Hook
Let’s be honest—career growth is cute until real life shows up.

Last year, after 11 years with the same institution, I took a leap of faith and stepped into what I thought was my dream job title: Director of Career Services.

And to be clear—there wasn’t anything “wrong” with my previous role. I was employed as an Academic/Career Advisor, I was good at what I did, and I cared deeply about my students. But the truth is… there was no room for growth.

So yes… I went after the title.

Now before you say, “LaTanya… don’t you mean dream job?” Well… okay. It was that too. But that title represented growth, confidence, and the belief that I was finally walking into the life I had worked so hard for. I wanted the elevation. I wanted the proof that I was ready for more.

And here’s the part that’s going to hit home for a lot of you… when you start looking for employment, what’s the first thing we do after we find the job we want? We start rewriting our resume. We make changes. We research templates online. We use AI. We stay up all day and night driving ourselves crazy trying to make sure our resume is “on point.”

Y’all know I’m right because I did the same thing—and I’m a Certified Professional Resume Writer. Heck, I even looked for one myself! You’ve spent countless hours rewriting your resume, tailoring it for every single job. Now you’ve got 50 different versions because somebody said something about the first one.

Then you submit that beautifully polished resume through the portal and, a few days (or weeks) later, you get that automated message that starts with: “Although your skills are impressive…”

And if you’ve ever been here before, you already know the routine. You regroup. You tailor your resume again. This time you add a cover letter. You apply again… and wait AGAIN.

You repeat that cycle so many times you start to feel like you’re stuck in a loop—like you’re doing everything “right” and still not getting the result. I got discouraged, y’all. I got to the point where I was like, “You know what… don’t even worry about it. It’s not gonna happen.”

But guess what… it did happen.

My opportunity was staring me right in the face: Director of Career Services. And not just anywhere—at my old stomping grounds. The place where my career services career started: the for-profit sector. I applied, got the call, and three interviews later (plus a strong salary negotiation), I was in there!!!!

Offer letter signed. Confidence on 100. And yes… I moved into a new place too—because why do we all start acting brand new the minute we level up? You know why—we’ve been conditioned to upgrade the outside to match what’s happening on the inside. In my “you couldn’t tell me NOTHING” voice… life was good.

I thought I was walking into my “full circle” moment. I was happy. I was ready. I was ready to go in, make change, and do my job.

But three months later, that “dream” crumbled—quick.

First month, I was fired up. Second month, I was questioning everything… even God. And by that third month? My health started being affected. The environment was chaotic. It was toxic. And I knew—deep down—that it was not for me.

Because when the title doesn’t come with peace… the cost is too high.

And the part that hit the hardest wasn’t even the professional disappointment. It was everything happening around it. My 25-year-old son was going through his own mental, emotional, and personal struggles. And on top of that? Baby… I was going through menopause. And that’s the part nobody puts on the resume.

Reality Check
So why did I just share all of that?

Because on paper, we look polished. Strategic. Qualified. Ready. But behind the scenes? It’s messy. It’s rejection emails you don’t open right away because your heart can’t take another “unfortunately” today. It’s applying for jobs while you’re still trying to recover from the last place that drained you. It’s smiling in interviews while your bank account is whispering, “Girl… hurry up.”

And nobody talks enough about how the job search isn’t just professional—it’s emotional. It tests your confidence. It tests your patience. And if you’re a parent? It tests your ability to stay strong when your child needs you… and you don’t even feel strong yourself.

Actionable Takeaway
Let me clear something up: your resume isn’t a laundry list of duties. It is definitely not your job description copied and pasted with a new font. And I’m going to say this gently… but clearly: your resume will not get you a job.

What it will do is get you in the room.

A resume’s only job is to make a recruiter or hiring manager look at you and say, “Okay… I need to talk to them.” That’s it. That’s the goal.

Your resume is your professional story—your growth, your achievements, and your value—highlighted in a way that makes someone want to schedule the interview.

It’s you showing impact.
It’s you quantifying results.
It’s you naming your leadership.

It’s you calling out those moments where you…

stepped up when nobody asked you to

• solved problems other people avoided
• made things make sense when it was chaos
• trained the team, fixed the process, and held it down
• improved outcomes, saved time, saved money, or improved the customer experience
• carried responsibility that wasn’t even in your title

That matters.

So here’s what I want you to carry with you this month:

Your resume is not just a document. It’s a mirror. You are more than your job title—and your resume should reflect that.

If you’ve been through something, survived something, rebuilt something… that matters.

If you’ve led people, trained people, fixed problems, saved systems, created solutions… that matters.

If you’ve been doing the work and nobody’s been validating it… that matters too.

And if you’re in a season where it feels like nothing is moving, let me remind you:

Progress doesn’t always look like results.
Sometimes it looks like discipline.
Sometimes it looks like consistency.
Sometimes it looks like applying again after the last “no” bruised your confidence.

Keep going.

Because the right opportunity won’t just pay you… it will honor you.

What’s your real-life challenge this month?

Email me at tailormaderesumes2576@gmail.com — I want to hear your story.

About the Author
LaTanya N. Miles, MBA, CMCS, CPRW is a Career Strategist and Certified Professional Resume Writer who helps people turn their experience into impact—on paper and in real life. With over 15 years in career services, she blends strategy, humor, and real talk to help others navigate career transitions, personal challenges, and everything in between.