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Ten years ago, I spent two days in Seoul, South Korea, interviewing business school applicants for eight hours each day. They were accomplished, dressed to impress and very well rehearsed. In fact, that was a problem. They knew their credentials inside and out. But after my first full day of interviewing, I left the downtown Hilton feeling like I hadn’t had the chance to actually meet any of them. In fact, I felt downright lonely, even though I’d just spent an entire day talking and listening!

The interviewees had focused on their credentials and competence, and this made me feel like I was stuck inside a version of the movie Groundhog Day, having the same conversations over and over (and unlike Bill Murray, I wasn’t allowed to capitalize on the humor of that!).

What would have made a difference? Letting go of their over-polished self– just a little bit–just enough to tell a story that illustrated their character–would have been so refreshing I would have taken special notice! In fact, as the interviewing progressed, a few applicants did do this, and I still remember their stories.

Stories make a difference in job interviews. Here are five tips for using storytelling during the interview process.

1. Don’t overshare.

I encourage clients to choose stories from the realm of “personal” but not “private.” Perhaps you remember having some teachers who were good at this. Longtime teachers often establish rapport with their students by divulging some personal details (a food they abhor, a favorite album or movie, a cherished hobby). But they avoid private details that students have no need to know. You can walk that same line in a job interview.

Find the right level of vulnerability. If you want to tell a story about a failure (in fact you most likely will in a job interview), choose wisely and then tell it with confidence. Choose a failure story that suggests that you lacked experience but not character. Stories about procrastinating, treating a team member poorly, or doing halfhearted work should all be off-limits.

2. Don’t ramble.

Keep it under three minutes max. That’s enough for a 30-second beginning, a minute and a half to develop your story, and a minute to bring it to a close with reflections on why it’s relevant. Let my IRS model be your mantra as you structure stories for your interview:

I – Intriguing Beginning

R – Riveting Middle

S – Satisfying End

Include something within the first few seconds that will keep the interviewers’ interest. And then be sure follow that with a clear statement of what your story is about.

3. Don’t limit yourself to the role of “hero.”

When you’re trying to land an opportunity that just seems made for you, it’s easy to think you should be the hero of every story so that the hiring team can see how well you will serve them. But you have other options. Interesting stories can arise from your role as friend, mentor, sidekick, or witness to a discovery or a beautiful transformation.

4. Don’t forget the takeaway.

Frame your story so it leads to a takeaway. What do you want the exhausted interviewer– who may have seen 12 other candidates before you– to remember? If they remember nothing else, what do you hope they take away? Build on this to create an unforgettable ending.

5. Don’t replay the narrative.

It’s tempting to tell yourself the story of the interview again and again, scrutinizing the interviewer’s body language, reading into every raised eyebrow or awkward pause. Based on how the interview went, will we be sending out another round of resumes, or will we have secured a future at this company?

But this is the wrong narrative. Humans are notoriously bad at reading body language. So it’s important not to keep rehashing the subtle clues we think we noticed during the interview. Stop telling yourself that story.

Instead, tell yourself that you put in your best effort and that there is still work to be done. There are, for instance, thank-you notes to be written! Thank the interviewer for their time, and for some specific aspect of the interview experience that you appreciated. After writing thank-you notes, do something else productive as you await the decision. Focus on a hobby, tackle a new challenge, connect with a friend.

Ultimately, remember that interviewers are human too. Yes, they hold a certain power over you, but just like you, they want genuine connections and need to understand who you are as a potential future colleague in the organization. Applying these five tips will make the interview process more successful and enjoyable.  

 

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