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 massive difference between:
- "Managed strategic partnerships in blockchain space"
- "Led strategic partnerships that increased revenue by 40% across 15 blockchain projects"
The first one is a job description. The second one is a results statement. Guess which one gets you interviews?
3. The Psychological Baggage
Here's where it gets really interesting. Karthik was laid off after a conflict with founders over work-life balance and KPIs. That experience left invisible scars. When you've been burned, rejected, or undervalued, it shows up in how you present yourself – even when you don't realize it.
The Real Problem Isn't What You Think
Most people in Karthik's situation would think: "I need more skills" or "I need an MBA" or "I need to network more."
All wrong.
The real problem is story confusion. Karthik has all the ingredients for success, but they're mixed up in a way that makes no sense to anyone trying to hire him.
It's like having all the parts to build a Ferrari, but the instruction manual is in 10 different languages.
The Three-Step Reality Check
If Karthik's story sounds familiar, here's your wake-up call:
Step 1: Pick a Lane (And Stick to It)
You can't be a marketing expert AND a blockchain specialist AND a sports management guru in the same job search. Pick one primary direction and align everything else to support it.
Your diverse experience becomes powerful when it's positioned as complementary skills that make you uniquely qualified for ONE specific type of role.
Step 2: Translate Experience into Results
Stop listing what you did. Start showcasing what happened because you did it.
Every bullet point on your resume should answer: "So what? What changed because you were there?"
Step 3: Address the Psychological Stuff
This is the part most people skip, and it's why they stay stuck. Past rejections, conflicts, and disappointments create invisible barriers that sabotage your job search.
You might prepare perfectly for interviews but still radiate uncertainty. You might write great applications but unconsciously undersell yourself.
The Moment Everything Clicked
Halfway through our conversation, Karthik said something that broke my heart: "I just don't understand what I'm lacking."
The answer? Nothing. He wasn't lacking skills, experience, or qualifications.
He was lacking clarity, positioning, and confidence.
Your Career Isn't Broken (It's Just Misaligned)
If you're reading this and thinking "this sounds like me," here's what I want you to know:
Your career isn't broken. Your story is just scattered.
You don't need more experience. You need better positioning.
You don't need more skills. You need clearer direction.
Most importantly, you don't need to start over. You need to reorganize what you already have.
The Questions That Change Everything
Before you update your resume or apply to another job, answer these:
- If you could only do ONE type of work for the next 10 years, what would it be? (Not three types. One.)
- What's the biggest business problem you've ever solved? (If you can't answer this in 30 seconds, that's your real problem.)
- When you tell people what you do, do they immediately understand it? (If not, how can you expect a hiring manager to?)
Your Next Move
If you're tired of sending out applications into the void, it's time for some uncomfortable honesty:
The problem isn't the job market. It's not the economy. It's not even your experience.
The problem is that your professional story doesn't make sense to the people who need to hire you.
And until you fix that, more experience, more networking, and more applications won't help.
But here's the good news: Once you get your story straight, everything else becomes easier.
Ready to stop playing career roulette and start building a strategic path forward? The first step is getting clear on what story your experience is actually telling – and whether it's the story you want to tell.
