Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling to Get Jobs and Propel Your Career (Paperback)

~ Katharine Hansen (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Review

"Hansen's passion for applying storytelling to the job search is apparent on every page. A great resource for job seekers." --Rob Sullivan, author, Getting Your Foot in the Door When You Don't Have a Leg to Stand On

Review

"Transforms an interview stumbling block into a natural opportunity to share experiences that help others understand your passions and strengths."

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 208 pages
• Publisher: Jist Works (April 1, 2009)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1593576706
• ISBN-13: 978-1593576707
• Product Dimensions: 9.1 x 6 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (4 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #161,086 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

  Popular in this category: (What's this?)

  #74 in

  Books > Business & Investing > Job Hunting & Careers > Interviewing

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Must read for job seekers, May 20, 2009

By	Steve Krizman (Denver, CO USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

In her new book Tell Me About Yourself, Katharine Hansen provides actionable advice for incorporating storytelling in cover letters, resumes, job interviews, and conversations with the boss. As someone who is on the hiring end of the equation, I can vouch for the effectiveness of strategic storytelling (see my posts, What I look for in resumes and What I look for in cover letters).

Katharine, who writes my favorite blog on applied storytelling, interviewed job seekers and studied reams of resumes while earning her doctorate. She supplies step-by-step story construction tips and illustrates her points with actual resumes and cover letters gathered in her research.

She clearly did an exhaustive literature search to gather a wide range of expert opinion on the subject. My only criticism is that Katharine could have synthesized the academic literature a bit more and taken a few risks by providing her own opinion.

Katherine puts the issue well for all of us, whether we are in the job market or are building our careers where we are: We should carefully nurture our own personal brand. And we know the best brands are those that evoke intrigue and emotion through the story that they tell.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent information, advice, stories for job seekers, January 3, 2010

By	Miriam Salpeter "Keppie Careers" - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

"So, tell me about yourself?"

Is that not the most obvious interview question? The one that every job seeker should anticipate and prepare to answer? Unfortunately, it may seem so obvious, many don't spend the time they should focusing on how to answer it.

In fact, most aspects of the job search rely on being able to tell your own story.

Networking (the all important elevator pitch)
Your resume - connecting your accomplishments with the employer's needs
Cover letter - another opportunity to sell your skills to a targeted employer
Portfolios - online opportunities to connect with people
Interviews - sealing the deal
On the job - to connect and advance
I highly recommend that job seekers take a look at Katharine Hansen's new book, Tell Me About Yourself: Storytelling to Get Jobs and Propel Your Career.

Her book is organized into several sections:

Part I - Career propelling story basics
Part II - Using storytelling in your job search
Part III - Continuous storytelling
Katharine explains how stories can help you get a job by demonstrating your personality, helping to make you memorable and establishing trust. People who know how to tell good stories can communicate their value proposition, which is key for job seekers and careerists.

This book helps you with every aspect of telling your story - from figuring out what the story should be through tips for how to recall stories stored in your brain! (For example, give your stories names.) It is full of samples of stories and many, many ideas that are critically useful for job seekers and all professionals.

If you're engaged in a job search - or maybe you should be - don't miss this great resource!

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars A surprisingly good book, despite the poor title, September 19, 2009

By	Tax Writer "Tax Writer" (Maui) - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

This book was surprisingly fun to read, mainly because it's full of true employee stories, which are always interesting. I think the book would have been more appropriately titled if it had something--anything--in the title about interviewing. Really, this book is about how to interview successfully and make yourself really memorable.

The book also has numerous examples of successful resumes, cover letters, bios, and other correspondence to help "sell" yourself to a prospective employer.

Here's my take:

1. The book is an excellent book on interviewing, and also how prospective employees should present/introduce themselves to employers

2. The book is more suited to people who are trying to obtain a management, supervisory, or white-collar job. The author already assumes that you know the basics, (like, don't show up in jeans and flip-flops). She assumes that you have some skills and education, so this isn't a book for someone trying to get a job waiting tables. It's geared towards working professionals.

3. The book's best points are the cover letter tips & examples, as well as the story examples, of which there are many. She also goes over how to handle a termination with dignity so you don't burn any bridges.

Overall, I think this is an excellent guide, especially for the price, which is quite reasonable for the material provided and the page count. I felt that the title was a poor choice, and maybe even a little misleading, but I don't feel that's enough of a reason to give this book less than 5 stars, considering the quality of the material.

Recommended.

The Publishing Maven