Stories can power up your career or job search

By Laura Raines

For the AJC

Do you recall the score from the 1980 Super Bowl game? Probably not. But can you remember the commercial where the little boy gave “Mean Joe” Greene a Coke? Definitely.

That’s the power of story.

“Facts and figures are hard to remember, but stories stand out,” said Mark Satterfield, founder and CEO of Gentle Rain Marketing Inc. in Alpharetta. “Someone armed with the ability to tell a good story has an enormous business advantage over those who just spout a litany of facts and figures.”

Satterfield wrote “Unique Sales Stories: How to Get More Referrals, Differentiate Yourself From the Competition and Close More Sales Through the Power of Story" (Mandalay Press, 2010) to help his sales and small-business clients learn the process of storytelling. He discovered a second audience when readers told him they were giving it to their job-seeker friends.

“When you think about it, some of the most difficult competitive sales meetings going on today are in job interviews as candidates try to sell themselves,” he said. “With so many qualified candidates out there, telling an effective story can help you be remembered.”

Anyone can say they’re a self-starter or strong leader, but it makes a great impact to show your character by telling a story about when you showed initiative or persuaded your team to take a different strategy.

“Think about the fundamental, abstract qualities that most companies are looking for and create unique stories that would show you have those qualities,” said Satterfield.

“An effective story has to be genuine, factual and pertinent to the situation and audience,” said Henry Anthony, vice president of human resources at Rollins Inc., Atlanta-based parent of Orkin and other pest control companies. “Most people can sniff out when something doesn’t ring true. When someone tells me a personal story in response to an open-ended question, they’re opening a window into their values and what makes them tick. That impresses me.”

It also encourages Anthony to tell candidates stories about what makes his company different and how they do business.

People hire people, not resumes, said Anthony, and stories help hiring managers assess candidates for company culture and position fit.

It takes structure and practice to be an effective storyteller, Satterfield said. “A simple story starts with a problem, followed by the action you took and the solution you achieved. Don’t be afraid to tell about the options you explored and how you didn’t get it right the first time -- people can relate to that,” he said.

Savvy sales professionals practice. What seems crystal clear in your head is likely to come out rambling and pointless without preparation. “Say it out loud to hear how it sounds, so that you can improve on it,” Satterfield said.

Brian Patrick Cork, owner of Brian the Business Coach and director of the Accelerator, a Roswell-based incubator of new businesses, said that he can hear a timbre in someone’s voice when he genuinely believes in the products or services he is selling.

“I’m Italian and Irish and grew up around the dinner table listening to my family tell stories from the past and how it affects the present,” Cork said. "I’ve told stories all my life to connect with people in business and with the young people I coach in soccer and lacrosse. I learned from the best. My Nana was a master storyteller.”

A great storyteller has to be able to relate to his audience. Cork grabs his young players’ attention when he relates his own experiences on the playing field and the hard lessons he learned. They know that he’s sharing his passion and his expertise.

“You begin with the desire to be genuine,” Cork said. Take the time to become a subject matter expert on your subject, products or services. Do your research to know your client’s or prospective employer’s needs, so that you put yourself in his shoes, he added.

Make yourself the primary character, and your story will always be unique and memorable, Satterfield said. “You’re the only one who can tell that story, and you’re not likely to forget it the way you might a list of your attributes,” he said. “Knowing and practicing a good story will help you be more relaxed and confident in sales calls and interviews.”