influence the rewrite.

Reading Time: 7 minutes

the art of storytelling.

Storytelling is shaping experiences, ideas, and moments into something that actually connects. Something that makes people feel, see themselves, or see what’s possible.

Recently, I have been noticing a pattern in my own life. Storytelling has always been there. I just did not call it that.

• When I was younger, I created plays in my basement and filmed them for my parents. I wanted to bring something to life, not just imagine it.
• In middle school, I wrote a creative book about a pig and ended up winning an award for it.
• I have kept journals for as long as I can remember. Not just to document what happened, but to hold onto moments and return to them later.
• And then, more than three years ago, when I stepped into a nomadic life, that naturally turned into a blog.

What is interesting is that this did not stop when I entered the corporate world. It just looked different. My work was centered around understanding people. Who they were, where they had been, and how their story aligned with the opportunity in front of them.

Now, in my consulting work, it has come full circle. I help people see their story differently. Not as a list of roles or responsibilities, but as something that can be reshaped, reframed, and directed. Something that can actually influence where they go next. Because the story you tell is not just about your past. It is what creates your future. Let me give you a bit more context.

setting the stage.

For most of my career, my resume told one very clear story. Corporate Recruiter. Always working for large companies. Spending my days navigating bureaucracy with a calendar full of touch bases and meetings. Pumping out reports and PowerPoints to prove the work I was doing was valuable. Decades of experience hiring thousands of individuals, both experienced and early career talent, into new roles.

I was delivering outcomes and meeting goals that were set for me. This career path worked for a long time. I was happy (or so I thought) until I wasn’t happy. And this is when I realized this was no longer the story I wanted to tell.

the leap.

In order to make a change, you need to both trust yourself and, more importantly, invest in yourself. Over the last few years, my life drastically shifted and expanded. I made small and large tweaks to my life. I became a yoga teacher. A traveler. A business owner. A storyteller. An influencer.

And here’s what I realized: My resume hadn’t caught up to who I had become. So I rewrote it. Not just once…but multiple times.

• One version for consulting and resume writing.
• One version for teaching yoga.
• And yes, my original corporate version still exists too.

Because the truth is people typically don’t have just one story. They have many. And are they telling their story accurately and in a way that they want to tell.

next up, influence.

Influence is the ability to affect someone’s thoughts, decisions, or actions. It doesn’t require authority or a title. It’s about impact. Influence isn’t about being the loudest voice in the room. It’s about being the one that moves people to think, feel, or do something differently.

In November this past year I was contacted by a representative at the company Influential Women. At first, I thought it was a scam. I wrote back and set up a time to connect with someone to get more information. During the conversation I was asked lots of questions about my business, my past, my skills, my continued goals. She was immediately blown away by my courage and enthusiasm to explore the world.

I left that call with a mix of emotions. Could I really be a person of influence to others? Imposter syndrome was sneaking in. But I also felt like all the hard work and ups and downs these last few years were finally starting to pay off. I was proud. I was being noticed in a world where recognition is expected but can be hard to come by!

Later that month, I was honored to be recognized as an Influential Woman, an acknowledgment I don’t take lightly. It’s one I carry with pride because it was earned through impact, not assigned by a title, a mandate, or a metric. It holds deep personal meaning for me. My influence shows up in different ways.

• Helping someone finally get an interview after months of silence
• Giving someone language and confidence to tell their story
• Supporting someone in making a bold career pivot or life change they didn’t think was possible

That’s real, tangible influence. I recently watched a TedTalk on influence where the speaker drove home the point that everyone has the power to influence. The four capabilities to be influential are:

1. Context – Understand your audience and adapt with curiosity, even if it means stepping outside your comfort zone.
2. Breadth – Connect the dots across experiences, people, and ideas to create meaningful impact.
3. Choice – Have the courage to focus, say no, and make decisions that prioritize long-term excellence over approval.
4. Connection – Build genuine, trust-based relationships rooted in empathy and a commitment to helping others succeed.

Hearing this made it clear to me that many people have the power to influence, the difference lies in how they choose to use it and act on it. So think about it, dear reader, what is your influence?

feeling stuck.

I see this all the time now in the work I do.

• People who are incredibly qualified, smart, experienced, capable, but feeling completely stuck.
• Hard workers getting laid off at companies that are more focused on giving money back to their shareholders than supporting a family. I know this feeling firsthand.
• Individuals that are burnt out in roles that no longer fit. They are ready for something new, but not hearing back from a single application. Starting to question themselves, their value, their direction.

And it’s not because they aren’t good enough. It’s because perhaps their resume is outdated, still telling an old version of their story. Not the story they desire to tell. They haven’t realized their potential and their influence.

investment.

Here’s the part that might be hard to hear for a lot of people. Most will stay stuck longer than they need to. Because they’re hesitant to invest in themselves. We’ll spend money on things that help us feel confident. Like our hair and nails, our clothes, our fancy new car, the things that help us show up in the world.

But when it comes to something that actually opens doors, something that directly impacts your career, your income, your opportunities…we hesitate. We overthink. We try to do it ourselves. We keep sending out the same resume hoping something will change. But we didn’t take charge to make the necessary change. The investment piece is so important and often the thing we skip.

Another important piece of this process is getting clear on your goals and what you’re actually investing in. Just as important is finding the right partner to guide you through it. Someone you trust. Someone who can help tell your story in a way that feels true to you.

There are a lot of great resume writers out there, but they’re not all the same. Larger companies can be more affordable, but often come with less customization and a more transactional experience. On the other end, some individuals offer full service packages, including branding, coaching, and more, which can be powerful but also come at a higher price point. Then there are independent consultants, like me, who fall somewhere in between, with a wide range of approaches and pricing.

The key is understanding your own style, what kind of support you actually need, and what each option really offers. That clarity makes it much easier to take the next step and INVEST in yourself and your career with intention.

the jen essentials for rewriting a story of influence.

1. A good resume (period)
2. Full understanding of your value proposition (know your worth and what you bring to the table)
3. Goals (what is it that you are trying to get to?)
4. Courage (to take a bold step in investing in yourself)
5. Confidence (is key)
6. Solid support system (to have your back during the good and the bad)
7. Back up plan (always smart to have something to fall back on if the risk doesn’t pay off in the way you want)
8. Actionable steps (break big goals into achievable progress)
9. Time to reflect (nothing needs to happen immediately, big change doesn’t always happen all at once)
10. The Career Essentials LLC (a full list of my services can be found here)

wrap it up jen.

I didn’t rewrite my story by accident. I didn’t get where I am today without a plan. I didn’t give up on my goals even when things looked bleak. I channeled confidence, courage, and leaned on my skills.

I made changes slowly and strategically because I knew I was stepping into a new version of my life, and that, my friends, takes time. I aligned my professional skills, my passions, and my reality. I wanted to showcase my personality and how it can coincide with my expertise. I wanted to create a story for where I was going. This is the key takeaway I want each reader to understand.

Professionals try to fit their entire life into one document, instead of shaping their story for the opportunity in front of them or the goal they are trying to achieve. More importantly, they don’t fully express their influence, their superpower, or their value proposition.

If you’re in a season of change (whether it’s confusion, burnout, or something in between) your resume needs to reflect that shift. Maybe you’re moving toward a new career path, building a side business, or stepping into a completely different lifestyle. That calls for a new story. Not who you were five years ago. Not what you think employers want to see. But who you are now and where you’re headed next. That’s what draws the right opportunities in and communicates your true influence!

I encourage people to take the leap. Invest in their career. Translate their experience into something that resonates. This is the amazing work I get to do with clients every day. If you’re ready to invest in yourself, move forward with intention, and rewrite your narrative you can learn more on the Career Essentials Webpage. I offer free consultations and quick resume reviews so potential clients gain a clearer idea of what the process entails and how to move forward. Please get in touch, I would love to hear from you.

Take the next step, rewrite your story. Rewrite it with INFLUENCE!

Until next time,

Jennifer