Stories to Prepare Before an Interview

Before any interview, you want to make sure you are prepared for success. This includes researching the company and job description so that you are able to answer the interviewer’s questions with ease. But no matter how much research you do, it’s very rare that you’ll know the exact questions the interviewer will ask. That’s why I recommend brainstorming stories that you can use in a variety of scenarios. Look at the list below, compare it with the type of job you’re interviewing for, and then think of 3-5 stories that you can share in your next interview.

Types of Stories to Prepare:
1. Origin story (Your background)
2. Leadership story (You in this position or the type of leader you want to be and why)
3. Overcoming an obstacle
4. A time you failed (Plus what you learned from it)
5. Diversity story (Not just that diversity is important but a story of you understanding the value or being involved in a specific initiative)
6. Working with a difficult boss / teammate
7. Asking for help (This shows that you analyze situations before jumping in)
8. Taking initiative or going the extra mile
9. Having to think on your feet (Can be similar to an obstacle story)
10. Proud accomplishment

An interview is a great opportunity to show off your skills. That’s why it’s important to take the time to prepare examples that show how you act and respond to different scenarios in the workplace. If you have various stories prepared, you’ll be able to have useful examples to share, no matter what specific question is asked.