What’s your story?
Like Mike Tyson said, "Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth." Everyone thinks they know who they are but then I ask them, "Why?" I am a firm believer that you can't be who you want to be if you don't know who you are.
Knowing your story seems intuitive but many don't, or at least they can't articulate it easily.
As a leader of sales and recruiting teams, I would always endeavor to get to know the person, not just the candidate. Anyone who has interviewed with me knows that is code for; I'm a total pain, the interview is off the rails and I ask ridiculous questions.
When talking about qualities, characteristics, and traits I would often get words like "driven", "competitive", and "team player" to which my response was, "Why?" What makes you driven, why are you competitive, what made you a team player?
I don't want to know what you are, I want to know who you are. I apply that same approach as a recruiter when I sense that someone isn't getting traction regardless of how strong their resume is.
The good news is at the end of this line of questioning, once the heart rate has come down and they've stopped questioning their very existence, is that I generally help them better understand their story. What life experiences, upbringing, and relationships, combined with who they are naturally have made them who they are today.
Positive or negative. Your relationship with your parents, your significant other, your previous bosses. Whether you were a student-athlete or had to work all through school. A pure academic, or school was a struggle. A huge extrovert or more reserved. You have a safety net or nothing to lose. IT'S ALL GOOD!
I know why I am the way I am. What traumas and triumphs have shaped me. I work every day to be the best version of me I can be although I'm not always successful. But I know the why and that knowledge is my foundation
You are amazing, trust me, but it is tough to explain to others why if you don't know yourself. Once you do, make sure you share some of that in your interview. Don't make it a therapy session but make sure the interviewer has a full picture of who you are. The more they know about you the more they'll understand why you would be great for the job.
