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Storytelling: Secret to a Successful Interview

There is an intense competition in today’s job market and everyone’s searching for innovative and better ways to be memorable to hiring managers. As a Hiring Manager I always look for someone who can bring value, a person with an ability to articulate his/her message is what stands out from someone else with comparable skills.
I have been interviewing people for various roles for almost 5+ years now and I have noticed that people articulate their experience in a monotonous way. What they fail to understand is that the art of storytelling can be applied to interviews as a strategy for making their case clear and impactful.
But again, storytelling is not an easy task and neither is it a rocket science. Below are few tips which can help:
1)     The person needs to know the purpose of his/her story and how it will explain why he/she is the best person for the job.
2)     Once the person has a clear idea of specific information that will indicate he/she could fit in there and that he/she would be a valuable team player and problem solver, the next step is to understand how to relate a concise story that the hiring boss won’t forget.
I was recently watching a TED Talk of Andrew Stanton. Stanton says that a well-told story grips, excites and engrosses. Below are his five tips for storytelling to improve your interviewing skills.
1)     Make me care: Identify key points that describe why you would fit in and how you could make a difference to the company.
2)     Take me with you: Come armed with information that shows you have an understanding of the company as a whole (like what they do, how they do it and why they do it).
3)     Be intentional: Know why you’re there. All your answers should convey that this job is your first choice and that your desire to be a part of the team will make you a valuable asset for the company.
4)     Let me like you: Find out what you have in common with the boss and the employees there.
5)     Delight me: Have one story in your back pocket that has been well received by others about yourself.

The connection you build with your interviewer through telling a great story could land you your dream job. So go get your stories today.

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