How To Answer: Walk Me Through Your Resume

When you sit down for your interview, you are most likely going to be hit with a get-to-know-you-type question right off the bat. The most common is the, “Tell me about yourself” question. But sometimes, an interviewer might go with the “Walk me through your resume" question.

Your interviewer is asking this question because they want to quickly understand your resume, almost in a way that brings it to life. At his point, you need to dust off your storytelling skills as you describe your journey up to this point. The key to answering this question is to keep it succinct and keep it relevant to the job that you are applying for.

TIP #1: DON’T TELL THEM YOUR WHOLE LIFE STORY

This answer should take no more than 3-5 minutes, depending on how many jobs you have. Stick to the most recent 10-15 years of experience (similar to how your resume should be built anyway). If you have older experience or if you shifted careers in the past, you can summarize those by saying,

“In my early career, I was focused on financial management but in 2017, I discovered that my passion was marketing and decided to make a career move into that field.”

And then outline your experience from that point forward.

TIP #2: DON’T REITERATE WHAT IS ALREADY ON YOUR RESUME

Don’t reiterate what is already on your resume. They want new and different information. So, with each job, note why you took the position, what was one highlight (either skill you learned or accomplishment) and why you decided to leave. The key here is to one, keep it positive and two, connect what you learned and/or accomplished to the role you are applying to. Something along the lines of,

“I joined XYZ company because I wanted to learn the agency side of the business and had a great opportunity to refine my skills around video marketing and social media. I absolutely loved my time there but was ready to grow in an area that they could not accommodate so I left to join ABC company.”

TIP #3: DON’T SKIP THE HARD PARTS (I.E. GAPS, FIRINGS, SHORT-TERM POSITIONS, ETC.)

The thing to remember here is that everyone has a story. A story that has gaps, challenges, and twists and turns. And rather than skipping over them (because your interviewer will notice), own them! Talk about how you took a year off to travel the world or care for a sick loved one and the challenges that you overcame during that time. If you were laid off or fired from a position, be honest, but spin it towards a positive. What did you learn or how did you grow because of that experience? It might sound something like this,

“My time at ABC company was very valuable, after I was let go, I decided to take that time to travel across the US to broaden my perspective so that I could take those experiences into my next role to create more diverse and engaging campaigns.”

TIP #4: PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE

Just like any interview, you must be prepared. Do not, and I repeat, DO NOT wing this question. Be sure to study the job description to understand how your journey fits into what they are looking for. Customize your answer based on the job and rehearse it to the point you can deliver it confidently and succinctly.

Want a little extra help crafting your message during the interview process? Click here to schedule a free consultation to chat about interview coaching!