‘Storytelling for Job Interviews provides us with the skills and techniques for one of our most dreaded situations – the job interview. I wish I had this book 20 years ago!
– Paul Matthews
Communications Leader (Operations), Transport Sydney Trains
‘Within an hour of reading this book, I felt better equipped to attend an interview, conduct an interview and coach my teenage sons towards a Bradman interview performance. I lead a large team and am often interviewing candidates for senior roles. I would find it so much easier to select a candidate who follows the simple, yet powerful, guidance in this book.’
– Natalie Nunn
Asia-Pacific Talent Development Leader, Ernst & Young
‘The process outlined in this book not only helped me successfully get my most recent job, but I continue to share many of the stories in a variety of ways to connect and inspire my team. I cannot recommend it highly enough.’
– Catherine MacLeod
General Manager, Channel Development, NAB
‘This is a must read for anyone who wants to succeed at their next job interview. The ability to connect with your interviewer, show them your personality and demonstrate your capability in the role is the winning combo that will help you land your dream job.’
– Anna Abazovic
Head of Operations, Seek Learning
‘Storytelling for Job Interviews is an easy-to-read book for those seeking help with interview performance. I highly recommend it to those with experience, and also those who are starting out on their careers. The storytelling concepts allow you to put the approach into practice immediately. Learn to be yourself and stand out from everyone else in the interview crowd.’
– Jennifer Goulopoulos
Senior Product Manager, Financial Services
‘The key to nailing a great interview is telling your story. Gabrielle Dolan provides expert, practical guidance on techniques that can be used in any interview situation.’
– Ben Taylor
General Manager Corporate Affairs, Rabobank Australia and New Zealand
‘Stories are an ever-present part of our lives so it is easy to forget how powerful they can be. Gabrielle Dolan empowers job seekers to become conscious and skillful in storytelling to help them put their best selves forward in an interview.’
– Chris Green
Managing Editor, Kansas Leadership Centre
‘This book has a delightfully simple but expressive narrative that clearly explains how to best tell your story at an interview and in the first 90 days of your new role. This is a must-read for anyone just starting out or at the top of your game.’
– James Westwood-Beere
Head of Group People Strategy, Woolworths
ISBN 978-1-925442-61-8 (eBook)
Published by Vivid Publishing
P.O. Box 948, Fremantle Western Australia 6959
www.vividpublishing.com.au
eBook conversion and distribution by Fontaine Publishing Group, Australia
www.fontaine.com.au
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, or transmitted in any form or by any means, electronic, mechanical, printing, recording or otherwise, without the prior written permission of the copyright owner.
Cover design & internal layout: Ellie Schroeder www.ellieschroeder.com
Editing: Kelly Irving www.kellyirving.com
www.gabrielledolan.com
CONTENTS
About the author
Acknowledgements
Introduction
Chapter 1: From boring to Bradman
Chapter 2: Four stories to nail an interview
Literal stories
Learn stories
Lateral stories
Like stories
Chapter 3: Five steps for story success
Step 1: Define
Step 2: Find
Step 3: Match
Step 4: Construct
Step 5: Prepare
Chapter 4: What’s your greatest weakness?
Chapter 5: The critical first 90 days in your new role
Chapter 6: Where to next?
Let’s connect
Other products by Gabrielle Dolan
ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Gabrielle Dolan is a global thought leader in storytelling and business communication.
She’s worked with thousands of high-profile leaders from across Australia and the world, helping them to become better leaders and communicators using the art of business storytelling. Gabrielle is a highly sought-after international mentor and keynote speaker on these topics.
Gabrielle has worked as an independent business management consultant and has held various senior leadership roles in change management and learning and development for the National Australia Bank. She successfully co-founded One Thousand & One, one of Australia’s leading storytelling companies, before launching her own practice in 2013.
She is a graduate of the Harvard Kennedy School of Executive Education in the Art and Practice of Leadership Development program. Her other academic qualifications include a master’s degree in Management and Leadership from Swinburne University and an associate diploma in Education and Training from the University of Melbourne.
In 2015 Gabrielle became an Australian and New Zealand Partner of Thought Leaders Global, where she works with organisations to help them gain a competitive edge through thought leadership. In the same year, she was also nominated for Telstra’s Business Woman of the Year award.
Gabrielle is a best-selling author of Ignite: Real Leadership, Real Talk, Real Results and Hooked: How Leaders Connect, Engage and Inspire with Storytelling. This is her third book.
When she is not writing or working, she can be found wandering in her vegetable garden at her 25-acre rural property on the southern coast of New South Wales. She believes the world would be a better place if there was less manure in business and more manure in gardens.
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
I would like to thank the many people who have sought my counsel on using storytelling in job interviews. It’s those conversations that gave me the confidence to write this book.
A big thanks goes to my editor and project manager Kelly Irving for helping me shape my thoughts. As usual this book would not be anywhere near as good without her passion and professionalism.
To the tribe at Thought Leaders Global – thank you for the ongoing support and encouragement to keep playing the game.
Thanks always to Peter Cook for enhancing my models with direction, palette and accuracy.
A special thank you to Elise Turner, my friend and executive manager, who designed all the models in this book, undertook the initial edits and generally just makes my life easier.
Massive thanks to my family – Steve, Alex and Jess – for allowing me the space to write and, as usual, letting me share their stories.
Finally to Mum and Dad, who always encouraged me to be the best I could.