The 3-minute career story every woman should have ready
If someone asked you right now, “So what do you do?” would you light up or freeze up?
I believe every woman needs a short, practiced story that brings her work to life. I’m not talking about a résumé rundown or a list of job titles… I’m talking about a living story that connects your why, your wins, and your what’s next.
Multicultural women, this is a way for us to stand tall and own our path with intention!
When having your career story ready can make all the difference:
In a job interview for that dream role
At a networking event
In a performance review or promotion conversation
When advocating for new opportunities
In panels, intros, and public speaking moments
On LinkedIn or your personal bio
When mentoring or being mentored (we’re going to be talking more about this soon!)
The Hidden Career Advantages of a Strong Narrative
A powerful personal career story increases workplace visibility, strengthens leadership presence, and contributes to long-term career advancement strategies. When you speak with clarity and intention, your story becomes a tool for influence, career positioning, and professional growth.
This kind of intentional storytelling supports both mentorship and sponsorship, helping others understand your value and impact. It also creates more opportunities for strategic career storytelling, performance review preparation, and meaningful leadership communication. (A deeper connection here can be found in this quick read on mentorship vs sponsorship.)
Here’s a framework for putting your story together:
ROOTS: Where you started and why it matters to you
Open with the reason behind what you do. Maybe it’s the community that shaped you, the curiosity that drives you, or the impact you want to make. This signals passion and purpose two things that make people lean in.
“I’ve always been drawn to helping people find their voice, that’s what led me into learning and development.”
Sharing your roots also supports personal branding for women by helping others understand the values, lived experiences, and motivations that shaped your leadership identity. For multicultural women, this part of your story underscores the connection between cultural identity and leadership, creating clarity around what drives your purpose and direction.
Sharing your roots also supports personal branding for women by helping others understand the values, lived experiences, and motivations that shaped your leadership identity. For multicultural women, this part of your story underscores the connection between cultural identity and leadership, creating clarity around what drives your purpose and direction.
RISE: What you’ve built and how you’ve grown
Share your highlight reel. Pick one or two moments that show your growth or impact. Think of these as the proof points, a project you led, a challenge you solved, a milestone you reached. Use active language: built, launched, led, designed, created.
“Over the past few years, I’ve built programs that help emerging leaders navigate growth conversations with confidence.”
RESULTS: Your impact and what’s next
Close by highlighting the difference your work has made for people, teams, or communities, then share where you’re heading next. Identify the focus or goal that ties your story together. This connects your story to a sense of purpose and momentum.
“My work has helped multicultural women leaders stepping into their first leadership roles find their voice and lead teams with greater trust and focus. What drives me now is helping more multicultural women step into those same spaces with the support and confidence they need to shape the future of leadership.”
Keep in mind:
As you shape your story, remember that it’s not meant to be fixed or flawless. It should grow with you!
Your career story is allowed to (and should!) evolve
Your multicultural identity is a leadership advantage
Confidence is a narrative choice
Why I’m encouraging you to put your story together
When your story is ready, you show up differently. Instead of scrambling for words, you’ll recognize your opportunity to shape how others see you. Don’t underestimate those 3 minutes. That’s all you need to shift a first impression, spark an opportunity, or plant a seed for the future.
So write your story, practice it out loud (essential!), and keep refining it. Your journey, your unique mix of culture, courage, and craft is worth telling, and worth telling well. It will become second nature soon enough, and believe it or not, you’ll come to love being asked for your story!
If you need someone to practice on, send me a DM on LinkedIn or Instagram. I’d be happy to give you some feedback.
Cheering you on,
