Regardless of the position you’re in and the position you’re going for, whether you’re looking to rise through the ranks or secure the position in the first place, you will likely encounter varying forms of the interview process.
You’ll face the daunting task of having to communicate the very essence of the person you are, the value you bring to an audience that is required to be skeptical.
How do you answer these questions? You tell stories.
Several years ago, I heard from a young man who was familiar with and had been casually following my work in storytelling. Matt was a fighter pilot, and when he reached out, he was making the transition from flying for the military to flying for a commercial airline. He was in the middle of the interview process.
I wasn’t aware at the time, but the process was pretty high stakes. Pilot positions are highly coveted and extremely competitive. Usually, there’s just one position and a long line of qualified applicants. To rise to the top, Matt was acutely aware he had to stand out in a way the other Tom Cruise lookalikes didn’t.