INTERVIEW
the JOB
NAILING
If you keep missing out on your dream job
chances are you haven’t honed this key skillThe secret of leaving a
lasting impression at your
next job interview relies on
your storytelling ability.
Here are the four types of
stories you need to master.1
“Like” story
Usually a personal story
that shows how capable
you are at something, though
it can be a work anecdote
from a different job role
or industry to the one you
are interviewing for. Like
stories are useful if you
are starting your career,
swapping jobs or returning
from a career break.
For example: You’re
applying for a role that
needs project management
experience. You may not
have worked as a project
manager but for three
years you have organised
your child’s school fete,
which involved coordinating
resources, delegating work
and ensuring activities were
done by their due date.2
“Learn” story
A work-related or
personal story that
shows what you learnt from
a particular situation. The
purpose of a learn story is
to reveal one of your values
or a key learning experience
you’ve benefited from.
For example: Sharing a
story about a time when
you weren’t congruent
with your values and have
regrets is a great way of
demonstrating, ironically,
how important those values
are to you. They show
a great level of self-
awareness and confidence.3
“Literal” story
A work-related story
that demonstrates a
specific capability you have.
If you’re applying for a
similar job in a similar
industry, then the majority
of your stories will be literal.
For example: You are asked
about a time you dealt with a
challenging customer. Youtell them about a time you
dealt with an angry client
during your time as a
sales assistant, a role that’s
similar to the one you’re
interviewing for now, just at
a different company.4
“Lateral” story
A personal story that
you can use to reveal
a specific value you have.
This story will show how you
align with the organisation’s
values and how you will fit
in with their culture. Lateral
stories are perhaps the most
underused stories in job
interviews but can be your
most powerful.For example: “When I was
a kid my dad took me to the
football every week. I was
smaller than everyone else so
could barely see the action.
One week I brought an old
milk crate to stand on. I was
finally above everyone else
and could watch the match.
Next time I noticed a few
other people had their own
milk crates. Within a few
months nearly everyone
had a milk crate and I was
back to square one. This
experience instilled in me at
a young age the need to be
constantly on the lookout for
how we can improve to keep
a competitive advantage.”marieclaire.com.au 233MICHAEL NAUMOFF