By Danielle DeGroot, University College Writer
Acing thejob interview can be a momentous challenge, regardless of the stage of career one is in. The art of selling oneself as the best fit for the job, creating a connection with a potential employer, ina very brief timeis a form of storytelling. This University Collegeat the University of Denver’sCareer Transition Workshopwas hosted by award-winning actor, author, humorist, and University College educator Matthew Taylor tackles the art and process of using the power of storytelling to ace your job interview. He brings 25 years of coaching theater, storytelling, and the art of improvisation, focusing on communication using narrative. The founder of Persuasion Through Narrative has worked with manydiverse groupsof people;however, he has focused primarily on the legal and educational fields to help develop communicationskillsusing the power of storytelling.
As Taylor explains in thewebinar, we interview all the time, even if it is not formally labeled as such. Every time we meet someone new, we areessentiallyinterviewing. We want to make a quick connection, have them remember us, and have a finite amount of time toaccomplishthat task. Taylor points out that weactually arein an interview type of situation at least once or twice a day where we need to deliver information that is dynamic, understood, and memorablein a short space of time.This is where using storytelling becomes an asset that can set you apart from others.
Why Stories Work
Stories are powerful for many reasons; they foster a deep connection onvarious levels, often conjuring up personal connections with an audience. We learn and grow from our own experiences, and through otherssharingtheirswith us. Rather than a simple recitation of the facts, a story makes information interesting, dynamic, and most importantly, something others remember. They evoke emotion, memories, and associations from our own lives.In a situation like a job interview, this is exactly what we want;to get the interviewer to remember who we areandrecall the information we share, then eventually hire us. Taylordevelopedan acronym of three critical storytelling elements that explains why stories work, he calls itCPR:
- Connect– Human beings are social creatures, we want to connect and bond with others, stories help us do this.“If you do not connect with the person you are talking to you stand little chance of that person receiving any of the information you are delivering,” Matthew Taylor.
- Persuade– Stories are persuasive, they have a purpose, to persuade others, aiding the storyteller to meet their goal. Often the storyteller is working to get specific needsorwantssatisfied, in this case getting hired for a job. Facts alone are not persuasive, wrapping them in a story makes them persuasive.
- Recall– Stories are not just about remembering an idea, they allow the listener to recall information in the form of a story. The researcher Bruno discovered that stories are 22 times more memorable than a list or presentation of facts. We remember stories, then tell them forward, spreading ideas and thoughts. In an interview, a story helps the interviewer remember whoYOUare, what the recall andretellis the story you told in the interview.
How Stories Work
Memory plays a huge role in how stories work; Taylor discusses the three types of memory humans have and how they play a role in storytelling.
- Sensory memoryis through our five senses: sight, hearing, taste, smell, and touch. Sensory memory is very short-term; in fact,Miller says this information is stored forjust about 20seconds.
- Working memoryis what Taylor calls the dry erase board of life, everything we do has to go through our working memory,which holds information for a brief time. Bits of information are pulled from short- and long-term memory to complete a task. Working memory is limited, it only holds information fora fleeting amount of time.According tofamed researcherGeorge Miller’sresearch in1956, this time lastsonly about 20 to 30secondsand holds justseven pieces of information,give or take two.
- Long-term memory is huge and encompasses everything we have ever stored, a vast amount of information. Withessentially unlimitedcapacity,the long-termmemoryorganizes, and stores informationandfacts, and events are brought out by cross-connections, or “associations.”
As Taylor shares, stories create cross-connections and associations in others’ minds that connect to their own storyas we tell ours. A compelling narrative is not so much about what story one is telling, it is about the personal connection that is being made with the other person.
Which Stories toTell and Why
Taylor shares a quote from businessman Peter Guber, author ofTell to Winthat helps define what a story is and why stories work:
“A story is a vehicle that allows you to put the facts in an emotional context.”
Taking the factsthatyou want to share, then framing them in a compelling narrative, in an interview, through a cover letter,andeven in a resume, is a form of storytelling. As with any storynarrativesneed to have structure.Taylor usesGerman playwrightGustav Freytag’spyramid toillustratehow this type of story should be structured.
The exposition starts at the bottom of the pyramid.This is particularly importantin storytellingand shouldincludethe inciting incident;what happened to break the routine and start the action. Rising actionthenleads to the top of the pyramidandthe climax of the story. Falling action leads to the bottom of the pyramid, in most cases,the resolutionor other end to the story.
Storytelling TipsforYour Interview
Taylor explains in thewebinarhow developinga good storyto sell yourself sets up the entire framework ofacingan interview.You must tell people the facts, then tell them a story, thenretellthem the facts.Interview stories should be simple.
- The first, and mostcrucial step,isdeterminingwhat the mostimportant factsare.Then you must build a narrative that wraps the facts in an emotional context, something others will relate to.
- Use names and specific details to build an emotional connection.
- Get right to the story, you do not need to include details that do not matter.
- Be natural:remember,the story is intended to illustrate the facts
- A story should be made up of small little moments that illustrate the facts you have already told them. Repetition is key to remembrance and recall.
4 Steps to Crafting Your Interview Story
- Consider the audience: what do they want, what do they know, what theydo notknow, and what do they need to know.
- Start with the end in mind: what do you want them to do or think differently when you are done?
- Identifykey facts and messages, remember they will only keeptwoorthreethings you say in their working memory.
- Identifywhich brief story moments will illustrate the facts. Ask yourself what is the statement that will make them ask me a question?
Remember, you want the story to reveal important parts of yourself, inspire trust, compassion,stability,and hope. The story should include a moment of reflection and connect with the audience through logos(logic), pathos (emotion), or ethos (credibility or character). Keep it short atabout30 to 60 seconds,andmake it feel natural, asunlike a forced story as possible.
Taylor uses the example of a bankruptcy attorney when asked whatthey do, responding with “I help people,”rather than simplystatingtheir profession,grabbing the audience’s interest, and promptingthem to want to learn more.
“Your story should flow so that all you are really doing is illustrating the facts, hopefully, they will never know there is astory,“MatthewTaylor.
You can watch the entirewebinar, as well as other career development webinars on the University College Vimeo page.
Acing the Interview: How to Tell Your Story and Sell Yourself
