Your Resume Isn’t the Work

I know someone brilliant.

I mean f*cking brilliant.

Smarter than 99% of the people in any room.

Education out the wazoo. Experience for days. Phenomenal soft skills. Easy to talk to. Great listener.

She can run circles around most of us.

And yet, she doubts herself. Constantly.

She overprepares. Overanalyzes. And overworries.

While people with less than half of her skill set are getting fast-tracked.

Why?

Because she’s been looking at career growth the wrong way.

The Problem

Some of us have been conditioned to build the perfect resume.

And that means constantly chasing experiences & credentials like they’re the holy grail.

Another certification. Another course. Another meticulously curated bullet point for your resume.

2-pages max. Pdf format. Searching for the ideal keywords.

All sorts of bogus.

But resumes are basically entry tickets. That’s it (Most hiring managers spend 6 seconds on your resume. ATS software? Less than one.).

They get you through the door.

The real work…the stuff that actually moves your career…happens before and after that.

Before: in the way you build relationships, confidence, and reputation.

After: in the way you back it up once you’re in the room.

Power Move I: Build a Reputation

Your resume lists achievements but your reputation will multiply them.

Do this once every few weeks: send one short sincere message to someone outside of your immediate circle. A collaborator or a peer.

Something like:

“Hey, I really appreciated how you advocated for scoping the work even more during our project meeting last month. I learned a lot from that exchange.”

You’re not doing some shallow networking. You’re reinforcing your character as an ally and partner.

That’s how people start talking about you when you’re not in the room.

Power Move II: Tell Your Story Before They Ask

Don’t wait until you actually have an interview to shape your narrative.

Practice it in small & low-stakes ways.

When someone asks, “What’s new with you?” skip the “busy, same old” sh*t.

Try:

“I’m doing great. I’ve been focused on employee wellness in the last few months and I think we’re already seeing favourable results from our no-meeting Fridays.”

That’s subtle storytelling.

You’ve just connected yourself to impact without bragging.

Additionally, when you do get an interview, you'll have practiced telling your story in a compelling way.

Power Move III: Make Deposits Into Relationships

You don’t need to network with 3420423942042 people.

Or play the room and shake countless hands at large conferences.

Start with three to five people.

Preferably decision-makers that you admire.

Think of them as your “career board of advisors.”

Check in quarterly. A casual coffee date once in a while (or a beer). Then just connect with them.

As a human being.

When opportunities pop up, those five people will think of you first because you’ve already invested in the relationship.

(The right people can’t see your value if you stay invisible. Learn how to build a network that actually works for you. Download my completely free guide 5 Tiny Moves to Grow a Powerful Network.)

Closing Thoughts

Your resume is just a receipt (and nobody looks at it that closely).

It's proof that you’ve done things.

But it’s not proof that you belong.

That proof comes from how you show up, how you speak about your work, and how you carry yourself when nobody’s watching.

Stop getting in your own way.

And start doing the work that matters.

Happy Saturday,

Alain H.