Create a Reverse Resume

A client said something recently that stuck with me. He’s a partner at a large law firm who's intelligent, dependable, and always the go-to when something important lands on the desk. During a session I asked him to tell me about himself without mentioning work. He paused, thought about it, and finally said, “I don’t really know what to say.”

Maybe you’ve felt that too. We meet someone new and go straight to job titles and company names. Work can take up so much space that the rest of us starts to disappear.

That’s why I suggested something different - a personal résumé, or what I like to call a reverse résumé. Forget job titles. Instead, list what makes you you: the values you want to live by, the people and places that give you energy, the hobbies or passions that make hours fly by, the qualities friends count on when life gets messy.

If you get stuck, ask the people closest to you. They often see strengths and sparks you overlook. I use a quick version of this exercise with clients whose identities are wrapped so tightly around their professional roles that they’ve lost sight of everything else. The shift is powerful.

Try it this week. Set a timer for twenty minutes and write your personal résumé. No corporate jargon, no bullet points about revenue or promotions. Just the story of the life you want to keep at the center. You might be surprised how it helps you stay aligned with what really matters and how much clarity it brings to the choices you make at work.