Most resumes I review from engineers aren’t bad. But they’re missing one critical thing: storytelling that connects results to context. You built a dashboard. Cool! You refactored a legacy app. Great! But what problem did it solve? What metrics improved? Why did it matter to the business? In a sea of resumes, impact wins. And in 2025, when many teams are leaner, every hire is about ROI, not just skills. A recent Indeed study found that resumes with quantified impact statements are 32% more likely to get callbacks. Don’t just say what you did, show why it mattered and put a metrix on it. So, if someone scanned your resume today, would they see a coder or a problem-solver who moved the needle?

Here’s the unspoken truth about technical interviews: It’s not just what you solve, it’s how you perform. You might ace the logic, but: - Do you pause and explain? - Do you clarify assumptions? - Do you stay calm when stuck? In recent U.S. hiring trends, companies are placing more weight on collaborative thinking than pure speed. Even top firms like Stripe and Airbnb now design interviews to test how you think with others not just code alone. What gets you hired isn't perfection, it's presence. I’ve seen strong mid-level engineers beat out senior ones simply because they communicated better. So when you prep for interviews, ask yourself - are you practicing for code or for confidence?

It’s no secret, the tech world has faced waves of layoffs in 2024 and 2025. But here’s what’s not talked about enough: Some of the most valuable career momentum happens after a layoff, if you know how to show up. Companies like Meta, Amazon, and Google have let go of thousands, but hiring hasn’t stopped. It’s shifted. Startups and mid-stage companies are still hungry for high-impact talent. The difference? Those who bounce back fastest are the ones who stay visible, rebuild their story, and re-engage their network - not just those who apply more. Tip from the recruiter seat: Share your story with clarity. Don’t hide the layoff. Show what you’re excited to build next. If you were laid off tomorrow, would your network know what role to refer you for or would they just say, “Let me know how I can help”?

You’ve built the systems. You’ve optimized the queries. Your GitHub is alive and thriving. But when the interview hits: “Tell me about a time you solved a complex problem” - things get… awkward. Here’s the thing: technical storytelling is one of the most underrated skills in the hiring process. Recruiters and hiring managers aren’t just evaluating what you did, but how clearly and confidently you can explain it. According to LinkedIn’s Emerging Job Trends report, communication is now in the top 3 skills tech companies screen for even for backend roles, and it makes sense. Teams are distributed. Collaboration is async. If you can’t tell the story of your work, you risk your talent being overlooked - no matter how good the repo looks. So tell me honestly, when was the last time you practiced explaining your proudest project to someone non-technical? If it’s quite long ago and you want to practice it again, feel free to join recruiter Q&A that you can check in the Skool Calendar Session.

If you’re job hunting, you’ve probably seen this advice: “Just learn AI.” “You need to know Rust now.” “Time to switch to a FAANG-friendly stack.” The truth? You don’t always need to change your tech stack to stand out. Here’s what hiring managers actually notice (especially in mid-level roles): - Clear communication - explain your decisions like you’re talking to a teammate, not a compiler - Async readiness - being responsive, concise, and reliable across tools like Slack, Notion, Loom - Problem ownership - not just doing tasks, but thinking ahead and unblocking others - Portfolio with impact - what changed after you built something? Numbers > buzzwords It’s not always about learning “what’s hot.” It’s about showing you’re the type of person teams can rely on, in any stack. So, what’s one non-technical trait you’ve seen make a big difference in someone getting hired? Let’s discuss