Stories have the power to make you memorable and credible, especially during a job interview.
Much like a business, you have to stand out from the competition, sell yourself, or rather, convince the recruiter that you are the best choice.
The Power of Storytelling
Storytelling is as old as the Stone Age (or so we would imagine). We are always telling each other stories, whether at the office copier, over late Friday afternoon drinks, or around the supper table at day’s end.
Storytelling can also be a powerful tool during a networking event, social party, informational meeting or when interviewing with prospective employers.
Well-crafted, interesting and compelling stories will help you distinguish yourself in a positive way, and enhance your chances of becoming the ideal candidate in the recruiting process.
During a job interview, it just isn’t enough to say that you are particularly skilled in an area. For example, to assert that you provide direction and oversee your firm’s customer service, or that in your law office you are considered the expert on digital marketing is not cutting it anymore. You must also paint a picture; you must demonstrate your skills by telling stories that will illustrate your assets.
“Stories Sell, Facts Tell”
When you use anecdotes during an information-gathering session, or a job interview, you can capture your listener’s attention. Storytelling will enliven your résumé with imagery and illustrate your abilities clearly and graphically.
Accomplishment stories turn a drab recitation of facts into a compelling narrative and make you memorable as a candidate.
There are different types of stories that you can use to articulate your strengths, uniqueness or expertise.
“Who are you” story
Give something of yourself by telling others about where you are from, what school you attended, the family you grew up in, etc. People are interested to learn more about “you”.
“Who do you represent” story
Describe the company or organization you work for or represent with an anecdote, your role and responsibility, what you do, and how you contribute to the success of your company.
“How you help your client” story
All organizations have clients in one form or another. Craft a story about how you (or your organization) serve them. What problems do you solve? What is your role in the value creation process?
“Your lesson learned” story
We are human. Making mistakes and learning from them is a valuable lesson to communicate with others. This will help connect and build rapport faster.
We all love to hear stories. Good stories move us. They touch us, they teach us, and they cause us to remember. Your job interview should be about you. After all, isn’t the recruiter specifically looking for someone just like you: skilled, experienced, engaging? The facts are: you are skilled, experienced and engaging. The story you should tell is how you got there.
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