Compelling Narrative
What’s your story?
Stephanie Seabrook
Director
Director
As recruiters, you interview people all day long. You know what a compelling professional story sounds like. But have you really crafted your own career narrative?
Once upon a time, I made TV shows. I know how to create a compelling narrative that can both inform and entertain an audience. And so, here are my tips for sorting out your story.
Of course, like all stories you need a beginning, middle, and end. But don’t start at the very beginning i.e. when you graduated. In fact, that’s probably not the best place to start as it’s the least relevant to the role you’re applying for now, X years down the line.
Why not tell it backwards? Or create a “cold open” – a snapshot of your current situation and then find a jumping off point in this to delve into your previous experience. Or can you create a thematic journey through your working-life?
Think about your audience. First, how are you going to hook them in? You need a powerful opening that makes them sit up, pay attention and want to learn more. And with the average attention span being so short, you’ve only got a few seconds to do this.
Understand what your interviewer is looking for so you can tailor your story to their interests. This includes adapting your style. If you’re interviewing for a role that would involve international relocation, think about the working culture of that country. For example, Brits interviewing for a US firm know your self-deprecating humour is most likely going to be completely lost of your interviewer.
Make sure you have main character energy. Put yourself at the centre of your professional story. Your career isn’t just something that happened to you. It’s the result of your decisions, circumstances and sometimes just pure luck. Remember to include some of this.
Keep it short. No one is looking for the director’s cut complete with deleted scenes, however interesting they may be to you. Really interrogate what you’re telling and why. Ideally you should be able to do a tight 3 minutes, maximum.
In many stories the protagonist meets a mentor at some point on their journey. If you’ve been lucky to have learnt from one of the best in your career don’t forget to mention them. Not only will this help a recruiter to understand the sort of environment you have come up in, but it also speaks to your humility and understanding that great search is a team sport.
Good stories have plot twists and cliff hangers. Don’t be afraid to try to frame the challenges you have experienced in your career in this way. Was there a search that looked like it was going nowhere but you managed to find the perfect candidate at the eleventh hour? Or a particularly difficult client you thought was going to pull a search until you won them round? Of course we want to present ourselves in the best possible light, but the highs will have more impact if we understand the lows too.
But above all great stories need emotion. Think about the defining moments in your career – both good and bad. How did these feel at the time? What did you learn from them? How did they change you?
Your career story isn’t just what you’ve done, this is your chance to tell the world who you are.
So, why not tell Radiant your story?
Maybe you want to grow your team. Maybe you want to launch a new business. Maybe you want to find a new role. Maybe you just want some impartial advice.
Whatever you’re looking for, we’re here to help.
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