Tell Your Story

Whether you are looking for a new career opportunity or wanting to re-ignite an existing job, you need to be able to tell your professional story. Most interviews start with the Tell Me About You question which is the ideal chance for you to take the lead and deliver your best story. But you should also be able to tell your tale in casual conversation because you just never know who you are going to meet on a given day.

Your story should focus on what you do well and what you really want. Don’t get hung up about job titles but focus on skills and competencies that give you strength and discuss scenarios where you can illustrate an ideal career fit. Remember, this is storytelling so you want to engage your listeners and customize the message depending on the audience. Canned answers are the worst and don’t showcase your authentic self.

Telling a story requires self awareness about what you really want, so take the time to reflect first. If a network connection asks what you are looking for and you can’t answer, then chances are this person will not be able to help you.

Compelling stories about real people in real situations are the currency of far-reaching, emotional impact. Stories motivate, persuade, inform and inspire. Stories are memorable and powerful. They can be cathartic. They move us.  They change our beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. Use the genre of storytelling to get your message across and make an emotional and impactful connection with your network.