Mastering your 30 second resume

A great career story can accelerate growth, yet most struggle to craft one. Even top performers fall short, telling stories that are overly detailed, abstract, jargon-filled, or poorly structured – all of which can lose a listener's interest.The first 30 seconds are crucial; you need to hook your audience quickly. Think of the beginning of your story as a movie trailer: highlight the most engaging aspects rather than chronologically detailing every event.This episode focuses on crafting a captivating 30-second introduction to your career story that engages listeners and enhances your professional profile. We've taken a unique approach by inviting Skip community members to submit their career stories for a live workshop. You'll hear real examples of me coaching engineering and product leaders, demonstrating the transformation from initial attempts to polished and punchy narratives.We also discuss:Common storytelling mistakes that everybody makesTechniques for weaving a theme into your storyEffective strategies that will hook listenersAdapting your story for various audiences and situationsBalancing between brevity and showcasing your unique valueReferenced:Crafting a compelling career storyFounder Mode, done right with Shreyas DoshiWhere to find Nikhyl:TwitterLinkedInFind The Skip:WebsiteSubstackYouTubeSpotifyApple PodcastsTikTokDon't forget to subscribe to The Skip to hear me coach you through timely career lessons. If you’re interested in joining me on a future call, send me a note on LinkedIn, Threads, or Twitter. You can also email me at nikhyl@skip.communityTimestamps(00:00) Episode teaser: Mastering your 30s resume(01:15) Common mistakes everybody makes(09:42) Why you need a 30s and 2m career story(12:21) Showing the trailer, not the movie(16:44) Example 1(17:28) Thinking about story sequencing(19:04) Example 2(19:44) Avoiding detail(21:21) Example 3 (before)(21:54) Avoid abstract stories(23:52) Example 3 (after)(24:41) The art of thematic narratives(28:29) Example 4 (before)(29:18) Crafting a theme(29:51) Example 4 (after)(31:24) Avoiding jargon(34:51) Tailoring communication tempo(36:19) Example 5 (before and after)(39:04) Example of a strong 30s resume(41:13) Preparing multiple versions(45:20) Nikhyl’s strong but generic resume(47:50) Nikhyl’s deeper version(50:57) How to submit your career story(52:50) Get in touch with Nikhyl This is a public episode. If you would like to discuss this with other subscribers or get access to bonus episodes, visit theskip.substack.com

Om Podcasten

The Skip podcast helps tech professionals get ahead in their career. It’s hosted by Nikhyl Singhal, a successful founder, head of product, and executive. Nikhyl has helped scale four of the most successful tech products ever: Facebook, Credit Karma, Google Photos, and Google Hangouts. And he coaches more than 100 executives, managers, and rising stars in navigating important career decisions, management challenges, and personal crossroads to maximize their happiness and professional life. Subscribe to this podcast to hear from him and other executives as they teach unique career lessons. theskip.substack.com