How to Write a Story-Driven Resume

What if there's a better way to write about your career wins? Recently, I reviewed resumes for a few of my course students and I saw the same issue across multiple resumes. Their accomplishments sounded like job descriptions, not success stories. One person's resume read like a task list: "Responsible for effective management of..." So, how do you transform achievements into interview-generating stories? I really like the C.A.R.T. method instead because it weaves in strategic storytelling: C — Challenge: Start with the problem you had to tackle. Paint the picture of what was at stake. A — Action: Give me the specific steps you implemented. This shows your methodology and decision-making process. R — Results with proof: Quantify the measurable outcomes. Revenue generated, costs saved, efficiency improved, problems solved. T — Tie-back to their needs: Connect this win to the challenges your target employers face. Make it obvious because they won't connect the dots for you. Here's an example of before/after: Before: "Responsible for managing organizational restructuring initiative" After: "Halted 60% revenue decline through strategic restructuring; redesigned operations, implemented new processes, and rebuilt team culture, achieving 40% productivity increase within 8 months." The difference is everything. One describes what you can do. The other proves what you did and provides context. Which of your biggest wins needs the C.A.R.T. treatment? #LinkedInTopVoices #Careers #jobsearch Great Resumes Fast | Executive Resume Writers

This resume landed the candidate a PM interview at Amazon. It’s a masterclass in how you should write resumes to get interviews in 2025. I’ve seen 1000s of resumes during my time as a recruiter at the top companies. This one stopped me as it screams, “I’ve made an impact. I know how to drive results. And here’s proof.” Let’s break it down. → The headline isn’t just a job title. Right under her role, she's written: “Owned messaging platform to create, target, and deliver personalized messages across emails, push notifications, app inbox, and site banners.” This tells me three things immediately: 1. She owned something. 2. She worked across multiple channels. 3. She understands personalization at scale. Most people miss this; they just list tools and teams. She leads with ownership and scope. → Every bullet shows outcomes, not activities. This is where 90% of resumes fall flat. They say what they did, not what it led to. This one says: “AB tested and rolled out event-triggered personalized push notifications... accounted for $35M incremental revenue annually.” That one line tells me she’s data-driven, understands experimentation, and delivered real business value. Same thing here: “Improved targeting capabilities... leading to better engagement and conversion.” “Boosted customer retention by 200bps...” “Launched an inbox feature... added $20 million in revenue.” → The story builds across roles. Each role connects. Groupon → Home Depot → Sears → Amazon → Infosys. Different industries, but the thread is clear: customer experience, personalization, product ownership. There’s a through-line. It doesn’t feel random. That matters. → Formatting that respects time. Bold job titles. Clear sections. Easy to scan. Hiring managers spend less than 60 seconds on most resumes. This one makes that time count. So no, it’s not just the big names that got her the interview. It’s the way she showed her work, told a story, and made the impact impossible to ignore. If you're applying to FAANG, study resumes like this. Not to copy, but to understand how to: → Lead with ownership → Quantify your impact → Align your story to the role → Make every line earn its place And remember, your resume isn’t a summary of everything you’ve done. It’s a highlight of impact you can bring to your next role. Repost this if you found value. P.S. Follow me if you are a job seeker in the U.S. I share real stories and proven frameworks to help you crack your dream offer.

Your resume reads like everyone else's. And that's exactly why it's ignored. I reviewed 50 resumes yesterday. 49 were forgettable. 1 got forwarded to every hiring manager. The difference? A story. Here's what most job seekers don't understand: Recruiters don't hire qualifications. They hire people. Your list of responsibilities? Every candidate has one. Your unique story? Only you have that. Let me show you the transformation: GENERIC RESUME 😴 • Managed marketing campaigns • Increased social media engagement • Collaborated with sales team • Analyzed performance metrics (Congrats, you just described 10,000 other marketers) STORY-DRIVEN RESUME 🎯 • Turned dying Instagram account into 50K community by spotting untapped micro-influencer strategy • Saved $2M campaign from failure by discovering 73% of leads came from ignored channel • Built sales-marketing alignment system after noticing reps wasted 3 hours/day on bad leads See the difference? One lists tasks. One tells stories. Which person would YOU want to meet? Here's how to find YOUR story: 1️⃣ The Problem-Solution Arc 'Noticed [specific problem] → Created [unique solution] → Delivered [measurable result]' 2️⃣ The Transformation Story   'Inherited [bad situation] → Implemented [your approach] → Achieved [dramatic improvement]' 3️⃣ The Innovation Narrative 'Everyone did [standard way] → I tried [different approach] → Results: [breakthrough outcome]' 4️⃣ The Connection Story 'Realized [departments/teams] weren't talking → Built [bridge/system] → Unlocked [hidden value]' Your personal brand isn't a tagline. It's the thread connecting your stories. Example brand threads: 🧵 'The optimizer who finds waste' 🧵 'The connector who builds bridges'   🧵 'The innovator who questions everything' 🧵 'The builder who ships fast' Every bullet should reinforce your thread. Here's my formula: Context (5 words) + Action (10 words) + Result (5 words) 'Noticed team wasting time → Built automation tool over weekend → Saved 20 hours/week' Example: BEFORE: 'Senior Software Engineer with 8 years experience in full-stack development' AFTER: 'Engineer who turns 'that's impossible' into production code. Shipped 3 features competitors said couldn't be built.' Same person. Different impact. One got lost in the pile. One gets interviews in a week. Your experience isn't generic. Stop writing like it is. Every hire solves a specific problem. Show them you've solved it before. But differently. But better. But memorably. The best resume doesn't list what you did. It shows who you are. Through stories only you can tell. Build your story-driven resume with Teal's Resume Builder: https://lnkd.in/gJSNk4FN #PersonalBranding #ResumeTips #JobSearch #Storytelling #CareerAdvice ♻️ Reshare to help someone make their next job move. 👍 Helps me know i'm creating content you want to see :)  🔔 Follow me for more job search & resume tips.

I've reviewed over 500 resumes in my career as a career spotlight coach The profile summary is your golden ticket to stand out. Here's a strategic blueprint to make your resume pop: - Keep it short - 3-4 powerful sentences max. - Focus on achievements, not generic responsibilities. - Use quantifiable metrics and specific results. - Highlight your unique value proposition. - Tailor the summary for each specific role. 🟢 Pro Tips for Crafting a Killer Profile Summary: - Start with a strong professional identity - Showcase your top 2-3 core competencies - Demonstrate industry-specific expertise - Include keywords from job descriptions - Reflect your personal brand's essence I've seen candidates transform from zero callbacks to multiple interview invitations just by revolutionizing their summary section. The secret weapon? Being laser-focused about your professional impact. 📌 Instead of "Experienced marketing professional," write "Drove 150% revenue growth through targeted digital campaigns for 3 Fortune 500 clients, generating $2.5M in new business." Your summary should tell your career story before anyone reads the full resume. Make it count, career builders! P.S. What's the most compelling profile summary you've ever crafted? Share your insights below. #resume #resumewriting #jobseekers

Career advice I’d give my younger self: Keep a record of your wins Document your accomplishments as you go - not just what you did, but the real impact. (Keep this in a personal repository, not at work.) Most of us move from project to project, thinking we’ll remember the details when we need them. Then, when it’s time for a job search or a performance review, we struggle to articulate our impact. Instead, whenever you start a new project, ask yourself: “How will my future self talk about this?” Think in terms of a story - a problem worth solving, a difficult and challenging solution, and a meaningful transformation. You don’t have to wait until the project is finished to start writing it. Step 1: The problem What problem are you solving? A (business) problem worth solving has the problem itself, which lead to symptoms that, if they aren't addressed, can lead to disaster. For example, you might be replacing a legacy workflow. The old workflow is slow and includes manual steps. This results in errors and customer dissatisfaction, which leads to financial risk (due to errors) and churn, resulting in stagnant revenue and declining market share. You'll get more insight over time, but just start at the start. Write down what you know. Step 2: Document the outcomes you (or your leadership) are expecting or hoping for You may not know the final impact yet, but you have a hypothesis. What will change if your project succeeds? More revenue? Higher efficiency? Customer satisfaction improvements? Write that down. The transformation is often the opposite of the problem: if revenue is stagnant, the goal is growth. If churn is rising, the goal is retention. Define the ideal outcome early. Step 3: Capture the key components of the solution As technologists, we naturally document what we built. That’s fine, but remember—hiring managers and execs care less about features and more about impact. And how you collaborated and persuaded stakeholders to create and keep alignment. Step 4: Update your story as you go As your project progresses, go back and update: ✔ What you learned about the real problem ✔ Changes in your approach ✔ The actual results once customers started using your solution Often, the results blossom in unexpected ways - leading to social proof like customer stories, awards, or internal recognition. Capture those. These stories become the basis of a resume that gets interviews and they're great for performance reviews.

I’ve spent nearly 20 years working with CFOs. …and there’s one consistent blind spot: 𝐄𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐬𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐩𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐟𝐢𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐠𝐠𝐥𝐞 𝐭𝐨 𝐭𝐞𝐥𝐥 𝐭𝐡𝐞 STORY 𝐨𝐟 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐢𝐫 𝐚𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐬. From ASX-listed giants to SMEs and fast-scaling startups… Either: a) They’ll talk about what they did BAU but leave out the exceptional gains they added…and how they did it. Not the numbers. The STORY. Or b) They’ll be all fluff and no substance. 🧨 And if you can’t clearly communicate your impact, you risk being underestimated or overlooked…especially in interviews, board meetings, or succession planning conversations. So here’s a practical habit I encourage CFOs to build: 🔥The “Impact Log” 🟰your secret weapon for career storytelling. No fluff. Just a regular, disciplined process to: • Track your results • Capture business impact • Turn raw wins into boardroom-ready stories Here’s how I recommend doing it: ⭐️ 1. Friday Flashbacks Every Friday, take 15 minutes to jot down key achievements: • What did you influence, improve, or drive this week? • Any decisions that saved money, unlocked growth, or solved a major issue? Keep it brief…but consistent. ⭐️ 2. Monthly Milestones Once a month, pick 1 or 2 standout wins and write them up using this structure: • What was the challenge? • What did you do? • What changed as a result? This gives you a steady flow of stories for: • Interview prep • Performance reviews • Board updates • Your resume or LinkedIn ⭐️3. Quarterly Storyboarding Each quarter, choose your top 2 or 3 wins and build them out into full leadership narratives. Frame them around: • Context • Action • Outcome • Commercial impact Optional: Use AI to refine the story, tighten the language, or tailor it for a specific audience or job. Example: • Raw win: Renegotiated funding terms with bank • Milestone format: Secured revised $10M facility with reduced interest margin, improving cash flow by $320K annually. • Story version: In Q1, with tightening liquidity, I led negotiations with our lender to secure more favourable funding terms. By repositioning our risk profile and backing it with strong forecasting, we secured a $10M facility with lower interest, improving our annual cash position by $320K. Finance leaders: your story matters just as much as your spreadsheet. Don’t wait until you need a new job or a board seat to start crafting it. Keen to hear: How do you keep track of your wins?