The “Prep Talk” (1): Writing Your Story Through Intentional Reflection
You’ve heard of the pep talk, but do you know about the “Prep Talk”? This upcoming series of posts that I have dubbed “The Prep Talk” are dedicated to discussing and walking you through the personal, mental and professional preparation that you need to do in the first stages of your job search. Your job search is a process and it requires a plan. The best plans offer solid foundation that you can go back to when things get hectic, when you lose focus or when your stress and anxiety about the process are starting to take lead in your decision-making.
The prep work that you do now will help you to feel more confident as you put together your materials for the jobs you apply for, when you are in an interview setting or when you are considering if you want to accept an offer you have just received.
This first “Prep Talk” will focus on three things, your story, why it matters and the role of intentional reflection.
What’s Your Story?
Your identities, live experiences, values and background have shaped your perspectives and view of the world around you. They are also interwoven into your strengths and your passion for the work you do. They are the building blocks of your story and the reason why you are pursuing a career in this field. In his book “Start with Why,” Simon Sinek talks about the importance of identifying your why and then building your what and how from there.
“Start with why. People don’t buy what you do: they buy why you do it.”—Simon Sinek
Your story, in its many forms, is the opportunity for you to communicate your why and its importance to the way you approach your work. Your story matters. Taking the time to write out, refine and practice telling your story will equip you the confidence you need to effectively communicate during an interview. What do you want someone you interview to remember about you? How do you want to connect your personal and professional identities?
Why Does Your Story Matter?
You are about to enter a job market with hundreds, if not thousands, of your peers who have some of the same skill and knowledge that you do. You are all hoping to find that one amazing job that will give you the opportunity to serve, support and advocate for student needs or to build, create and refine processes to improve systems or maybe a bit of both. The thing that makes all of you unique is the reason why you are choosing to enter your field.
Hand fulls of you may have had similar experiences of a mentor, staff or faculty member or peer reaching out and changing the trajectory of you higher education journey. Others may have had transformational involvement experiences in their undergraduate or graduate years. Others still may have experienced or observed the gap in support or representation within an area or field in higher education. Your processing and interpretation of these experiences through the lens of your identities, lived experiences, values and background create the unique and complex story of who you are. The way that you articulate that story may be just what an employer connects with and is looking for. Your perspective, skillset and expertise may be what an office needs to accomplish their goals.
As you go into your job search you need to remember that storytelling is your job from start to finish. We will talk more in future posts about the many ways that you engage in storytelling throughout your job search.
Taking Time for Intentional Reflection
What do I mean by intentional reflection? I mean directed and focused time spent, thinking about, processing and writing about a selected topic, question or issue. Intentional reflection time should be integrated throughout your job search process, before you look at a position description (check out my post 3 Things To Do BEFORE You Look at a Job Listing), before and after an interview and before you accept a position. It is a tool that can help you to make sure that you remain connected to your story and your “why” as you participate in multiple interviews with different institutions with their own unique needs.
Reflection Time! Open up your Search Better Workboook. If you have not already downloaded the free workbook, Search Better: A Reflective Road Map to Your Job Search, click the button below to get started.
Once you have your workbook, go to chapter 1 and work your way through the first three reflective activities—Who Are You? What’s Your Why? and What’s Your Story?—until you get to page 12. Do this at your own pace and don’t rush. Take whatever time you need to collect your thoughts and start writing out your responses to the prompts. When you feel like you have come to a good stopping point, step away and take a break. Come back to it when you are ready with fresh eyes and continue working on and refining your story. When you are feeling good about what you have, continue going through the workbook. Be back next week for the next post in the “Prep Talk” series.
