What is the best next step when asked this interview question “walk me through your resume”?
To help you best respond to the interview question “Walk me through your resume,” we asked hiring managers and business leaders this question for their best advice. From starting with your most relevant experience to telling your story without bullet points, there are several tips to help candidates respond appropriately during job interviews when asked the question “Walk me through your resume.”
Here are six ways to respond to “Walk me through your resume”:
- Start With The Most Relevant Experience
- Match Your Accomplishments To The Job Position
- Don’t List What is Already On the Page
- Describe Important Takeaways From Each Experience
- Structure Your Answer Differently From The Expected
- Tell Your Story Without Bullet Points
Start With The Most Relevant Experience
One of the best tips I could give someone when they’re asked, “walk me through your resume?”, during an interview is to always start with the most relevant experience you have in relation to the position you’re applying to! A lot of interviewees tend to ramble when going through their resumes, and won’t make their focus talking points on the experience and past jobs that matter. Even if the most relevant experience to the job you’re applying to isn’t at the top of your resume, go through that specific job and responsibilities first regardless, then make your way back to the top and go from there.
Chris Hunter, ServiceTitan
Match Your Accomplishments To The Job Position
Being asked to walk your interviewer through your resume provides you with two major opportunities to shine. You can give life to your accomplishments by making them jump off the page via elaboration and personalization. Since a resume is such a condensed document, this is your chance to share details that will interest your interviewer and differentiate you from other candidates. You can also show that you’ve done your research by focusing on accomplishments that directly tie-in to tasks and responsibilities outlined in the position for which you’re applying.
For example, at ExpertInsuranceReviews.com, we are impressed by candidates who take the time to research our digital media company and then discuss their expertise with SEO and their knowledge of the insurance industry, as well as writing for a variety of formats, working independently, and meeting deadlines.
Karen Condor, ExpertInsuranceReviews.com
Don’t List What is Already On The Page
Don’t list what is already on the page. Usually, when recruiters ask this question, they want you to add valuable information about yourself. If you just repeat what they already read on your resume, you are wasting the opportunity to impress them with specific accomplishments or skills. Match your experiences with the qualities they are looking for and not be afraid to emphasize your strengths. Remember you don’t have much time, so pick what experiences and skills you will talk about in advance.
John Cheng, Baotris
Describe Important Takeaways from Each Experience
Candidates should explain the experiences on their resume by describing the valuable takeaways they gained from each point in their career. Prospective employees should talk about one important aspect from each of their experiences when they are asked to go through their resume during an interview. This will show the employer that the candidate is perceptive about their own professional life. The candidate will also communicate to the employer that they are capable of learning and personal growth. These are extremely valuable characteristics for the team members of a successful organization to have. Candidates should explain the important takeaways from their past experiences when asked to walk through their resume during an interview.
Sean Doherty, Box Genie
Structure Your Answer Differently From The Expected
It is not uncommon in a job interview to be asked to walk the interviewer through your resume. However, I would advise candidates against recounting their own careers in a similar way as listed in their CVs. Perhaps advising is the wrong word, however, the question offers the opportunity to include much more about oneself than one’s previous life stations.
In my opinion, it makes a stronger impression to structure the answer something like this: I am (state 2-3 personal facts, briefly summarize your previous roles and responsibilities, as well as your educational focus). With experience in (then list relevant knowledge and skills that you have been able to use). My strengths are (list your competencies or strengths). Through my experiences and strengths I had the following successes (direct the conversation to successes you have had because of these very competencies).
Matt Radulescu, iTEC Informationssysteme AG
Tell Your Story Without Bullet Points
Tell your story. Resist the temptation to go down the length of your resume, item by item. Though it seems logical to do so, it will come across as engagingly as if you were reading a grocery list. Remember, you and your career are more than a series of bullet points; let the narrative of your career guide you first, and touch on the items on your resume as they come up. Let your story show them who you really are.
Drake Ballew, Practice Health
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