Written by: Megan Gamble, PMP
Do you want to know how to convey your Career Story and connect with your interviewer? If you answered “yes” then, this is for you!
Overview
In these unprecedented times due to the pandemic, countless professionals are seeking new employment, looking to grow within their existing company, or want to transition into a new career industry/role. To help professionals in the beginning of 2021, Ryland Leyton delivered an engaging presentation, sharing key tips and techniques, on how to connect with your interviewer by developing your career story using STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Results) answers.
In order to develop a strong career story, there are four important areas to evaluate: What you love, what you are good at, what you can be paid for, and what the world needs. At the intersection of these four areas, your “Awesomeness” is representative of your skillset and expertise to convey during your interview. Focus on your truths, passions, strengths, and how your path has prepared you to be here making you the right person for the job. Your career story should be between 5-10 minutes in an interview.
It’s important to understand the types of interviewers/interview. While interviewing is negatively perceived as intimidating, try being approachable, interesting, positive and consider the interview as a collaborative engagement, not adversarial. Leyton recommended to have 3-5 STAR answers prepared and practiced for any interview. Several examples shared during the presentation on the types of STAR responses focused on: Collaboration, Leadership and Problem Solving.
Takeaways
- Three parts of your toolkit: Resume (creates interest), Career Story (hooks them for more), and STAR Answers (supports validity in resume)
- Your career story should be between 5-10 minutes in an interview.
- Your STAR answers should take between 3-5 minutes in an interview.
- Practice your career story and STAR answers with a friend, colleague or mentor
- Be approachable, interesting, positive and consider the interview as a collaborative engagement.
Next Event
Join us at the next PMI Atlanta Agile Forum on Tuesday, February 16th, 2021
Keynote Presentation: "Project Management in Agile" presented by Leon Sabarsky, Healthy Agile / CEO
About PMI
Atlanta Chapter serves Project Management Community in Metro Atlanta, and we're an active resource to corporations, community and government agencies throughout north Georgia. With over 5,000 members, PMI Atlanta is among the top 5 chapters in the world. Our professional expertise span across industries; we’re the professionals building healthcare information technology systems, the engineers developing smarter public transportation, and the planners growing our communities more efficiently.