Your Career Story Matters. How You Tell It Matters More.

I see this all the time. A candidate has a perfectly reasonable explanation for why they left a company, made a career change, had a short tenure, or experienced a gap in employment. But when asked about it, they start talking, and talking, and talking. They share every detail, take you down a few side roads, and before you know it, a simple explanation has become a complicated story. Suddenly, the recruiter starts wondering, Why are they explaining this so much? Is there more to the story? When in reality, there may be nothing concerning at all.

Job searching is hard enough. Rejection can take an emotional toll, and for someone who is unemployed, there may also be real financial pressure. It’s understandable that candidates want to make sure they’re explaining themselves correctly. But you don’t have to defend your career. You need to be able to explain it. There’s a big difference. Know why you made each move, keep your explanation clear and concise, and focus on what’s relevant. Most careers aren’t perfectly linear. There may be layoffs, difficult bosses, family decisions, opportunities that didn’t turn out as expected, or simply choices you would make differently today. That’s life. Own your story and move forward.

As a recruiter and career coach, if something isn’t quite adding up, I’ll dig a little deeper and ask a few more questions. More often than you might think, the issue isn’t the candidate’s background. It’s how they’re explaining it. Once we talk it through, I can usually help them see where they’re giving too much information, focusing on the wrong things, or unintentionally creating doubt.

I try to leave everyone I meet a little better off than when our conversation started. Sometimes that means finding them their next opportunity. Other times, it may simply be helping them tell their story with more clarity and confidence. You’ve worked hard to build your career. Be proud of where you’ve been, be clear about the choices you’ve made, and most importantly, be excited about where you’re going next.