Reverse Engineering Your Career Story

Aug 31, 2022

Whether you're up for a promotion or considering looking for a new job altogether, the ability to concisely tell the story of your career in a way that highlights the expert that you are is more important now than ever before. On this episode of The Digital Enterprise Society podcast, Thom Singer teams up with Dr. Janel Anderson, prior college professor and communication, leadership and technology expert, for a conversation about your career story- what it is, what it isn’t and how you can perfect it today. 

 

On today’s podcast, you will learn:

 

Why is your career story so important?

• The minor details of your career story aren’t that interesting. 
• Stay focused on what you want your listener to learn about you the most. 
• A resume is not an adequate replacement for your career story. 
• A resume can’t carry your message nearly as well as your career story. 

 

The four steps to preparing your career story

• Think about the dramatic highlights that have moved your career forward. 
• Identify the moment that launched you into your career. 
• Think about the backstory- how much of it really needs to be included in your story?
• Define the resolution to dramatic highlights that have led you to this moment. 
• Once you’ve defined these four points, reorganize them into your career story — first, backstory; second, launch story; next, the dramatic highlights; and finally, the resolution. 
• Dedicate time to crafting each step while leaving space in between each one. 

 

How much is too much information?

• Consider your audience — what aspect of your career story will interest them most?
• Different audiences will benefit from different variations of your story. 
• Ask questions to clarify what your audience really needs to hear. 

 

Mistakes people make when talking about themselves

• The elevator pitch does not substitute for your career story, but it can be the bumper sticker version of it. 
• Don’t go too far back in time — no one wants to hear about your junior high hobbies unless they are a junior high teacher. 
• Consider the most compelling and dramatic elements of your career story and focus on those instead. 
• Don’t forget to practice your story in advance!
• Ask for professional feedback from someone that has insights into your actual career (most likely not your partner or roommate). 

 

Continue the conversation with us within the Digital Enterprise Society Community at DigitalEnterpriseSociety.org.

 

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