The Voice of Job Seekers

Mark Anthony Dyson ★ Career Writer ★ Speaker ★ Thinker ★ Award-winning Blog & Podcast! ★ "The Job Scam Report" on Substack! ★ I hack and reimagine the modern job search!

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How To Make Your Career Journey Into a Storytelling Guide

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I invite you to join our live stream event as Judith Humphrey and me as we discuss her new book, “The Job Seeker’s Script: Tell Your Story and Land Your Dream Position.” Her book is a Fast Company publication to be released this week.

In 2021, I discovered Judith through Twitter (@Judith_Humphrey) and found her book, “Impromptu,” and her Fast Company column. I read “Impromptu” and reshaped my thinking about speaking and media presentations and preparation. It was a game-changer for me in every way. I wrote Judith in April 2022 and told her, ” I look forward to creating cleaner and crisper commentary in speaking and writing.” That’s when she told me she was writing her current book.

Since reading “The Job Seeker’s Script,” I wanted to share her work on my show. I’ve said for years excellent interviewing skills come down to presentation.

Many will think “scripting” as similar to set dialogue, as she will explain, will serve as an excellent framework for various phases of your job search and career journey.

Consider these scenarios: Elevator pitches conversations with colleagues answering, “What do you do for a living?” Responding to “Tell me about yourself.”

I am offering this show as a strong recommendation for the book if you want to be prepared for job interviews in and out of season.

Enjoy the show. Let me know what you think.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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How To Infuse Your Career and Life with Empowering Options

How To Infuse Your Career and Life with Empowering Options
The first fundamental step to infuse your career with a surge of career options is good work. Taking control of your career not only requires strategic branding but also means making your work visible. Framing success for any employer, recruiter, or network is challenging without good work. You make a case to your next employer by what you accomplish.
Your work is the only evidence to say you did the job well. If you want options, there is work to do, and it takes more than just a “to-do list.” You can apply my suggestions below to infuse your career and life to attract options when it’s time to make the next career move:

  1. Infuse Your Career with Critical Thinking to Confront Complex Problems

Find solutions to complex problems and build processes to solve them. If you can be the one to train others to solve the problem, they’ll call you an expert. Correct answers make it easier for your coworkers, who depend on you to solve many other issues. In my conversation with Bethany Wallace a few months ago, she said being open-minded and “… always looking for the solution, always trying to check yourself against what you currently think to ensure that it’s even accurate.”
Instead of running from complexity, embrace the opportunities for solutions and what they will do for your team, job, and career. If you want a significant impact and a great reward, embrace and solve complex business problems. Find seams to make them easier to understand and more straightforward to solve.

  1. Infuse Your Career with Resilience to Handle the Difficult Person

    via GIPHY

There are opportunities to be the hero, but it will cost you pride, a little dignity, and time. It’s an accomplishment when you calm a disgruntled person. If you can show others the method to your madness, they won’t send their problem children to you.
Before I got into management, I embraced the role of handling demanding clients and members. I was great at listening with empathy and tempering their frustration. My team appreciated it as much as my bosses did. I wasn’t perfect at it, but embracing the challenge bought me respect from the team and the organization. Respect and tact were noticed and rewarded in my performance reviews.

  1. Infuse Your Career with Learning, Then Conduct The Training

Training is an implicit prerequisite to leadership. When you can break down concepts to explain analogies, anecdotes, and stories (even with humor), your career will reshape in value and add value to your brand.
I understand most people don’t want to train, but the person who can grow leadership from training brings an audience with them. They’ve mastered finding answers and facilitating them in a positively authoritative way.

  1. Infuse Your Career with Personality

Let’s say it all together: Companies cannot train character (or personality). I say it often because it is the common denominator in every networking, interviewing, and revealing of your superpowers to the world. People don’t forget others who make them think, laugh, reminisce, acquiesce, act, or react. 

  1. Infuse Your Career with Permission to Promote Yourself

People are afraid of the label “expert.” But you don’t have ever to call yourself an “expert.” These days it is necessary to put on your marquee accomplishments or notoriety. It is the only way employers will gain interest in your uniqueness and your value offerings.
Your career has many small victories to frame as success you may not have acknowledged. While it helps to have others encourage you to see achievements, you must be the main one to lead with them. Ideally, you want to gather around you people who will fan the flames of what makes you great. You’ll probably see your future differently.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

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This Is Why Informative And Strategic Storytelling Gets The Job

This Is Why Informative And Strategic Storytelling Gets The Job

This Is Why Informative And Strategic Storytelling Gets The Job by Mark Anthony Dyson

Zanie (not her real name) was 19 when I interviewed her for a customer service position. The most refreshing thing about Zanie was how measured and tactical she appeared during the interview. Her readiness, eye contact, and directness immediately impressed my boss and I.

We were wowed before the interview even began because of how well Zanie communicated over the phone. Her phone manners convinced HR to send her over to us immediately.

“She is everything described in the job post,” the HR rep told us.

Zanie’s performance became a benchmark for how candidates should perform during the interview process – especially when using narratives to answer our questions, provide proof of her abilities, and temper our doubts.

Stories are how we prove our value to those we don’t know. People personally connect with us through the stories we tell about ourselves. If you capture the imagination of the interviewers with a good yarn, you can capture their hearts, interest, and, hopefully, a job offer.

Mac Prichard, founder of Mac’s List and author of Land Your Dream Job Anywhere, knows how important it is for job seekers to connect with employers through stories.

“Having a great story that appeals to the people you want to motivate and take action can make an enormous difference,” he says.

For job seekers who want to create narratives like Zanie did, here are a few things to keep in mind:

1. The Connection Is Critical

People remember what makes them laugh, cry, and empathize. Zanie effectively weaved emotion in her examples – e.g., “I was afraid at first to speak up. I decided it was better if I did.” Not only did this humanize Zanie, but it drew me into her stories.

2. Investigate Challenges

“Job seekers need to understand the employer’s challenges and problems, and through effective communication, they need to show how they can help solve those problems,” Prichard says.

Each of Zanie’s questions and answers during our interview proved well thought out and strategic. For example, she asked us how difficult callers were handled, and she shared an experience of hers where escalation procedures had broken down. We put Zanie’s concern to rest by explaining our processes and our success with complaints.

3. There Are Times To Replace the Data With a Tale

“Once you reach the interview, the facts matter,” Prichard says. “Your application, resume, and cover letter made the data case by showing your qualifications for the job.”

While data is essential, showing how it applies and impacts can be done through storytelling.

While Zanie came prepared with call reports and performance reviews, she focused on describing situations where her numbers made an impact rather than on the numbers themselves.  These examples were more valuable than any data she could have shared.

4. The Power of the Plot Places You

You can only persuade an employer to imagine you in their open position if you share stories that help them envision you in the role.

“The interview is to find out what the employer’s needs are and to show them you’re the right person [to meet those needs,” Prichard says. “Nothing beats storytelling to accomplish those goals.”

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When Zanie worked on my team, she was often more bashful than in the interview, but she always smiled and stepped up when the moment presented itself.

Seizing the moment – isn’t that what a successful interview requires? You have to take your chance to show your value to the organization. Your thoughtful and relevant stories can place you in the open seat.

This article was originally published on Recruiter.com and Fox Business!

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.