Storytelling Tips for Job Interviews

Storytelling is one of the most powerful tools you can use in a job interview. It helps you give clear, specific and structured answers, and it showcases your communication skills — something every employer looks for. Here’s how to refine your storytelling so your interview answers hit the mark every time.

Prepare Early — Not the Night Before

Start preparing your stories as soon as you submit your application. Interviewers will expect you to speak confidently about your experience, and the best way to do that is to plan ahead.

Review the job advertisement and note the key selection criteria. These criteria will become the backbone of your stories. Reflect on past roles, projects and challenges where you made an impact, then use the STAR framework (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to map them out.

You should aim for a minimum of six stories if you’re a mid-career professional. Senior leaders may need more. If you’re early in your career and short on professional experience, you can still draw on academic projects, volunteer work or personal achievements.

Adapt Your Story to the Audience

Not every interviewer has the same background. A technical manager will want more detail about tools, systems and methodologies. A non-technical manager will want outcomes, clarity and plain language.

Use body language and facial cues to check whether the panel is engaged. In group interviews, speak to the entire panel, not just the person who asked the question.

Provide Clear Context

Never assume interviewers have memorised your CV. Even if one panel member knows your background, another might not. Your stories must give enough context so anyone listening can understand the situation immediately.

Instead of saying:
“In my last role, we worked on a project…”

Say:
“At ANZ Bank, where I was a Project Manager in the Finance Transformation programme, I led a project where the offshore team…”

Clear context ensures your story makes sense — and makes impact.

Leave Room for the Interviewer to Go Deeper

Keep your STAR stories to around two to three minutes. Your first objective is to give a high-level, structured overview that answers the question. Once you’ve finished, you can guide the conversation forward with questions such as:

• “Would you like me to go into more detail about the action steps?”
• “Did that answer your question clearly?”
• “Would you like more information on how I achieved that outcome?”

This keeps the interview conversational and gives you a second chance to expand if needed.

Watch the Clock

Long, rambling stories lose impact — and lose the panel’s attention. Think of your interview like a presentation. Every minute counts. The STAR method helps you stay on track and avoid unnecessary detail.

If you can’t explain a story in two to three minutes, refine it until you can.

Practise — and Then Practise Some More

Storytelling is a skill you can sharpen. Practise saying your stories out loud. Time yourself. Record yourself if needed. If you want in-depth feedback, take part in a mock interview with a career coach — it’s one of the fastest ways to improve.

Alongside strong storytelling, remember the basics of interview etiquette: arrive early, present yourself professionally, maintain eye contact, smile, and speak with confidence.

Master these elements, and you’ll tell stories that not only answer the question but also leave a lasting impression.