Interviews: telling stories is powerful

Before you go to an interview, take the time to think back over your (preferably) work life, and come up with some stories. Think of what skills and abilities you expect this employer to be looking for, and think of stories when you demonstrated these.

Once you have thought of a story, write it down.

Look at it carefully, and dissect all the skills and abilities you can think of that are in it.
Write them down.

For example: Let's say there was a time I dealt with an angry customer on the phone.

Skills:

• handling angry or "difficult" people
• listening
• patience
• empathy
• problem solving
• attention to detail
• initiative
• customer service skills
• communication skills
• explaining clearly and concisely

are just a few of the possible skills from such a situation.

With that story remembered, I can answer behavioral questions on any of these topics using just this one story.

When you think of a story, you don't automatically think of the wide variety of skills involved in it, so take the time to write them down, and be ready to tell powerful, skill based stories to the interviewer.

And don't forget to add the result at the end .... in this case, the customer was satisfied with the resolution to the problem, and thanked me for my help.

Stories + skills + results = a good chance at landing the job!

More interview help.

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