When you are asked during an interview a question along the lines of “would you walk me through your resume” the interviewer is looking for you to answer this question clearly and succinctly. They are looking for response around a few minutes, not much longer. To make sure you cover all the main points, it is best to have practiced your answer a few times prior to the interview that way your response flows clearly and effortlessly. Here are some ideas to keep in mind…
Walk Through Your Roles
Ideally, you don’t want to spend more than five minutes focusing on your roles, even if you have been working for a long time. It can be helpful to go through your resume chronologically and start with your most recent or current role and work backward. With each role you discuss, focus on your main responsibilities and achievements.
Highlight Your Growth
You’ll want to discuss your career growth and progression, showing the interviewer how your career has evolved over time. In an article on The Muse they expand upon this further, writing, “Regardless of how you choose to order your answer, you’ll have to talk about your past, present, and future, and connect them to the job you’re interviewing for. Here’s how to talk about each phase, according to Smith: Past: Mention roles from your past and explain how they contributed to your qualifications for this role. Here is where you can talk about your education and/or training if it’s within the past 10-15 years, but unless you’re a recent graduate, you shouldn’t spend too much time on it. Present: This is where you talk about your current role and highlight key accomplishments from this job in a way that makes it clear how they’re relevant to the job you’re interviewing for. Future: Tie your past experiences and current role to what you’re looking to do next and why you’re a great fit for this job. This is especially important if you’re making a career switch.”
Focus on What Sets You Apart
Think about how your skills and experience relate to the job responsibilities for the role you’re applying for. In an article in Harvard Business Review, they recommend focusing on what sets you apart and makes you the ideal candidate for the position. They write, “Identify what sets you apart from other candidates and weave it into your narrative of past roles. Highlight specific skills, experiences, or perspectives that bring unique value to the role you’re pursuing. For example, if you have a background in finance, emphasize how it equips you with a data-driven approach to aspects of the new role. Or, if you’re transitioning from a creative field like journalism to marketing, focus on the transferable skills that will drive results in the new role.”