If you aren’t experiencing the growth opportunities you’d like at your current employer, you may need to start looking elsewhere. Unfortunately, the job market right now (June 2024) is crazy competitive, and you need to stand out from the crowd.
How competitive? According the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are roughly double the number of applicants for every job opening.
So, how do you rise above everyone else? Use storytelling in job applications and interviews to create a memorable impression, highlight your skills and experiences, and secure better career opportunities.
Storytelling in Job Applications
When applying for a job, your resume and cover letter are your first opportunities to make an impression. Rather than just listing your skills and experiences, use storytelling to illustrate your achievements and demonstrate your value.
Your cover letter and resume are two very different mediums that work together for the same goal. When you write your cover letter, you need more of a narrative format:
When I took the position of leader of the project team, we faced a number of challenges in meeting deadlines for deliverables. I introduced a new project management strategy and built a collaborative team environment, so we not only met our targets but exceeded them. As a result, we improved project delivery timelines by 20% within six months.
On your resume, you use your title, making sure “project management” is part of it and use a bullet point with phrasing more like this: Improved project delivery timelines by 20% within six months with a new strategy and by creating a collaborative team environment.
Essentially, you’re saying the same thing, but a resume is meant to be a quick read of your skills and experience — a list, if you will — while your cover letter allows more of your personality to come through at the same time you highlight your relevant work experiences.
Storytelling in Interviews
Interviews are the perfect setting to use storytelling to your advantage. When answering questions, frame your responses as stories that showcase your skills, experiences, and accomplishments.
When asked about a time you faced a challenge at work, you could say, “In my previous role, we had a major project that was falling behind schedule. I took the initiative to reorganize the team’s workflow and implemented a new project management tool. As a result, we completed the project on time and within budget. Our client was pleased, and their referral lead to new customers.”
Responding this way not only answers the question but also demonstrates your initiative, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Understanding AI Parsing Systems
I’m sure it’s absolutely no surprise that companies are increasingly using AI to parse resumes and cover letters. This definitely presents a challenge if you rely on storytelling to make your applications stand out. Still, you can integrate storytelling with AI systems.
AI systems, like Applicant Tracking Systems, are designed to scan resumes and cover letters for specific keywords and phrases related to the job description. They prioritize structured data over narrative content to identify candidates who match required skills and qualifications such as education and experience.
Strategies to Integrate Storytelling with AI
While it may feel like just another hurdle to clear to even land an interview much less a job, working with AI can give you the foothold you need to land your next career move.
- Use Keywords Strategically: Make sure your storytelling incorporates relevant keywords from the job description. For example, if you’re applying for a job in project management, make sure this term appears naturally in your cover letter and resume (see examples above) about leading projects.
- Structured Format: A clear and structured format in your resume is key. Use bullet points for key achievements and roles, and integrate storytelling elements in your cover letter or summary section. This way, AI easily parses essential data (keywords) while still giving a human reader a compelling narrative.
- Quantify Achievements: When telling your stories, include quantifiable results. AI systems recognize numbers. Using the example above, “Improved project delivery timelines by 20% in six months with a new project management strategy and a collaborative team environment,” incorporates both storytelling and measurable success.
- Tailored Cover Letters: While resumes should be more structured, cover letters can be more flexible so you can include storytelling. Always tailor your cover letter to the job and include the necessary keywords. Share concise stories that highlight your fit for the role while allowing your personality and values to shine through.
- Profile and Summary Sections: Use the profile or summary section of your resume to craft a brief narrative that captures your career highlights and personal brand. This section can effectively bridge the structured resume and the storytelling elements. Use keywords here as part of your narrative.
Practical Tips
Since you’re preparing your resume and cover letter for AI, why not put AI to work to increase your chances of scheduling an interview.
Identify the most critical keywords from the job description and incorporate them into your resume and cover letter without compromising the narrative flow. Feed the job description into an AI tool like Google’s Gemini or ChatGPT to help you find those words and phrases.
Your resume should be easily scannable with bullet points and headings. Your cover letter, on the other hand, can weave a narrative that aligns with the company’s values and job requirements.
Highlight specific results and achievements within your stories to appeal to both AI systems and human readers. Use numbers as in the examples above.
Keep your resume updated, even if you aren’t planning to change companies any time soon. Use an AI tool to maintain an accurate accounting of your role and responsibilities with the aforementioned results.
Final Thoughts
Leveraging storytelling in job applications and interviews can have a significantly positive impact on your career growth. By sharing compelling narratives that highlight your skills, experiences, and achievements, you can create a memorable impression and secure better opportunities.
While AI systems certainly can pose a challenge to storytelling during your job hunt, adopting a strategic use of storytelling elements plus keywords can help you stand out. Your resume and cover letter should both be AI-friendly, giving you the opportunity to leverage storytelling to advance your career even in an AI-dominated recruitment landscape.