Most career advice says never tell a personal story in an interview.
I did it anyway.
Years ago, my first girlfriend broke up with me. I was really into her, so it hit hard.
I needed something to throw myself into.
So I started cycling. I entered my first race, then my second. Then I started doing triathlons, and I ended up winning two of them.
So what happened?
I told that whole story in my interview at Hitachi Data Systems.
The breakup. The bike. The races.
And I got hired.
Here’s the thing:
That story did more for me than any STAR answer ever could. In two minutes it showed them that I’d dealt with hardship, handled it, and grew something good out of it.
It showed I can do hard things. Riding 100+ miles isn’t a small feat.
It showed I’m a winner.
No “greatest weakness” answer does that.
The truth is this:
Your real story is your unfair advantage. Everyone else is giving the same sanitized, generic answers. You can be the one they remember.
If you want help finding your story and turning it into job offers, go here: