January 5, 2016

Why A Good Story Will Get You Hired

Are you a natural born storyteller? How many stories have you told today? Probably more than you realize. People tell stories for all sorts of reasons – they even come in very handy when you’re trying to land a job.

Post It Note Saying "What's Your Story?"

Our brains are naturally wired to be more engaged when we hear a good story. Stories help to paint a picture and create connections that people remember. They can inspire, persuade, entertain, impress, intrigue, and capture the imagination of the audience. They’re pretty powerful things. As a job seeker, you can use stories to help engage your audience, share your experiences, and boost your job search.

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Telling a good story is no easy task. You have to hook your audience, send a message, engage their imagination, and be entertaining. You also need to keep it simple so that your story is easy to remember. Storytelling is an art form that everyone needs to perfect – and that takes practice.

Before you can tell a quality story, you need a story worth telling. Dig into your extensive vault of experiences and find real life examples and situations that can help you create memorable stories. Then practice them over and over again until they are engaging, entertaining, and intriguing.

As a job seeker, it’s smart to have a few basic stories outlined, practiced, and memorized so that you can pull them out when necessary. When you have a selection of stories ready to go, you’ll be ready for any networking event, job interview, or elevator pitch.

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What’s your story? Everyone has one. It’s what makes you, you. If you’re a job seeker, you need to have an assortment of good stories ready to go. Here are the top stories every job seeker needs to be ready to tell at a moments notice:

  • A story where you made a mistake
  • A story where you failed
  • A story where you solved a problem
  • A story where you beat the odds
  • A story where you had to adapt to the situation
  • A story that tells your story
  • A story that shows why you’re an expert
  • A story that tells why you are here
  • A story when you did something extra cool

Think of storytelling as the one with the best story wins (or lands the job). Break out a good story next time you’re networking or interviewing for a job. You’ll be amazed with the results. Storytelling is the ultimate way to make connections and be remembered. People love stories and if you can tell them, you’ll go far in life.

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