What’s Your Compelling Story?

We all have a story that illustrates the essence of who we are, what experiences we have accumulated on our journey, and what motivates us. Whether you are interviewing for a new role or helping to market your firm the story needs to resonate to build credibility and trust with others.

I just completed an online digital marketing class that required me to come up with my origin story. I was taking this class to help me with the launch our new brand: Your Fairy Job Mentor. I want to share some of the processes I learned to help you develop your compelling story. You can definitely use this narrative when answering the frequently asked interview question, “Tell me about yourself.”

To create your compelling narrative, I recommend you ask yourself these questions:

  • What was a defining event that led you to doing the work you do?
  • What challenges did you overcome to get to where you are today?
  • What did you learn on your path that you are excited to contribute to this role?

When I prepare each candidates for their interviews, I coach them on how to tell a story that provides a strong sense of what motivates them and how they have achieved results in the past. The most compelling stories are the ones where we can visualize what the storyteller is sharing. 

The About Us section of your website is another place for a compelling narrative! When I wrote the one for my new landing page, I decided to share this story:

My parents were political refugees from a communist country, with little education. When I was a kid, I used to sit on the fire escape of our Bronx apartment with a copy of the Sunday Times, engrossed in the articles and daydreaming about what my life would be like when I worked for an elite firm in the city one day. I had big ambitions, but no one to advise me on how to achieve them.

I hope this story conveys why I wrote a book and launched a digital platform to help young professionals achieve their career goals. It’s critical that you share stories that not only illustrate your skills, but your passion! We are wired for stories that inspire us by conveying emotions, not just facts.

We all have a compelling story to tell. I encourage you to think about your story and maybe share it with a mentor or trusted advisor to see how it resonates.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *