How do you talk through your resume to add value and context?
The interview process can come in very different formats and styles, but almost certainly in any interview, you will be asked to talk through your resume in fine detail.
When you are asked to talk through your resume, recruiters or hiring managers are essentially asking you the following questions: what was your role, what were your duties and why did you leave.
In order for you to understand what they are looking for, let’s break it down:
What Was Your Role?
You should always start the answer by illustrating the company you were working for and the title of the role you were in. Note, you should start at your latest role first, as this should be the most relevant experience and senior role you may have been in which will help to sell yourself.
What Were Your Duties?
This is the most important part of the question, and you need to ace it! This is when you illustrate your amazing experience and skills and how they relate to the role you are applying for.
The tricky part is finding the similarities between your previous job(s) and the job you are interviewing for. You’ll need to think about your own experience and resume and how these relate to the job you are applying for. So, make sure you know your resume inside out, the job advert or description of the role you are applying for, and how they match up. Before you go to the interview make sure you know this and practice answering!
Why Did You Leave?
You may have not thought of this, but they want to know why you left each and every job you have been in. Were you made redundant? Were you let go? Or simply looking for a new career challenge? Whatever the reason may be, always be honest about it.
When asked to talk through your resume it’s really crucial to highlight your strengths, your skills, and the experience you have gained throughout the years. But also, it gives you the opportunity to show that you are a great candidate for this specific role.