If you like the narrative a good story line can reveal, you probably are a fan of some of the best-scripted shows on television. You don’t have to be an actor in your own drama to come up with a good story line. You do however, have to have a sense of the dramatic and be creative in how you engage your audience. It’s no different when you tell your job story. Some of you might feel that you don’t have a compelling enough story to tell. Maybe you have been in the same job for years, maybe you believe you don’t possess enough experience yet to make it worth someone’s time to listen. But knowing how to tell your job story in a way that is both authentic and compelling, helps you to position yourself for your next big career opportunity.
You may have been brought up to believe it’s not nice to brag and that modesty is the way to go whenever you are introduced to someone new or you are asked to tell them about yourself. Some of us were not trained in the art of self-promotion. I’m not suggesting you get TRUMP on anyone, but understanding how to articulate your skills, abilities and accomplishments is an important part of your job story. These are skills that should be honed just like anything else you decide is worthy to put on a resume.
It’s not so much to have a factually accurate resume or bio on hand anytime an opportunity presents itself. It is important however, to make sure your story is compelling enough to make someone want to get to know you a little better. We tend to forget what we did, thinking that our job history is best left in the past. Your accomplishments might be something you check off a list never to be referenced again. Understanding what to include in a resume is one thing, but how do you tell your story when asked to reveal a little something more about yourself? Are you shy and unassuming? Do you say it’s not important? Or, do you launch into a campaign, highlighting your stellar career accomplishments?
Most folks are uncomfortable talking about how good they are at what they are good at doing. Others, it seems can’t stop talking about how great they are and are likely to turn off a few folks in the middle of their diatribe. You don’t have to feel like you will offend if you are honest, humble and direct about your job experiences and how you can promote your accomplishments. No one is going to sing your praises quite the same but understanding that you have a breadth of knowledge and experience that needs to be shared is a crucial step in displaying confidence and self-assurance. You don’t need to have a list prepared of what you do or how you did it, but recalling a few examples of stories from your career catalogue might help you present yourself in a winning way.
Your greatest gift to others is the help and support you can provide in your work. Your greatest gift to yourself is understanding when and how to tell others how you can help them without feeling embarrassed or ashamed. You’ve got a lot to offer, find a few ways to share yourself with others without the fear of rejection.
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