Your Resume Isn’t Broken. Your Storytelling Is.
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In this issue:
Why most resumes fail in the first 8 seconds
A simple formula to turn duties into achievements
Quick wins to upgrade your resume today
Most resumes I see aren’t bad.
They’re invisible.
And invisibility kills your chances in a crowded tech market.
It’s not about fancy templates or cramming in more buzzwords. It’s about storytelling and most job seekers don’t even realize that’s the missing piece.
Here’s how to fix it.
The Problem: Your Resume is a List, Not a Narrative
Recruiters spend 7-10 seconds on the first scan.
That means:
If your bullets read like a job description, they’re getting skipped.
If they’re generic (“Responsible for building web apps”), they’re dead weight.
If they don’t connect your work to business outcomes, no one cares.
The hiring manager doesn’t want to know what you were assigned. They want to know what happened because you were there.
The Fix: Turn Duties Into Achievements
Stop writing what you did. Start writing what you achieved.
Here’s the formula:
Action + Context + Result = Impact
Bad:
“Worked on API integrations.”
Better:
“Developed and deployed 3 new API integrations that cut data sync time by 40%, enabling real-time analytics for 200K+ users.”
See the difference?
The second one tells a story. It’s vivid, measurable, and makes the reader say, “This person gets results.”
What If You Can’t Quantify Your Impact?
Many of you have told me you can’t always put numbers on your work or you’re unsure how.
In those cases, use this fallback:
What you did + Why it mattered
This approach focuses on the significance of your contribution, even if you can’t measure it in percentages or dollars.
Example:
Before:
“Helped migrate legacy systems.”
After:
“Led the migration of legacy systems to modern architecture, improving team productivity and reducing maintenance issues.”
No numbers here, but the why it mattered is clear.
When you can’t quantify, amplify the context and the outcome. Tell the reader why your work moved the needle.
How to Find the Story
Most people struggle because they don’t see their work as a story.
Ask yourself:
Why did I do this work? (What was the problem?)
What did I actually deliver? (Feature? Product? Process?)
What happened as a result? (Saved time? Made money? Reduced risk?)
Even if you weren’t the team lead, your contribution mattered.
Quick Wins To Upgrade Any Resume
Add numbers: Percentages, dollar amounts, user counts, time saved.
Show scale: Did you support 10 users or 10 million?
Highlight tools & tech: Only if they’re relevant to the target role.
Cut fluff: If it doesn’t show impact, delete it.
Example transformation:
Before:
“Responsible for maintaining cloud infrastructure.”
After:
“Managed AWS infrastructure supporting 1.2M monthly active users, achieving 99.99% uptime over 12 months.”
Why This Matters in 2025
Right now, tech hiring is tight. Managers are picky. Every hire has to justify their salary.
Your resume is your first shot to say “I don’t just show up. I make things happen.”
If you can’t communicate that in 2 pages, you’ll never get to say it in the interview.
A Challenge For You
Pick 3 bullets on your current resume. Rewrite them using the Action + Context + Result formula or the What you did + Why it mattered approach.
If they don’t tell a clear story about your impact, you’ve got more work to do.
Once you’ve rewritten those bullets, drop them into your LinkedIn profile too. Make yourself a magnet for recruiters.
Bottom Line
Your resume isn’t broken.
But if it doesn’t tell a story, no one will care.
Make them care.
Great tips!