"Storytelling? Just get to the practical stuff!"

I hear this a lot from frustrated job seekers. You've had it with vague advice and just want concrete strategies that'll actually land you interviews. You want to know what keywords to use and which skills to highlight - not some fluffy talk about narratives.

As someone who spends way too many hours diving into the nitty-gritty of skills and career mobility, I get it.

We have to tick the box of the tactical stuff. Ilse has a whole rant about this (and a peek into our solution). 

But here's what I've learned from countless conversations about careers, skills, and how the job hunt is changing in 2025: there's a massive disconnect between how job posts list requirements and how real humans actually talk about their work.

The Missing Link: Getting Past the Resume Robot-Speak

Think about language for a moment. Your resume is basically written in this weird pseudo-language that's not even meant for humans anymore. It's designed for AI systems and overworked recruiters who skim your carefully crafted words for approximately 6.5 seconds.

(Seriously when can we just write “I fixed our broken process because nothing was getting done” instead of "Spearheaded cross-functional initiatives to optimize workflow efficiency"?)

It reminds me of what Sam Altman described in his interview with Adam Grant last month - he describes someone writing bullet points then asking ChatGPT to write an email, then the recipient asks ChatGPT to distill it into bullet points. 

Resumes are even worse though!

• here's so much conflicting advice

• you’re penalized for not writing it correctly

• recruiters don’t want you to use AI even though they are

• ultimately - and crucially - no one wants to speak in resume bullet points 

Because here's the thing: at some point, you have to talk to an actual human being. And in that interview or coffee chat? That robot-speak resume language isn't just useless - it's actively painful. Try telling someone about your "demonstrated track record of implementing strategic solutions" and watch their eyes glaze over.

Real humans want to understand what you actually did, how you think, and whether you can solve their problems. They want to hear "Here's the mess I walked into, here's how I figured out what was wrong, and here's how I fixed it."

You just need to communicate in a way that makes someone go "ah, I get it - this person would be great at this job."

The Science Behind Why Stories Work

This isn't just my opinion - it's literally how our brains work.

When you hear a dry list of skills or facts, only two areas of your brain light up: the language processing parts. But when you hear a story? Your brain explodes with activity.

A narrative triggers the sensory cortex, motor cortex, and even causes your brain to release oxytocin – the same neurochemical responsible for empathy and trust-building. Research from Princeton University found that when someone tells a story, the neural patterns in the listener's brain begin to mirror those of the storyteller. Scientists call this "neural coupling." 

In other words, good storytelling creates literal brain-to-brain synchronization.

P.S. Want to nerd out on this? My recommendations: Jerome Bruner (obvs), Robert McKee, Matthew Dicks, and Antonio Damasio. Credit to Marshall Ganz’s Public Narrative class for a lot of these. 

Skills in Action: The Story Gap

Here's a reality check: I study skills frameworks, but I would certainly struggle to parse which specific competencies I'm employing on any given day. I get it when people tell me they’re not sure which skills to list on their resume - should I distinguish between soft skills and hard skills? Where is that line anyway? (I’ll write another even geekier post about that at some point). 

That's because skills don't exist in isolation – they come alive through context and application. 

Stories trigger empathy. They build trust. They make people lean forward and think "tell me more."

Here's the Real Talk

Job searching in 2025 is weird. You're trying to connect with humans while navigating AI systems, fighting through automated screeners, and somehow proving your worth in 6-8 seconds of resume scanning time. 

And yeah, you have to play that game. You need the metrics (even when they feel kind of BS - trust me, I get it). 

But in that moment when someone's actually deciding whether to hire you - it comes down to your ability to help them understand not just what you can do, but how you think and work and solve problems.

That's not fluff. That's not just a "nice to have." That's the difference between being another resume in the stack and being the candidate they remember.

So yes, optimize your resume… just don't spend too much time on it. 

Invest time in figuring out your stories - the real ones, the ones that show how you actually approach challenges and create value. Because in a world where AI can list skills and generate bullet points, your lived experiences and your ability to communicate them clearly is what sets you apart.

Want to start uncovering your stories? Try our free story development tool. No BS, no fluff - just guided reflection to help you identify and articulate your most compelling professional experiences.

Have thoughts about this? Stories of your own? Hit me up at Logan@mycareerspan.com.