Careers Folklorists are accustomed to working with storytellers. We interview them, record their narratives, and seek to understand the role of tradition in their lives and in their communities. We are used to listening, assuming the role of student while putting a narrator in the role of expert. That approach, as critical as it is in field work, can be a disadvantage in the job search. We can do that by becoming storytellers ourselves.
Employers believe that past performance predicts future performance.
Thus in a job interview, candidates who use behavior-based answers, giving examples of how they have successfully used their skills in the past, will have an advantage over their competition. Prepare stories of how you have applied particular skills in particular situations. You should explain the problem or task that you faced, tell what you did, and describe the results of your efforts. Be sure to quantify the results whenever possible. I organized a lecture series featuring both members of the faculty and presentations by students of their work in progress.