Stories about your work past can ignite your work future
➔ There is an insightful adage that goes something like, “Resumes tell; stories sell.” There is a very strong message there for any job seeker regardless of age.
As important as resumes are – and they are important – for the most part they are simple, straightforward telling of your work history. I was here, I did this. I worked there and did that. That’s a wonderful introduction to you as a job seeker, but it shouldn’t stop there.
The rest of the story
Remember the old radio commentator Paul Harvey and his program “The Rest of the Story”? The rest of your job seeking story needs to include what you did at those whistlestops of your career. How you organized a team. How you save the company money. How improved the efficiency of your department. Etc. Etc. Etc.
It’s those stories that will separate you from the other job seekers and, if told well enough, may land you that coveted job.
As intriguing and compelling as those stories may be, you may have another well of resources from which to draw. Think back to all of your work experience and what you might have learned along the way. We recently heard of a high-ranking Human Resources executive who drew upon his youthful experiences as a bartender to explain how he learned about people and their vagaries all of which helped him in his professional career.
In the end, gold is where you find it. It may be in your first job, during an internship, a part-time job while in school… whatever and wherever. When painting the picture of you the job seeker, don’t restrict where you look.
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