How can you use storytelling to enhance your personal brand when changing careers?

Identify your core stories. What stories best illustrate your strengths, values, and achievements? You will want to share these stories with potential employers and clients. Structure your stories effectively. A good story has a clear beginning, middle, and end. It should also be concise and engaging. Tailor your stories to your audience. When sharing your stories, ensure that you are tailoring them to your audience's specific needs and interests. Practice your stories. The more you practice your stories, the more confident you will tell them. This will help you to make a more impactful impression on your audience.

Storytelling is important tool in communicating your message to others. When showcasing your personal brand, storytelling plays a pivotal role to make others relate to your story. I always coach my clients to use storytelling during the interview especially to those who have a career break or making career change. When you tell your story on career change, you can consider including these points - what makes you change to a new career, how you can leverage your previous experience to a new career, what skillsets that you bring to your new career, what kind of value that you can bring to the organization that you are interviewing for. Understanding your audience, crafting your key message, and choice of words are important in storytelling.

Lead with your story, not your history when changing careers. There will always be other, more qualified and experienced candidates in the new career you are venturing into. What makes you stand out is your story. Why are you choosing this new career path? Link it to your motivation, purpose, values, strengths, skills and achievements. Create a story that resonates with the company's purpose, goals and values. Showcase proof of work and give them an incentive to hire you. 80% of my clients come to me for career change, to craft an unforgettable answer to this inevitable question: "What’s your story, and why are you seeking to make this change?”

By crafting a narrative that highlights the journey from your previous career to your desired path, you can engage your audience emotionally and authentically. Share anecdotes that underscore pivotal moments, challenges overcome, and skills acquired. Emphasize how your unique experiences and perspective bring added value to your new career. A well-told story not only humanizes your professional transition but also establishes a relatable and memorable connection with your audience, whether they are potential employers, colleagues, or clients. Through storytelling, you can effectively communicate your passion, resilience, and the authentic reasons driving your career change, building a cohesive and compelling personal brand in the process.

Don't limit the use of the STAR method to behavioural questions (Tell me about a time when...) - You can use it also when introducing yourself or answering technical questions. The STAR method is basically a story-telling technique. Make sure you review it and practice it.