If you’ve ever been to a job interview, you’ve probably heard the question, “Walk me through your resume.” While this question seems like an innocuous ice-breaker or a way to get to know you better, the truth is it can actually be quite tricky.
The interviewer is trying to see your thought process and how you think on your feet, so it’s not just a list of your jobs and where you worked. It’s about connecting the dots between what you did, the impact it had on your previous employer, and how you can apply it to this new position.
So, what should you say? What’s the best way to organize your thoughts? And how do you make sure that everything sounds interesting and relevant?
In this post, I’ll break down what “walk me through your resume” means, why interviewers ask this question, and how to answer it confidently.
Let’s get started.
Also Read: How To Get Your Resume Noticed In 15 Seconds Guaranteed?
Why do employers ask to walk through your resume?
Image from Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
While you may be tempted to think an interviewer is trying to learn how long you’ve been at your jobs, what your responsibilities were, or even what previous companies you’ve worked with, they probably know that already.
When an interviewer asks you to walk them through your resume, they’re not looking for a laundry list of dates and titles. They want to know that you can communicate effectively, as well as showcase relevant skills for the position you’re applying for.
The overarching goal of this interview technique is to get a sense of who you are as an employee, how thorough and organized you are, and why you want to work at their company.
By having you walk them through your resume instead of just handing it over, employers are able to gauge how well you communicate orally, as well as whether you can clearly explain what happened in previous jobs and how it affects your abilities to fill the position.
In addition, this is a great chance for you to see if there are any questions or concerns they have about your experience or skill set. And if there are gaps in your resume, or if you don’t have enough experience, this is also an opportunity for the employer to get some insight into why those gaps exist.
Also Read: Common Interview Mistakes To Avoid
How to answer “Walk me through your resume” during an interview?
Image from Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
To answer this question during an interview, you’ll want to make sure you’re prepared.
If you’re caught off guard and don’t have a good response planned out in advance, you will spend a lot of time fumbling around with your words and not sounding as confident as you would like.
The key is to talk about your resume (and yourself) clearly and concisely, in a way that makes you sound like a great fit for the company.
Here are a few steps you can follow to nail the “walk me through your resume” question during your next interview:
Explore: Good Signs You Will Get The Job After Interview
1. Showcase your skills and experience
Image from Alex Green via Pexels
Don’t just recite your work history. It’s easy to get lost in the details of each position, which will make it difficult for you to paint a clear picture of who you are and what your greatest qualities are.
You want to make it as easy as possible for the interviewer to see that you have the exact skills and experience they’re looking for. So, instead, try using this opportunity to show off your skills and experience so that you can tell the complete story about who you are and how you can benefit the company.
As you talk about past work experiences, explain how each role is relevant to the position for which you’re interviewing.
For example, if you’re applying for a position at a tech company, focus on how well you’ve demonstrated your abilities in coding or software development. If you’re interviewing for a writing position at a magazine, explain how your experience as an editor has helped prepare you for the role.
If there are gaps in your work history, focus on examples from internships and other non-paid jobs so you can illustrate your dedication and drive to succeed!
Check Out: Signs Your Interview Went Bad
2. Talk about your past achievements, not simply your responsibilities
Image from cottonbro studio via Pexels
The best way to do this is by providing a few examples of things you’ve done in previous positions that demonstrate the caliber of work you’re capable of producing. Your answer should highlight your proudest professional moments and demonstrate how they are applicable to the job.
Try to avoid saying things like “I have a lot of [industry] skills” or “I’m very good at what I do.” Those are very broad statements, and they don’t give the listener any specific information about what you have done in your career.
Did you save a bunch of money by cutting inefficient spending? Did you grow your team from three people to twelve through careful hiring and training?
These are the details that really matter. Here are some other examples of achievements you might want to include:
- Spelling out a specific task that resulted in a positive outcome
- Achieving something that was particularly difficult
- Showing how much responsibility you were given at previous jobs, especially if it was above and beyond what others were doing
- Being promoted quickly or receiving any other awards or accolades that demonstrate your abilities
Also Read: What Motivates You In Life? Interview Question Answered
3. Explain gaps in your employment history
Image from Artem Podrez via Pexels
One way to make the conversation about gaps a little easier is to start by explaining what you were doing during that time.
For example, did you take a year off after graduating from college to volunteer overseas? Or did you take time to learn a new technical skill?
Mentioning what you did during the gap will go a long way toward providing context for the interviewer.
Also, make sure to explain any time away from work in terms of what you gained from that time off. If you took some classes or volunteered to gain new skills, share that information and explain how it makes you a better employee.
If you spent time working on something unrelated to the field where you want to work now,
explain how the experience helps you become more qualified for the job.
Also Read: Good Questions To Weaknesses Question In An Interview
4. Focus on the highlights and don’t get bogged down in details
Image from RODNAE Productions via Pexels
When you’re asked to walk an interviewer through your resume, they’re not asking you to recite everything in it or follow a rigid outline. They just want to see how you can quickly and effectively communicate the highlights of your work history, responsibilities, and achievements.
The way you should approach this interview task is to think about the most important things about your career that you want to emphasize for this particular position.
Then, starting with your professional title and company name at the top of the resume, work from the top down and try to put your best foot forward by describing your role and its impact on the organization.
Make sure to focus on the two or three things about each position that really stand out.
You don’t need to mention every class you took as an undergrad. You don’t need to talk about every single project from your last job.
And if you changed teams within a company multiple times, don’t try to explain every little detail of what you did – that’s not the purpose of this question. Just pick out the things that really matter and make your answer relevant.
Once you’ve covered those points, move on to the next section until you’ve gone through all of them.
Check Out: How To Respond To An Interview Request?
5. Keep it chronological
Image from MART PRODUCTION via Pexels
It can be helpful to think of this as a process rather than a single question. You’ll want to start by introducing yourself and listing out your most recent experience, then move on to progressively longer periods of time and more broad-based responsibilities.
This gives you a chance to explain what you’ve been up to since your last position, which can give employers a better picture of how your skills have developed over time. It can also make it easier for them to understand where your experience fits in with the position they are trying to fill.
Additionally, if they ask you any detailed questions about your work history, the chronology will help you explain the details in an organized way that is easy for them to follow.
Explore: Best Follow-up Email Examples After Interview & No Response For A Week
6. Use examples when possible
When a hiring manager asks you to walk them through your resume, they’re in fact asking you to sell them on the idea that you are qualified for the job. The best way to do so is by using concrete examples of what you have done in previous jobs.
What does it mean to use a concrete example? Well, when you highlight a particular skill, instead of simply saying that your job required it and therefore you have experience with it, tell them about an instance or two where you used the skill in question.
Or, when mentioning specific software or computer systems, give details about how and why you used them.
The goal is to show them your ability through real-world scenarios.
For instance, if you’re applying for a management position, include an example from a previous job where you were promoted from within. If you’re applying for an entry-level position, talk about projects where you were working under someone else’s guidance and how it prepared you to take on more responsibility.
Also Read: Zoom Interview Etiquettes & Tips
7. Mention your career goals
Image from Tima Miroshnichenko via Pexels
In this case, what exactly these goals are isn’t hugely important.
You can mention that there are other aspects of your resume that do a better job of explaining how you’ve worked towards achieving them – for example, the leadership positions listed in your experience section or how the skills and accomplishments detailed in your education and training section match up with what the job requires.
You can also briefly explain where these goals come from: did you decide you wanted to reach particular heights after graduating or did those goals grow out of an experience at one of your current or previous jobs?
Regardless of whether they’ve asked you directly or not, telling an interviewer about your plans for the future shows that you’re confident enough to think about yourself as someone who can grow beyond your current position.
Also Read: How To Answer What Are Your Salary Expectations?
8. Always wrap up your answer by referring back to the job you are applying for
Image from Edmond Dantès via Pexels
When you’re asked for an overview of your resume, a lot of people frequently get caught up explaining every detail of their career instead of focusing on the position they are applying for. This can be incredibly frustrating to anyone listening because you sound unfocused and like you’re rambling.
To avoid this, when doing your research on the company and position, it’s important that you develop questions and answers around your resume that relate specifically to their situation.
If something about their specific industry or the role interests you, use those details in your answer. Keep in mind that even if your interviewer doesn’t have time to read through all of your experiences, they still want to feel like they understand the progression of your career.
So, always try to bring your answer back around to the job you are applying for at some point, even if it’s at the very end.
For example, you could say something like “I’m so excited about the opportunity to work with your team on this project. It’s a great chance to take my experience with XYZ company and apply it to similar projects within ABC company.”
Explore: What To Wear For A Zoom Interview?
9. Be prepared for clarifying questions about past projects or responsibilities listed on your resume
Image from Sora Shimazaki via Pexels
When you’re asked to walk through your resume, be prepared for follow-up questions. The way you respond will demonstrate how well you can think on your feet and also show off any specific knowledge that is relevant to the position.
Try to anticipate a few of these questions beforehand so that you don’t come off as flustered when they’re actually posed. For example, if you’ve listed a few different skills under one category (like “software,” or “hardware”), they’re going to want to know what exactly you do in each field.
Or if you’re currently a long-time employee for another company, be ready to explain the reason behind a career change.
Also, if there’s something in your background that seems confusing or out of place, consider bringing it up yourself and explaining what it is or why it’s important.
Having an answer prepared shows that you’ve thought about the job and gives you an opportunity to mention something specific about yourself not on your resume. The best way to prepare for these types of questions is by doing research on the company and role beforehand.
Make sure you know exactly why they should hire you and how that aligns with their goals and priorities.
Also Read: Best Questions To Ask The Interviewer
10. Frame your answer as a story
Image from Christina Morillo via Pexels
The best way to answer this question is to think of it as a storytelling prompt. You have all the information you need to tell a story about what you’ve done, you just need to effectively organize and present it.
For example, if you want to be known for your ability to solve complex problems, describe how you approached one or two difficult issues at work.
If you want to highlight your ability to learn on the job or be innovative, tell a story about how you figured out a new process or used technology beyond its original purpose
Doing this allows you to focus on the most important aspects of your work experience and organize them into something that’s more memorable than just listing jobs and tasks.
And because of the structure of a story, the interviewer will be actively listening for your point-of-view, actions, and results instead of just trying to remember long lists of facts.
It’s also helpful to start with a memorable opening line. You want to give your interviewer a good first impression so they want to keep listening and find out more about who you are.
For example, “My career goal has always been to work at a company whose mission I believe in as much as [the company you’re applying for].” Or, “I’ve always wanted to work for a company whose first priority is putting its customers first.”
Also Read: Why Should We Hear You With No Experience? Best Answers
Sum Up
Answering “walk me through your resume” can be a game-changer during an interview.
It’s crucial that you be able to take this question, turn it around, and make it your own personal story. They’re looking for skills, achievements, and how all of these factors come together to prove that you’re an asset to the company.
It takes a bit of practice up front, but you’ll be glad you spent the time on it in the long run.
The steps above will help you come across as prepared, professional, and confident – and that’s exactly what you need to do well on the interview!
