Working Conversations Episode 1:

Telling Your Career Story

Everyone has a story to tell.

Your career story is certainly one of the most asked (and answered) questions in your life. You name it — from job interviews to meeting someone new, sometimes even to those you know well, or your kids or their friends.

But hey, I understand that not everyone is confident enough to share their story. Your story might seem like it has a bunch of twists and turns and things don’t hang together.

So in this episode, I’ll walk you through the step-by-step formula in crafting your career story and I will use my own career story as an example.

Starting from setting a plot that’s going to move along following some sort of logical sequence, so it sounds like it makes absolute sense, to an end that comes together and ties up any loose ends, it’s all by design.  And you will show up more confident with why and where you are in your career right now.  

Knowing and applying these keys will help you craft your own career story so it becomes engaging, powerful, masterful, and holds together in a compelling way.

Ready? I encourage you to start crafting your own career story by listening to this episode or head on to workingconversations.com for more new ideas and research about trends in leadership, business communication, and organizational life.

HERE ARE THE STEPS WE’RE GOING TO DIG INTO:

Step 1: Start with the backstory.

Step 2: Tell the launch story. 

Step 3: Include any dramatic/interesting moments that move the story forward.  

Step 4: The resolution. Dramatic and interesting moments lead us to where you are now and it EXACTLY makes sense! 

Here are the notable roles and organizations I’ve been part of, mentioned in the episode:

Boston University – where I studied as an undergraduate

Emerson College – where I completed my Master of Science

Purdue University – where I completed my PhD

Notify MD – what that start up I worked for eventually morphed into

University of Minnesota – My first faculty role (I’m still on a board of directors with my former department)

University of St. Thomas – not mentioned in this version of the story, but part of the story nonetheless

Thomson Reuters – corporate job before becoming an entrepreneur

JanelAnderson.com – learn even more about me on this timeline, including my philosophy on work and life