5 Ways to improve your interview story (Interview Series #2)

An interview is an opportunity to secure your ideal occupation and your foreseeable financial future. Such an opportunity cannot be taken casually, especially against strong, equally determined competitors fighting for the position you were constructed for. Over the next few days, I shall be sharing seven tips on how to ensure that you will be as prepared as any other applicant, if not more. The interview process is a murky, occasionally unnavigable stage of employment but with the advice you absorb from these articles you will be able to see your success clearly.  

2: YOU ARE YOUR STORY  

Having a ‘story’ may appear to only be important when you’re entering a reality show or writing an autobiography. That’s because the word ‘story’, when relating to a person instead of a novel, can often be associated exclusively with epic tales flirting with the realms of extremities. You may doubt the existence of your story because you haven’t had to overcome the ‘big issues’ of our world today such as race, sexuality or cancer. However, your story is real and you are a testament to that story. You have succeeded and failed, rejoiced and despaired – all of the events stemming from human life viewed through your individual lens.  

The interview is an excellent location for expressing your story. The individual you face knows only what your résumé has suggested to them and sometimes, if they weren’t the one who read it, not even that. Think of your story as a crash course on you – your principles, morals, motivations, and goals – everything that combines to create the ideal employee in the interviewer’s eyes. Given the potential benefits springing from your story, you have to ensure that it’s consistent and substantially compact. Apart from the ostentatious advantage of being employed, your story can also enhance your confidence and self-awareness, two factors that can prove the difference between success and failure in business.  

 So, how do you develop your story to impress interviewers? Here are four guidelines to follow: 

CHAPTERS. Don’t lose sight of the fact that your story is a story. Imagine a novel without chapters (or just imagine One Hundred Years of Solitude) and the chaos caused by a lack of arrangement and order. Chapters are pertinent to your story so decide upon the bookends of each section. Highlight certain events that played an important role in sculpting the person you are today in business and life. Remember that these beginnings and ends depend only on how you view their particular significance, not on anyone else’s viewpoint. This is your story, not theirs.   

MOMENTS. Stories are defined by moments that linger in the audience’s minds for a long while afterwards, like the punch line after an elaborately weaved build-up. You are not a robot so don’t write like one – recall moments that are connected more to humanity than business and litter them throughout your tale. The interviewer is looking for a solid employee with an excellent work ethic but you have to retain your identity and appealing to your partner’s human impulses is a reminder that you have a balanced life with passions outside of work.  

THEMES. As you were first informed during school, themes are important assets to a story. Whether it be the internal flaws of Communism or simply the appearance of your repeated tendencies, themes lend meaning to words and present your story as an understandable text, rather than an unintelligible mess. Allow your past experiences to develop your themes for you – think about the connections between different eras of your career. Once you’ve located a genuine link, the theme should continue seamlessly without your direct intervention. That’s the advantage of writing your own story – it actually happened.  

REFLECTIONS. Another indirect benefit of compiling your story is the opportunity to reflect on your career so far and the accuracy of the decisions you have made. After following the three previous guidelines – finding your chapters, moments and themes – ask yourself one question – “why?” It may appear to be a rather plain query but this one word can gift your story clarity and inform your future decisions. Contributing your reflections to your story will reveal new paths and add an accountable, entrepreneurial message to the monologue.  

 Forming your story is the bulk of the process but by no means the last step. As emphasised in the first article, practice is incredibly important for an interview and your story is not exempt from this. Read the story multiple times in your head and out loud into an audio recording device or to a family member or acquaintance. Allow yourself to make small changes but not large alterations – you don’t want to be confused about your wording going into the interview because it may seem staged.  

 The purpose of developing your story, besides its role in your chances of success during an interview, lies in the long-lasting impact of the process. You’re not grasping a microphone or submitting a draft to your publisher but that doesn’t mean your story isn’t as authentic. Over time, when you peruse your finished product, you will be able to understand the correlation between your actions and success, using your findings to create more positivity in the future. As you sit in the interview room talking about your past, remember that you shouldn’t have any doubts. This is your story and you’re the one in control.  

To get the chance of practicing your interview story you need a good resume so check through it to ensure that you are selling yourself well or send your resume for a free confidential no obligation assessmentmark.daniel@orangecollar.com.au

Following my last article I gave free advice to a number of people. be patient though as we do a thorough job so it can take a week or so to receive your appraisal

Orange Collar is a Mining, Civils, Energy and Resources Hub covering the whole of Australia. Our team of specialised professionals offer no-nonsense recruitment, professionally written resumes, unique DIY Resume packages and results focused HR Consultancy. Register at www.orangecollar.com.au