How your unique story can get you hired The Way We Work a TED series
Transcriber: TED Translators Admin
Reviewer: Ivana Korom
You’re sitting at your computer,
about to apply for your dream job,
but then thoughts
start to go through your head
that this is a waste of your time.
Maybe you’re thinking,
“My parents didn’t go to college,”
or “I have a learning disability.”
“When I went on their website
and I looked at the folks
in the most senior level roles,
I didn’t see anyone who represented
my race or my gender.”
“There’s just no way
I’m going to get this job.”
So you don’t even submit the application.
But I’m here to tell you
that your self-doubt
about your experiences can be the key
to driving your career success.
[The Way We Work]
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Most of us experience self-doubt
at high-stakes moments,
especially if they’re people of color,
first generation college student,
or they don’t have
a traditional background,
so they don’t fit “the mold.”
If that’s you, you’re
a part of my community.
What I’ve realized is
that these experiences
that seem like a liability
are actually your
differentiating strength.
The secret is to transform
how you perceive your own story.
Even if you’ve been
on an untraditional path,
you’ve accrued some skills over time
that are really valuable in the workforce.
Your task is to identify those
experiences and trumpet them,
because it’s likely that story,
that is your ticket to a great job.
I know this, because I had
my own self-doubts
that I had to overcome.
I didn’t have top-notch
internships in college.
I also wasn’t an extraordinary student.
By the time graduation came around,
I was definitely the thank you, laude,
versus the cum laude.
What I didn’t realize
was that I was really good
at connecting with people,
and now as a talent nerd and a CEO,
I’ve watched thousands of graduates,
who actually had a lot
of self-doubts, overcome those
and accomplish goals
they never thought were imaginable,
and here’s how.
Ask yourself two questions.
The first is, why do you want
to do this work?
Maybe you already know
the kind of job or work environment
that makes you happy,
or maybe you haven’t quite
figured that out yet.
Usually, your personal experiences
can help give you clues.
For example, did your
grandmother do manual labor,
and it made you really worry
that she didn’t get access
to high quality healthcare?
Did your brother
have to overcome his dyslexia,
and you helped him with his reading?
And so, you became really
attuned to education policy.
When you’re in an interview,
go ahead and talk about them,
because it will show your passion
and your dedication to the work.
One young person I know, Dylan,
was not sharing his personal story
about filling out immigration
papers for his parents
when he was younger.
Often when he told it,
people would think that his parents
weren’t sophisticated.
Dylan realized that he needed
to harness the power
of that incredible story,
along with his academic talents.
He told it in a way,
when he was applying to law school,
that made it clear why he wanted
to go into advocacy law.
He is now in his third year
at Georgetown Law.
The second question
you have to ask yourself is,
how can I share my story
to showcase the unique strengths
I will bring to the work?
For example, did you have
to work multiple jobs
while you were in college
that did not at all align
with your major?
That shows an employer
that you have time management skills
and a strong work ethic.
Did you need to drop out of college
because one of your parents was sick?
Fill in the gap,
talk about how you administered
their treatment plan.
Talk about how you had to work
around their complex schedules.
That shows that you’re thoughtful,
that you’re compassionate,
and you know what,
that is what makes a great teammate.
Reframing the hardship in your story
can remake your confidence
over and over again,
but it takes time.
It’s like running a marathon.
You have to train and practice.
Go back and reflect
on those tough questions
that you need to answer.
The answers are what makes you you,
and I have to tell you,
when you learn to practice that story,
tell it with conviction.
I am sure that the hiring manager
is going to hear the strength in it too.