Tell your story with confidence! What’s important to you and what fuels your career development? Once you have the answers, the challenge is to effectively communicate it out to the world so you can connect to the right opportunities and people. There are resources on campus to help you with this challenging task!
Writing, writing, writing
Sharpening your writing skills in general allows you to show off your story in a creative and clear way – whether that’s in a cover letter, on your LinkedIn, or in an email. You can use the McGill Writing Centre to help you. Try the tutorial service if you haven’t already, or take a look at the Professional Writing in Business course in Fall 2019.
Think of your CV as a story
Look at your CV from storytelling perspective. Remember, you’re writing for an audience! A good story has conflict and triumph. Show when you’ve overcome barriers and challenges. What main themes pop out from your experiences? It’s not always easy to put a personal spin on a business document, but this guide from Forbes will help you shape your CV into a story gem.
Use social media to your advantage
Did you know the library can help you build a cohesive identity online? In your personal and professional life, it’s important to present what truly reflects who you are. You can contact the subject librarian and take a look at the resources in the Tell Your Own Story subject guide.
Don’t forget about verbal storytelling
In an interview scenario, you’ll need memorable and entertaining anecdotes to be remembered. Often interviewers will ask the dreaded question: “Tell me about yourself!” If you struggle with crafting an engaging response on the fly, prepare and rehearse answers in advance. Try writing it out first then read it out loud for an audience for feedback. Book the conference room for an interview setting.
Here are some tips for some common interview questions that require storytelling finesse!