How can you use storytelling to make your interview answers more engaging?

1 What is storytelling and why is it important?

Storytelling is an art form that uses narratives, anecdotes, and examples to communicate a message, illustrate a point, or share a lesson. When it comes to interviews, storytelling can make your answers more engaging by displaying your passion and enthusiasm for the role and company. It can also be used to highlight your achievements and challenges in a relevant and relatable way, as well as showcase your skills and competencies in action. Storytelling helps provide evidence and context for your claims and statements, creating a positive impression and rapport with your interviewer.

2 How to choose the right stories for your interview

Prior to an interview, it is important to choose stories that are relevant, specific, and concise. To do this, you should research the company and role, review your resume, and think of examples from your previous work or education that demonstrate the skills and qualities sought. When selecting stories, make sure they are recent, realistic, and have a clear beginning, middle, and end. Additionally, ensure the stories are not too long, personal, negative, or vague.

3 How to structure your stories using the STAR method

Once you have chosen your stories, you need to structure them in a way that is clear, coherent, and compelling. A simple and effective way to do that is the STAR method: Situation, Task, Action, and Result. Describe the context and background of the story in the Situation section, explain the goal or challenge you faced in the Task section, describe the steps you took to achieve the goal or overcome the challenge in the Action section, and highlight the outcome and impact of your action, as well as what you learned from the experience in the Result section. Using this method can help you organize your thoughts, focus on key details, and avoid rambling or digressing.

4 How to deliver your stories with confidence and clarity

Delivering your stories effectively can have a major impact on how they are received by your interviewer. To ensure your stories come across with confidence and clarity, practice them out loud beforehand and use a confident and friendly tone of voice without filler words. Utilize body language and gestures to emphasize your points and demonstrate your enthusiasm, as well as descriptive language and sensory details to make your stories more vivid. Additionally, be prepared to adapt your stories to the questions and the situation, elaborating or summarizing as needed.