If your interviews usually go well but the offers keep falling just out of reach, this episode pinpoints what’s missing. Today’s conversation explores why strong qualifications and polished answers aren’t always enough—and how elevating your career stories from tactical to strategic changes how employers see your potential. We'll break down how to move beyond listing actions and results and instead communicate how you think, plan, and lead.
Using a clear, practical framework, this episode shows how strategic storytelling helps hiring leaders trust not just what you’ve done, but what you’ll do next. When employers understand your thinking, your interviews stop blending in and start influencing decisions.
You’ll learn:
✔ Why traditional STAR stories often fail to create differentiation
✔ How to reveal your strategic thinking—not just your past actions
✔ Four shifts that instantly elevate your interview responses
✔ How to show future potential, not just past performance
✔ What makes employers trust your outcomes aren’t a one-time fluke
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WELCOME TO THE UNCOMMON CAREER!
Here's a few ways we can get to know each other:
📥 Podcast Roadmap - our most popular episodes for every stage of your search: https://theuncommoncareer.com/roadmap
📥 Download our 5-step process: https://theuncommoncareer.com/process
🔍 Learn about my coaching approach: https://theuncommoncareer.com/approach
💬 Connect with me on LinkedIn to get targeted resources: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pmortega/
💬 Ask me your question or get featured on the podcast: https://theuncommoncareer.com/ask
📆 Ready to talk through your specific job search? Book a call here: https://theuncommoncareer.com/call
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Patricia Ortega is known for coaching clients to a strategic, emotionally intelligent approach to job searching that emphasizes clarity over activity, quality over quantity, and positioning over bragging. She helps mid-career professionals rise above crowded applicant pools and land aligned roles faster by combining three core areas: 1) Clear branding and messaging, 2) job search strategy, and 3) Identity, Confidence, and Emotional Intelligence Under Pressure. Learn more at https://theuncommoncareer.com.
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