Crafting a Career Story That Resonates
Hey, I’m Merry 👋 I’ve spent the last decade designing learning programs, helping people take their next career steps, and building products that support adult learning - at places like Amazon and TikTok. With a Master’s in Education from Harvard, I’m all about helping people figure out what they’re good at, what they love, and how to build careers that actually fit. This Substack is where I share advice and lessons on navigating the workplace and growing in your career.
Nearly everyone has heard this at some point in their career: “Tell me about yourself.”
It sounds simple. But it’s the question that can unnerve even the most confident people. Some might respond by sharing seemingly unrelated facts: where they grew up, what they studied, maybe a quick pivot into a side hobby. Others might recite every job title they’ve held - without more detail. Sometimes answers sound polished but…forgettable.
And after sitting on both sides of the table as a job seeker and a hiring manager (as well as someone who mentors early-career professionals), here’s what I’ve learned:
The people who grow fastest in their careers aren’t always geniuses or people with top-notch credentials. They’re the ones who know how to tell a good story.
Why Your Career Story Matters
One of the most important stories is your very own career story. And what makes a good career story is one that people remember. People forget job titles, but they remember journeys.
Why are career stories important? They help you build trust and connection. They help the listener or your audience relate to you and humanize you as you talk about where you’ve been and where you are now.
As you refine and hone your career story, not only does it help you clarify your own purpose, but it also gives people a sense of your “why” and a glimpse into what you value. Your story can help a recruiter decide if you might be a good fit for a job. It can help managers understand how to best help you grow in your role. And it can help friends connect you with the right people so that you can grow your social capital.
Career stories are also a great way to showcase your communication capabilities by signaling how well you’re able to tell a story. And on top of that, your story highlights your adaptability and your ability to overcome barriers and challenges.
What Makes a Good Career Story?
A good career story should connect your past to your purpose. Rather than sharing a list of information that might not connect at first glance, help the listener piece together your journey and understand how and why you’ve made certain steps.
As you’re telling the story, you can use narrative and emotion to help the audience resonate - all the things that make a good story.
If you think about a movie that you’ve resonated and connected with, chances are you likely haven’t lived that exact plot. But there are moments throughout the movie that pull at your heartstrings and move you, whether through moments of vulnerability, connection, or self-discovery.
This is what you should be aiming for with a career story.
A Framework to Get You Started: Pixar’s Story Spine
I was recently reading Job Moves: 9 Steps for Making Progress in Your Career by Ethan Bernstein, Michael B. Horn, and Bob Moesta (published November 2024). In this book, the authors talk about the importance of career stories:
“...the ability to tell a quick, compelling story is as important as ever. Using story spines to sum up past career moves and future aspirations makes it much easier to create a concrete and memorable elevator speech that will accurately reflect where you are in your journey and resonate with potential employers.” — Job Moves
Further in their book, they reference Pixar’s story spine as a way to tell a story. Here’s how it goes:
Once upon a time...
Every day...
One day...
Because of that...
Until finally...
And ever since that day...
Think of Pixar’s story spine as a framework that can help you structure a memorable elevator pitch, prepare for interviews of networking conversations, or more internally, reflect on your journey and clarify your purpose.
As you draft your story, you can even lean on AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude to help you refine it. And while you probably won’t start with “Once upon a time,” the Pixar story spine gives you a solid foundation to build a narrative that flows, connects the dots, and makes your path make sense to others.
My Career Story: A Real Example
So the next time you tell a story, don’t let it be forgettable (which I know I’ve done in the past), with something like:
“I worked at [X company], then [Y company], focused on doing [XYZ]. Now I’m working in [ABC industry].”
Instead, the next time you’re asked the question, “Tell me about yourself,” think about how to pull at those heartstrings.
Here’s mine:
Once upon a time, I started off studying business at USC because I was drawn to the idea of the job opportunities it could present, but I was unsure of what I truly wanted to do. I liked collaborating with people. I liked solving problems. But I didn’t yet know how to connect those interests into a career that felt meaningful.
Every day, my classes gave me a new piece of the puzzle, whether it be marketing frameworks, financial modeling, or operations strategy. But I couldn’t quite see the full picture. I wanted to build something that mattered and something human-centered.
One day (after graduation), I accepted a job offer managing fulfillment center operations at Amazon. It wasn’t glamorous. It was about efficiency, KPIs, and pushing through. But it was also where I learned what it meant to lead, to drive performance, and to build systems that scaled. I felt the buzz of business, but something was missing. What I did know: I loved working with my team and talking to them about their learning and career growth.
Because of that, I left to pursue my master’s at Harvard in Technology, Innovation, and Education. It was there I realized my passion was building tools that make learning and growth accessible, impactful, and human-centered.
After graduation, I dove headfirst into the edtech world designing internal learning programs at TikTok for thousands of employees at a time where TikTok was going from ‘an app for teenagers’ to becoming a household name. I loved the program management I did there, but I was drawn to working with tech teams to help build technology to help facilitate, scale, and improve learning for our employees.
Until finally, I found myself taking the leap to a role where I could bring it all together - business, strategy, tech, and a relentless focus on learners. I became a product manager within the edtech space.
And ever since that day, I’ve been on a mission to build learning tools that don’t just teach but also help people grow.
So, next time you share your career story, don’t just list your roles. Tell a story that makes people feel something, while showing them who you are and what drives you. Let them see your “why.”
– Merry