Telling your Career story

Do you know how to tell a compelling story about your Career?
 
Over the past months, I have been interviewing for a new role at my company. Going through the process, I had the opportunity to tell my Career story to a new set of people I networked or interviewed with. Sharing my story has been something I had struggled with in the past but have been learning to do over the past two years since I launched my blog.
 
In this post, we will explore the benefits of telling your career story, some aspects you can include to make it a compelling story and five steps to create your own career story today.
 
Why is it important to have and share your Career story?

• Helps you introduce yourself in interviews and when you meet people for the first time.
• Helps people get to know you better through your lens.
• Provides you with the opportunity to share lessons and motivate others.
  
• Helps people connect with you professionally especially through similar experiences.
• Reminds you of how amazing you are : )

 
What can you include in your Career story?
Some components of a great career story are

• Your qualifications - degrees, certifications, trainings.
• Success Stories - accomplishments, awards.
• Challenges you faced - lowlights, areas of improvement.
• Your passions - topics that excite you, work you do outside work.
• Your unique selling point – traits or experiences that make you different from others.

 
How to prepare yourself to tell your story
 
Step 1: Take stock of your career
Take time to reflect on your career. Think about some of the accomplishments you have had, situations where you overcame challenges, skills you gathered, and your unique selling points.  This activity may take a while and feel painful. However, the reward will be worth it.
 
MC's Tip: Do some research and see how other people tell their career stories.
 
Step 2: Write it down
Writing down your career story brings it to life.  Remember, at this point, it is more important to write down your first thoughts. Your story will be refined and tweaked in the next steps. The best stories are honest and authentic.
 
MC's Tip: Get your raw thoughts on paper. Don't edit yourself.
 
Step 3: Gather feedback
As part of the process of perfecting your story, it's crucial to test it by sharing with people around you. Select a few people who know you very well and others who know some of your work to get their feedback.
 
MC's Tip: Practicing with real people will give you additional data points to make your story better.
 
Step 4: Share it with everyone
A story gets better as you share it with more people. Be prepared to share your story at any time with people you meet at networking events, interviews, mentors, or sponsors. When people hear a compelling story, they never forget it.   
 
MC's Tip: Take every opportunity you get to share your story.
 
Step 5: Tweak and update
As you share your story, you will recognize areas that people find exciting and what you can improve. Take the time to evaluate the quality of your story and make it better. Success is when you can convey the aspects of your story that you want to share, and people are resonating with your story.
 
MC's Tip: Continuously craft and improve your story. It's an ongoing process.
 
Call to Action
What have been some highlights in your career? Highlight your accomplishments.
What are some unique aspects of your career so far? Highlight your unique selling points.
 
Final Thoughts

• Own your narrative - tell the story you want people to remember
• Be bold - share your story with everyone.
• You have a unique story to tell that no one else can!

 
Great Resources

• 7 Elements of a Juicy Career Story
• The Right Way To Tell Your Career Story
• Stop Rambling! How to Tell a Concise, Compelling Career Story in an Interview
• 7 Candid Career Stories That'll Motivate You to Kick Ass in 2018
• The Key to Career Growth: Surround Yourself with People Who Will Push You
• Make Your Career a Success by Your Own Measure