The Art of Articulation: Telling Your Story

Tuesday, February 28, 2023

by Kay Stanton

By now, most of us have heard of experiential learning and we have a general idea that it includes things like internships, research, and study abroad, but beyond that, and being a degree requirement for all undergraduates at UGA, why should we care? Put simply, experiential learning is the process of gaining knowledge and skills through direct, hands-on experiences. It is also reliant on the reflection on those experiences. Experiential learning gives an individual the opportunity to actively engage with their environment and develop a deeper understanding of themselves and the world around them.

There’s a proverb of unknown origin that goes along the lines of

“I hear and I forget. I see and I remember. I do and I understand.”

That’s because the act of doing something not only builds the technical skills of the work, but encourages creativity and problem-solving, as it allows individuals to explore new ideas and approaches. It also provides the opportunity to develop new perspectives, build resilience and gain confidence in one’s own abilities. Through experiential learning, individuals can gain insight into their own strengths and weaknesses and learn how to use them to their advantage.

It's that last part that is key here: how do you use your experiential learning to your advantage? First, you need to recognize that you have the skills. Own it! Next, you should reflect on the experience. Really take the time to focus inward on what you did. Finally, be able to articulate your experience to others; to tell your story. Recognizing, reflecting, and articulating will bring you full circle to a greater understanding and appreciation of your experiences and what you gain from them.

We have experiences all the time. Some are life changing; many are not. Whether you have that once-in-a-lifetime trip, volunteer for a service-learning project in your community, research microorganisms in the lab, lead a group of students on a project, or any other form of experiential learning, you will have a story to tell. It is how you build and present this story that will make it impactful to your audience. Often your audience will be friends and family, but creating and refining your story in a higher-stakes scenario could be the thing that gets you the job or puts you up for the assistantship in graduate school.

Imagine you’ve landed the big interview for your dream job or school. You’re sitting in the conference room, excited and terrified, and the butterflies in your stomach are stomping around like clumsy yetis. You have your best suit and lucky socks on and are making a great impression. The interviewer is skimming over your resume. “Oh! I see you studied abroad in Australia! Tell me about that.” Your response: “It was the most amazing trip of my life! It was so cool.” OK. Sure. So what?

Now is the time to tell your story! What is your story? And what do we mean by reflecting? I don’t mean simply stating the steps of what you did but connecting those steps to a deeper understanding of what that experience means to you and how you grew from it. What did you learn? Why is that important? How did it change you? How will it make you a better candidate for a job or grad school? Every approved experiential learning course or activity at UGA has some form of reflection built in. This could be in the form of journaling, peer review, a performance, or an exit interview. This is a start to your reflecting but consider taking it to the next level to build the connections between this experience, your degrees, and whatever is coming next. By articulating an experience, individuals can better understand the impact that it has had on their life and how to use the experience to their advantage. It can also provide insight into how to approach similar experiences in the future.

When creating your story, it’s good to consider the more universal skills you get when you participate in experiential learning. These would be the types of skills that will help you succeed in a multitude of situations in your work and community. I Googled “What are the top skills employers are looking for,” and this was the top post:

Critical thinking and problem solving
Teamwork and collaboration
Professionalism and strong work ethic
Oral and written communications skills
Leadership

These are exactly the types of skills one gets through experiential learning, and they are the skills that can be used regardless of what you end up doing. Think about the ways that your experience has enhanced these skills.

Imagine now if your answer to the study abroad question fell more along the lines of “Yes! I not only learned the ins and outs of researching coral reefs, but I also strengthened my leadership and communication skills by overseeing our small project group. I became more fluent in specialized technology and programs required for this research, all while learning to be empathetic to the culture of the locals. The skills and confidence I gained through this experience and other connected work have set me up to be ready to immediately step into this role and succeed.”

Experiential learning is not simply a catchy phrase or a graduation requirement. It is a tool that benefits those who truly reflect on their experiences and develop their ever-evolving story. Your unique story is what sets you apart and positions you up to thrive in an ever-changing world.

For a more detailed “How to” on telling your story in a job interview, check out Annelise Norman’s blog “Articulating Your Experience for a Job Search.”

Kay S. Stanton is the Assistant Director of Operations for the Office of Experiential Learning at the University of Georgia. Among other things, she works regularly with students, faculty, and staff to find and create experiential learning opportunities for undergraduate students. Learn more at UGA Experiential Learning. Kay can be contacted at okay@uga.edu.