面试中如何回答‘能简单介绍一下你的职业经历吗’？

转自HBR ，写得很实用，不分岗位或者level。有需要可以翻译软件看看。

How to Answer “Walk Me Through Your Resume”

The fastest way for recruiters to determine if you have the necessary skills and experience for a job is by asking, “Can you walk me through your resume?” It sounds like an easy question, but don’t be fooled — your answer will determine whether the recruiter considers you a serious candidate. Recruiters aren’t looking for a laundry list of accomplishments or responsibilities. Instead, they want a focused narrative that highlights why you’re the perfect fit for the new role. Here’s the catch — you need to deliver your answer in less than two minutes no matter how many jobs you’ve had and how many years you’ve worked, or you could risk losing the recruiter’s attention.

Here are three steps to ensure that your response to this crucial question leaves a lasting impression.

1. Highlight your experience through the lens of the new job

Determine which accomplishments, skills, and capabilities from each of your past jobs are directly relevant to the job description’s key requirements. Don’t repeat the same responsibilities from one job to the next; the goal is to show career progression which aligns with the role you are pursuing. For example, the job description for a Paid Media Director role includes language such as, “Own client relationships, creating media planning strategy from cross-platform data. Must have familiarity with social media, email, and DSP platforms. Successful candidate will have excellent writing, reporting, and project management skills.”

If a candidate with seven years’ experience as a media planner in two different jobs wants to align their experience to the job description, they would start from their first job after school and progress toward their current position:

I started my career as an associate media planner at [agency name] where I mastered project management skills while supporting ten directors. I researched and analyzed target audiences, reported on ad campaigns across platforms, and wrote data-driven strategic plans which were presented directly to the clients. Within two years, I was promoted to own and manage client accounts and built strong relationships with Client Name 1 and Client Name 2. Through strong strategy development, I was able to drive a 20% increase in brand awareness for [client #1] within six months with a strategic media planning campaign on social and digital, and a 22% increase in brand awareness for [client #2] within three months through programmatic ad campaigns on a DSP, where I targeted specific audience segments to optimize ad placements for maximum reach and engagement.

This statement covers five years of work, and it includes everything this candidate needs to say to explain her foundational skills from her first two jobs. Mentioning her promotion proves she learns quickly and could demonstrate an impact from her skills, which directly relates to the new job.

2. Build clear transitions between jobs

When explaining job moves, it’s essential to provide context that demonstrates intentionality and alignment with your career growth. Highlight the reasons for each move — were you seeking to develop specific skills that are now crucial for the role you’re applying for? Did a former manager or colleague recruit you because they valued your expertise? Mentioning this highlights your professional reputation. If you changed industries or shifted careers, explain how the transition was a strategic step that prepared you for the responsibilities of the position you’re pursuing. In continuing the previous example:

After five years at [agency name], a former manager recruited me to join [new company name] as an International Senior Media Planner. This move allowed me to build on my expertise planning and executing multi-channel campaigns for global brands.

Or

After five years at [agency name], I wanted to grow my skills and understanding of international media campaigns, so I accepted a position at [new company name] where I worked on global campaigns. Here I was able to grow my experience in diverse audience research, cross-cultural media strategy, and global media buying and negotiation, which resulted in a 30% increase in website traffic and a 25% improvement in lead generation for one of my clients within the first quarter.

If you moved jobs every one to two years, your explanation for changing jobs must make sense and be delivered with confidence. If you were terminated in a mass layoff, you can mention that the company changed strategy or cut programs, and your job was impacted. If you were fired for performance, view your termination through your own positive perspective and use that as your transition statement. For example,

At [former company], I was working 60-hour weeks so there was no time to focus on a job search to gain international experience working with global brands. I departed to spend time finding that next opportunity and within five months, a former colleague referred me to a role at [new company].

Then continue with one sentence on what you accomplished at the new company that is relevant to the prospective job. Again, this demonstrates that colleagues valued your work, even if your former company let you go.

The key is to be proactive and fill in breaks in employment before you are asked about them. Yes, it’s okay to say you took time off to raise children, but talk about how you kept your skills updated during that time, such as, “While I took a break to raise my children, I attended numerous conferences to keep my skills fresh, such as the ANA Masters of Marketing, Content Marketing World, and Digital Summit. I also completed my IAB Digital Media Buying and Planning certification to ensure that my skills remained fresh.”

It’s also fine to say you took time off to travel the world. Most people would be jealous! An example would be, “After five years at [agency name], I took time off to travel the world. There is no better teacher of different cultures and communication styles than fully immersing yourself. That experience was invaluable in landing my next role as an international media planner at [new company name] because I didn’t just study cultural differences — I lived them. Experiencing firsthand how people across regions consume media, engage with brands, and respond to advertising gave me a unique perspective that allowed me to craft campaigns that truly resonated with global audiences.

What you don’t want to focus on is the negative, such as being burned out, needing to take time off for your mental health, or hating your manager. When you don’t have a deep relationship with an interviewer, such statements could make them question whether you can be successful in the job under less than perfect conditions — and no job is perfect.

3. Showcase your unique value

Identify what sets you apart from other candidates and weave it into your narrative of past roles. Highlight specific skills, experiences, or perspectives that bring unique value to the role you’re pursuing. For example, if you have a background in finance, emphasize how it equips you with a data-driven approach to aspects of the new role. Or, if you’re transitioning from a creative field like journalism to marketing, focus on the transferable skills that will drive results in the new role. For example:

As an award-winning journalist, I developed exceptional storytelling and audience engagement skills, which have been instrumental in bringing a unique value to my current marketing position. In my Marketing Manager role at [company name], I crafted compelling campaigns across TV, web, and social media that increased brand engagement by 40%. My ability to understand diverse audiences and communicate effectively enables me to create content that resonates and drives measurable outcomes — skills I’m eager to bring to your company.

Be bold in drawing clear connections between your unique skills and the role you’re interviewing for, showcasing how your experience enables you to deliver exceptional value beyond what other candidates can offer. Connecting your experience to the job you are pursuing and showing progressive skills acquisition throughout your career in a succinct story will leave the interviewer satisfied that you are capable of succeeding in the new role. Highlighting your unique skill is the icing on the cake that not only sets you apart from the competition but also makes you a more memorable and compelling choice for the job.