D. John Spilsbury E. Thomas Edison F. Christopher Columbus

According to this site, an Englishmen by the name of John Spilsbury invented the jigsaw puzzle in the mid-1700s. Mr. Spilsbury was a London engraver and mapmaker and his first jigsaw puzzle was a map of the world. Teachers used his puzzles to teach geography by putting the pieces of the world map back together.

Just for kicks, wouldn't it be an interesting exercise if you took all the various 'pieces' of you and mapped them on a large piece of paper, using images, numbers and words to describe yourself? For example, somewhere on my map, the casual observer would see images of trees, flowers, (nature), books, pens/pencils, travel, music, chocolate, etc.; you would see my favorite numbers and you would see specific words representing my brand, my interests, my passions, and my dreams. What a fun exercise, huh? (Well, I think so, anyway!)

Once you have mapped your images, numbers and words that well represent you, the next step is to scissor-cut your 'map' into small pieces. The goal is to put the pieces of the jigsaw puzzle you back together again. Just as you are trying to make your distinct pieces of the puzzle fit, organizations are also trying to put their own puzzle pieces together, hoping to hire the best talent and the best 'fit' to best meet their own unique needs.

If you are looking for a job in today's competitive market, where do you think you best fit? What organization is just waiting for you to complete their jigsaw puzzle? What entrepreneurial endeavor is just waiting for you to put the pieces together?

Article by, Billie Sucher and courtesy of CareerHub.com. The Career Hub blog connects job seekers with experts in career counseling, resume writing, personal branding and recruiting.