Dragon-slaying stories are not solely the stuff of fairy tales or science fiction. Job interviews and resumes could use those stories too.
The CEO of Human Workplace, Liz Ryan, wrote about how one can make a unique impression during the interview process with what is called a dragon-slaying story. This is a story that talks about your experience in your previous jobs wherein you managed to solve a problem, leave a mark in your work, or make a positive difference.
Ryan used an example of an employee who had to teach herself how to use a software because her boss was on maternity leave. The experience led her to make a manual for herself and then share that manual with the rest of her coworkers.
Take note that the employee in the example encountered a problem, fixed it, and made an impact. This is the kind of story that should be written on resumes or recounted in a job interview.
This is because these dragon-slaying stories are a better measure of your skill compared to simply saying, “I’m good at this,” or “I’m the resident expert at that.” For Ryan, this is how one can express one’s skills and talents without coming off as too proud, extremely confident, or a braggart.
In addition, you will be able to set yourself apart from the other candidates who all use the same generic answers and phrases, who would come off as more robotic than human. Click here to read about how to write human-voiced resumes.
Ryan teaches us how to start our tale. Start your story by identifying the issue at hand and then relaying what you did to address it. Conclude with the end result, how your actions left a mark in the workplace, or how it created a positive effect.
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