When you’re applying for a job role, the employer is looking to see how you will be a safe choice hire. This means they are looking for someone who is experienced and shows dedication to the area they are hiring for. Regardless of what job experience and education you may have under your belt, you can always find a way to weave together your story to best compliment the jobs you apply for. Read on to learn how to begin curating your job experience story.

This process is more simple than it seems. Take a look at your resume as it is a culmination of your past experiences, education, certifications, community service, organizational work, and more. Now you need to find the common thread. Look at what similar traits these experiences hold and how what you did, learned, and achieved all relate between each one. Once you have a list of these related takeaways from your past roles, you can begin crafting a story about how those things have prepared you for the position you hope to get next.

For example, you are hoping to work as an office assistant. You have experience as a teacher’s assistant and being on the officer team in FFA. You realize that both these roles taught you to be organized, take feedback from others, and work with computer files. You now have pitch ready for yourself when the employer asks why you are a good fit for the office assistant role since you can reference what you learned and how that shaped who you have become.

Once you’ve curated ideas for your job experience story, you can start preparing for delivering it at your next interview. We recommend practicing your delivery with a friend before your interview. Learn more about preparing for an interview here.