This post is brought to you by the number three …

I’ve written endlessly here about developing stories for use in job interviews and throughout the job search and have suggested structures and sources (such as skills and accomplishments) around which to build those stories.

But what about a package or framework in which to wrap your interview stories? My friend Tim Tyrell-Smith suggests developing three themes for each interview. He says:

• Each theme reinforces your positioning statement.
• Each theme allows you to tell a great story.
• Each theme includes a few of your favorite accomplishment statements.

This strategy reminds me of the way communications professionals are taught media relations. They develop one or more messages, and no matter what the media asks them, say in a press conference, they integrate the message(s) into their response. In the same way, Tim advises:

[A strategy] that you use throughout the interview day and every time you talk with HR, the administrative assistant, and the recruiter. It includes the phone interview, any email communications (cover letter, thank you notes, etc). And you can also use them as part of your social networking strategy.

Tim describes a five-step process for identifying the themes for each interview. The process begins with strengths, and I believe Tim is saying to narrow these down based on what each employer is looking for:

Research your target company, target position and interview team. What are they looking for? What does the perfect candidate look like? What skills and experience are they drooling over?

I find the three themes suggestion very helpful because it keeps the job-seeker “on message.” What are the most important selling points that you want to convey about yourself to a given employer? Develop stories about those. Three themes doesn’t necessarily mean just three stories. Although I contend that as few as three stories can sustain an interview, a databank of more will give you greater flexibility. Three stories for each theme would likely work well.

This approach will keep you from meandering and getting lost in interviews. It also provides the wrapping paper and bow to package your stories nicely.