Last week, I spoke with someone who shattered everything I thought I knew about career progression. Let’s call him Karthik (not his real name). Karthik has over 10 years of experience. Business development, strategic partnerships, marketing, sports management, MarTech, blockchain, Web3 – you name it, he’s done it. On paper, he looks like a hiring manager’s dream. But here’s the kicker: He’s been unemployed for more than 6 months. And despite applying to “multiple positions in multiple companies,” he’s never even gotten a callback. Not one. The Paradox of Experience Without Results Karthik’s story reveals something uncomfortable about today’s job market. Having experience isn’t enough anymore. Having diverse experience? That might actually be hurting you. When I asked him to rate his resume out of 10, he said “barely a 2.5 or 3.” This is someone who held leadership positions, managed strategic partnerships, and worked across cutting-edge industries. So what’s going wrong? The Three Hidden Career Killers Through our conversation, three major issues emerged – and I bet at least one of them applies to you too: 1. The “Jack of All Trades” Trap Karthik’s resume reads like a career buffet. Business development here, marketing there, a dash of blockchain, some sports management on the side. To him, this shows versatility. To hiring managers? It shows confusion. Here’s the brutal truth: In today’s specialized market, being good at everything makes you look like you’re not great at anything. When an HR person looks at a resume with five different industries and six different roles, their brain doesn’t think “wow, versatile!” It thinks “flight risk” and “doesn’t know what they want.” 2. The Invisible Achievement Problem Karthik held “leadership positions” but couldn’t get past ATS systems. Why? Because his resume talked about what he did, not what he achieved. There’s a