Human beings have an innate fascination with storytelling.  Starting early in life, parents captivate their young children with bedtime stories.

Storytelling has evolved into much more than tales told in children’s books. It can be an integral part of an organization’s content strategy, and it can help individuals position themselves for workplace success.

What is Business Storytelling?

Storytelling has emerged as a prominent trend in the business world as organizations look to enhance brand awareness and loyalty by telling compelling stories about their products and services.

 Television commercials often use a story angle to position products and services, and companies tap the electronic media with the hope of going viral as part of their content marketing strategy. 

Storytelling and Branding

Storytelling has become an important component of building a personal branding strategy as workers attempt to stand out in the employment market.   Employees who develop a compelling storyline while carrying out their role with an employer have a better chance of advancing within the organization and increasing their compensation.   Storytelling can be an important part of performance appraisals, annual reports and other documentation of your work. 

Storytelling for Job Seekers

In addition, storytelling is a vital part of virtually all phases of the job search.  Workers who can relate an interesting story about their career will garner more attention and support as they carry out their networking campaigns.  

Integrating storytelling elements into resumes and cover letters can help to paint a dynamic picture of achievement and enhance the readability of documents.

 

Share Your Storytelling Skills

The key to interviewing is relating concrete examples of how you have made a difference by applying the skills and assets which your target employer is seeking.  Storytelling is the most engaging and convincing interviewing strategy to convey proof that you have been an impactful actor in the workplace. 

Even after the interview, your follow up communications will be more effective if you can tell a brief story.  Emphasize how the interview experience has spiked your interest in the job and convinced you that the position is a good match.  

Business Storytelling Skills

A - H

• Anticipating follow up questions requesting more detail about condensed story elements.

• Avoiding negative characterizations of others when relating how you made a difference.

• Balancing the inclusion of convincing details with brevity when composing stories.

• Considering all academic, volunteer and work contexts as possible story settings.

• Crafting stories with a beginning, middle and an end.

• Creating a portfolio of work products which confirms your storyline.

• Defining what would appeal to your target audience.

• Delivering stories with a confident but modest tone.

• Describing challenges you encountered.

• Emphasizing teamwork in stories and giving credit to others.

• Emphasizing your actions and the results rather than using evaluative language about yourself. Let the story imply that you were wonderful without saying you were great.

• Establishing baselines for your job scenarios.  What was the situation like before you intervened?

• Exuding excitement as you relate stories.

I - Z

• Identifying the most important or bottom line outcomes for your department. 

• Incorporating reports of recognition by bosses, clients and others into stories.

• Informing key references about your storylines so their recommendations are more likely to be in line with your themes.

• Integrating how you impacted the bottom line into your stories.

• Integrating proof of your positive storylines in your social media platforms like LinkedIn.

• Modulating your vocal tone to enhance delivery.

• Producing shorter versions of stories for situations like networking events to capture attention.

• Quantifying impact and results whenever possible.

• Rehearsing delivery of stories.

• Relating how your skills and qualities led to positive story endings.

• Researching the profile of an ideal candidate in your field.

• Utilizing the situation or challenge, action, and results to structure stories.

Skills Lists: Employment Skills Listed by Job | Lists of Skills for Resumes

Read More:Soft vs. Hard Skills | How to Include Keywords in Your Resume | List of Keywords for Resumes and Cover Letters | Skills and Abilities