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In case you haven’t heard already, the career walking deck is a critical job and career tool. I personally believe it’s a game changer in career development because:

• I learned about it from high performers and senior leaders at Microsoft when I first joined Microsoft.
• It helped me land a job as a Microsoft Communications Manager even though I had no prior/formal communications background or PR experience.
• It’s helped other people I know stand out in their job interviews—and land the job offer!

What’s a career walking deck & why you need it

It’s your elevator pitch + resume + cover letter in a short presentation that covers the following topics:

• Interests & Values
• Professional Experiences & Projects
• Goals & Aspirations
• Role(s) You’re Interested In + How You’re a Good Fit
• 30-60-90 Day Onboarding Plan

Read the full blog post here

3 reasons why every job seeker needs a career walking deck

1. It helps you stand out (especially in a remote working world)
2. It helps you better prepare for interviews (and be more confident)
3. It helps you develop your personal brand (which is essential for networking)

Read the full blog post here

What job seekers, recruiters, hiring managers, and thought leaders are saying about the career walking deck:

When Salesforce asked “Tell us about yourself and your impact,” I already had a polished narrative ready because of my career walking deck. It left a great impression and I got the offer.
– Alexander Holomozyi

The career walking deck helped me get my job as a Talent Analyst and made me feel comfortable in terms of sharing my background in a concise way.
– JL Ong

The walking deck has been such a game-changer in my job search—it’s given me a clear, visual way to showcase my career story and impact beyond just a resume. What I love most is how it helps me connect the dots between my different roles for recruiters and hiring managers quickly, especially as I navigate a career pivot. Even my career coach, who hadn’t seen one before, was impressed by how effective it is as a conversation tool. It also highlights one of my core strengths: the ability to consolidate complex experiences into a clear, simple visual.

– Ruth Burk

I did it! I used my walking deck in the interview and I perceived what I think was a positive, impressed response. Regardless of the outcome, I left the meeting feeling like the amount of preparation and effort dedicated to putting my best impression forward was worth it. Without my walking deck to focus on, it is unlikely i would have been much less organized with how I conveyed who I am.

– Kathy Ebbinkhuysen

Hello Karen, I just wanted to share that I am about to complete my first week at [Company]. I am super excited on this new opportunity and will for sure share your details to friends and colleagues who find themselves in a similar situation as me. I was very nervous about seeking help as I have been working for over 30 years. But I am glad I reached out and got a refresher course on upskilling my interview technique and networking through your advice 😀 Your support was amazing. I know you aim for a younger crowd but feel you could also reach out to an older clientele who haven’t experienced this new era of networking and interviewing. I struggled quite a bit before I reached out and had wished that I had done it much sooner! As for the interview… I had the deck ready to go, but I didn’t get chance to showcase it as we had already gone over our time slot. I did add to my thank you note which was much appreciated as an offer was presented soon after 😊

– Laila Pinch

I used something similar today and the interviewer loved it! So thanks again for the post.
– J.C.

I just finished and managed to present my Career Walking deck just in time!
I blew away the interviewers!! The lead was stuttering trying to get his words out 🤣🤣

– I.C.

The career walking decks are super helpful!
– General Manager at Microsoft

So far every interview I have done has been pleasantly surprised that I brought a PPT to show and walk them through. It also helps to guide talking points and common questions instead of working off of notecards.

– Joseph Galvan

Career Walking Deck Examples

These are my personal examples of slides that I’ve built (see the full post here)

Career Walking Deck Services

Building a career walking deck isn’t as straightforward as writing a resume or cover letter. I’m here to help if you see the value in creating one but don’t know where to start or don’t have the time to create one from scratch.

If you’re not sure which one of these is for you, consider becoming a Founding Member of my newsletter which will grant you a 1:1 career strategy session where we can hash through where you’re feeling stuck and best next steps.

If you’re struggling with finances, remember that you can do everything for free using the resources on my blog!

Career Walking Deck Templates (Canva)

If you’re interested in creating your own, please get started with some templates below. You can use MockX to help generate some slide content from your resume and then paste it into one of these templates.

Get a FREE career walking deck template when you subscribe!

When you subscribe to my Substack newsletter, you will receive a welcome email with a link to my free career walking deck template. Please remember to check your spam/junk folder since it may not show up in your inbox. You also have the option to upgrade to a paid subscription if you want access to monthly office hours for Job Search & Career Support. Founding Members will receive a 1:1 Career Strategy Session to deep dive into your situation.

Enter your email below to receive my free career walking deck template:

Ultimately, a career walking deck can be a powerful tool for job seekers.

By showcasing your strengths and unique selling points in a visual format, you can stand out from the crowd and demonstrate your creativity and innovation. So if you’re looking to take your professional success to the next level, consider creating a career walking deck today.

Find everything you need to create a career walking deck below:

• Get a FREE Career Walking Deck template
• 3 Important Parts of a Career Walking Deck
• Career Walking Decks 101
• 3 Reasons Why Every Job Seeker Needs a Career Walking Deck
• How to Build a Career Walking Deck That Impresses Hiring Managers
• What’s a Career Walking Deck & Why You Need It

More job hunting resources

• Now Hiring (find which recruiters and hiring managers are hiring)
• The Perfect Career Profile
• 10 LinkedIn Tips for Networking
• 5 LinkedIn Mistakes
• Resume Rescue has helped 200+ people around the world!