The Importance of Telling the Hero’s[1] Story

Just as the pendulum has swung back in favor of the employers, it is ever more important for candidates looking for new opportunities to hone their narrative about why they are looking and why they would be a potential “hero” in their employer’s story. Confidence and humility are ever enduring qualities of protagonists who aspire to be heroes and your story needs to elucidate those attributes.

Storytelling from a candidate’s perspective needs to be factually based but sometimes presenting just the facts isn’t enough – there needs to be context and color - and this is where the storytelling comes into play. Especially in fields of tax like transfer pricing, which are close-knit and everybody knows everybody, it’s important that word-of-mouth is not the only source of your “heroic” reputation/brand.  

For example, do you have a thoughtful explanation for why you are looking for a new opportunity? Can you explain how you have exhausted all avenues of opportunity with your current team?
 
What skills have you acquired that make you ready to take the next step forward? Like a hero going on a purifying quest before the actual climatic encounter, why might you be willing to take a step backward in order to move forward?

Are you able to provide insight into your hero’s story through examples of projects that delivered value or even examples where lessons were learned? Heroes are not perfect so are you able to articulate and be honest about strengths and development areas?

Does the plot of your narrative, i.e. your career path, look chaotic or thoughtful? In the current trend toward more work/life balance are you able to demonstrate through actual behavior your commitment to the mission while still prioritizing other personal priorities and fidelities? 

These questions can, and should, be answered by the story that is being told. 
What looks like a standard bland resume or perhaps a chaotic work history with gaps can be explained and woven into a cohesive story with the help of a specialized and experienced recruiter or “guide”. Your “guide” can push you for explanations and understanding, so they can craft the story for the best reception possible.    

The story as told by the recruiter can lead the employer to recognizing that they need this “hero” to help solve their organization’s problems. The recruiter helps explain how this “hero” can carry the torch and inspire other team members to achieve their best.   

[1] “Hero” as used in this context is gender neutral.