How A Story Can Help You Get The Job

By Ruoro Kairu 

Two years ago, I was called for an interview as an editor in a publishing firm. I had applied for the job despite not having all the qualifications. When I got the interview invitation call, I was very excited.

I went over my CV to ensure I wouldn’t forget anything.

On the interview day, I woke early, prepared myself, and headed to the interview.

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There were many other candidates who’d come for the interview. At first, I was nervous because this meant more competition. When we began speaking, however, I realized most of them had come for different positions. There was just one other lady who had come for the same position as me.

The lady was first to go in, she stayed in the interview room for over 45 minutes, and when she came out, she had a huge smile on her face.

When I walked into the interview, it didn’t even last ten minutes. When I left, I was worried because I had not stayed as long as the other lady.

I started imagining what the other interviewees would think, so when I was walking out, I did so with my head looking down.

When I got home, I had regained some of my confidence, and I believed there was a chance I could get the job. The publishing house had told us they would call those who had been successful, and everyone else would receive an email.

Over the next week, I kept looking at my phone anxiously. I was expecting a call, and hoping I wouldn’t get a regret email.

Two weeks after the interview, I still hadn’t gotten a call or the email. I decided to call back for feedback.

When I called, the interviewer could not remember me at first. I spent two minutes trying to remind him who I was. Clearly, I had not created an impact on the interviewer.

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He told me I had not gotten the job, and they had decided to go with the other lady.

When I heard that, I was very disappointed. I thought I was done looking for a job.

Afterward, I decided to speak to a friend of mine who is an interview coach.

When I asked him how to make a lasting impression on an interviewer, he told me that telling a story is one of the most effective ways to achieve this.

You still remember most of the stories you heard as a child.

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In the interview room, we sometimes have the urge to share all our qualifications and past experience. This is what almost every other interviewee will do. How do you then ensure you leave the interviewer impressed? By being different, and that is with a story.

However, he also shared there were guidelines for giving the best story in an interview situation.

Here are the guidelines;

1. Do not overshare

When narrating a story, you should choose one that is personal. However, you should not confuse this with a private story. The story should also bring out a positive aspect about you.

For instance, you can talk about failure or weakness but focus on the lessons you learned, or the skills you gained.

2. Don’t babble

In the interview room, you have just a few minutes to make an impression. As such, you should not tell a story that does not have a lesson. Your story should also be brief.

Three minutes should be enough to tell the story. You can segment it into three parts; a 30-second beginning, a minute and a half to develop the story, and a minute to close while bringing attention to what you learned and why it’s relevant.

3. Do not always play the hero

While telling your story, you might want to paint yourself as the hero in each instance. However, there are more ways and angles to tell a story from.

For instance, you can talk of a story from the perspective of a friend, witness, or mentor. At the end of the story, show how it changes you, or the transformation that happened.

4. Don’t forget the takeaway

In each story you give, ensure you have a lesson or takeaway. This will especially help the interviewer remember you. An unforgettable email with a great ending will remain in the mind of the interviewer, long after you’ve left.

Remember the interviewer has seen other equally interested interviewees. With the help of a story or two, the interviewer will remember you.

I used the story approach in my next interview; it took a lot of practice with the interview coach. But I got the job. Two years later, the interviewer still remembers the story I gave. Thanks to the interview coach, I was able to ace an interview and get the job.

What other strategies do you know that work wonders in the interview room?