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When you’re in the middle of a job search, you know that your role in the process involves convincing the hiring manager that you are the best candidate for the job. Often, this means putting your powers of persuasion to the test, as you have to influence the interviewer’s perspective during the interaction.

Some people just seem to be naturally persuasive, making it easier for them to sway the minds of others into seeing things their way. For the rest of us, it is a skill that can be built, especially when you know the secret to being a persuasive person.

And just what is that secret? It’s being a great storyteller. Here’s what you need to know to improve your job search.

Why Storytelling Helps You Be More Persuasive

In the end, the key to persuasion is getting someone to see a situation through your eyes. Storytelling allows you to engage with the listener, which, in this case, would be a hiring manager, and help them connect with what you are saying. It can make basic statistics and other quantifiable information easier to relate to, as it provides needed context and imbues a sense of emotion.

While the process of telling a story during an interview still relies heavily on concrete facts, it also allows you to forge a deeper connection with the hiring manager. It also makes the content more interesting and memorable, which helps when you are trying to stand out in a sea of applicants.

How to Integrate Storytelling into Your Interview

In most cases, hiring managers try to ask open-ended questions to gain more information about your experience and background, a fact that clearly plays into your favor when it comes to injecting a story or two. To make the most of these opportunities, you need to be prepared to answer the interview questions with a story. While this sounds difficult, it doesn’t have to be.

When you are preparing for your interview, use common interview prompts (you can find many online) and practice answering them with a story. All you need to do is recall a specific example from your previous experience that applies directly to the question, and then formulate a response that includes details from that instance.

While you want to keep your responses controlled and concise, letting them know the circumstances as they played out and how they relate to the subject at hand creates much-needed context while taking them on a journey through that moment. Make sure to pepper your story with quantifiable information whenever possible and you get to create a persuasive response that allows the hiring manager to see you in the desired light.

Over time, you’ll find that storytelling becomes easier, and that skill can then be applied to other areas of your work, such as during project presentations. In the end, you’ll become a more persuasive speaker, and that’s something you can maintain throughout your life.

If you are in the middle of a job search, the team at TempStaff can connect you with leading employers throughout the area. Contact us today to see how our services can help you find your ideal position.

 

 


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