Why Jobseekers Should Learn the Art of Storytelling

Learn the art of storytelling in your job searchDo you know that humans can’t simply live without stories? We, as humans, have always liked to not only tell stories but also hear them. And it’s so because stories do an excellent job of moving and inspiring people. Even as jobseekers, you should learn this art for its numerous benefits. If you’re a good storyteller, you could easily influence an individual or a group of people.

Take a quick look at these quotes –

“After nourishment, shelter and companionship, stories are the thing we need most in the world.” -Phillip Pullman

“The shortest distance between a human being and the truth is a story.” -Anthony de Mello

“It has been said that next to hunger and thirst, our most basic human need is for storytelling.” -Khalil Gibran

Well, you’ll find tons of such quotes that talk about the various benefits of being a good storyteller. Whether it’s about writing a bio, a resume, a cover letter or interviewing, telling a compelling story will always keep you ahead of others, stand you out in the crowd and help you impress the people you get in conversation with. There’s magic in storytelling. A great story allows people to understand and believe who you are and what you can do while working as an employee in an organization.

But there’s one more important thing – it’s not just about telling a story but it’s actually about telling a good story. Unless you’re able to craft a big story, you won’t realize the benefits of storytelling.

Therefore, it’s crucial to understand what it actually means to tell a story and how you should craft it to impress recruiters, hiring managers or potential employers. First and foremost, you need to understand that a great story always covers – 1> a situation 2> action taken and 3> result. This is exactly the same approach that you should adopt as a jobseeker.

To get started, you should think of at least 2-3 skill-based success stories that showcase your value as an employee. Also remember that the stories that you come up with should be precise and relevant. Most importantly, your stories should be recent. Depending on your specific situation and requirements, you may take a closer look back at your life and career and look for those problems or issues that you faced and how you turned them into success. It’s not always necessary that you achieved success on your own. May be, your success story would involve an entire team. In that case, you should always make sure that the focus remains on your and the role that you played.

Compelling stories don’t only benefit you as a jobseeker, but they’re also a great tool for getting promotion in a company or advancing your career. Even when you want to network with professionals or create a portfolio or build your own personal brand, you’ll see that storytelling is a great help. Right throughout your career, you can capitalize on potential opportunities by learning how to tell great stories and using this awesome technique effectively.

There’s plenty of literature, both online and offline, which you can study to learn and master the art of storytelling.

So, get started right now!

Have you ever used the technique of storytelling to get ahead of the competition in your job search or career? Please comment.

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Carl began his career as a recruiter in the year 2000. Since then, he has interviewed hundreds of job applicants, dealt with several hiring managers and helped a lot of people find better jobs. He's passionate about guiding people towards their best-suited careers.

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