There are great stories to tell in your job search and there are ones that could hurt you.
The Great Ones
The great stories are ones that celebrate the skills you want to use in your next role. They help your network and potential employer to see the value you add. They paint a picture of the kind of employee you would be, and how it helps them. These are stories they can share with their network when your name comes up. These are powerful and you’ll want to identify which stories these are.
If you’re not sure, these prompts might help.
The Harmful Ones
The stories that can hurt you in a job search are ones that:
- Focus on the negative, or you feel stuck. For employers, this can make them mistrustful if they even know what you want next.
- Are all about skills you don’t want to use. I used to only share stories about my work with children, but I wanted to work with adults. By telling the story about work I didn’t want to do anymore, I only further secured for people that I only worked with children. Stop talking about work you don’t want to do.
Sending a message through stories that intentionally showcase your skills and personality makes for a smoother career transition.
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