It can be difficult to explain your career direction when your experience does not fit neatly into one job title, degree subject or industry.
In our recent Graduate Mentor webinar, Charlie Rogers, founder of Undefinable Life Design, shared how graduates can make sense of varied interests, non-linear experiences and broad ambitions.
His key message was simple: you are more than one label.
“You are more than just your job title.”
Why one job title is not enough
Many students and graduates default to describing themselves by their degree, job title or latest experience. While this can be useful, it often leaves out the wider picture of who you are, what motivates you and what you can offer.
Charlie explained that modern careers are rarely fixed or linear. People now move between roles, industries and projects more regularly, so being able to explain your story clearly is becoming increasingly important.
Finding your golden thread
A central idea from the webinar was the “golden thread”. This is the theme that connects your interests, skills and experiences into one clearer direction.
Rather than seeing a varied background as a weakness, Charlie encouraged graduates to look for the pattern underneath it.
“Your interests are your advantage.”
For example, different experiences such as volunteering, writing, research, part-time work or creative projects may seem unrelated at first. But when you look more closely, they may reveal a shared interest in helping people, solving problems, building communities or communicating ideas.
Turning interests into direction
Charlie suggested starting by identifying the interests that have shaped you, including the ones you currently pursue, the ones you want to explore and the ones that have influenced you in the past.
The next step is to group these interests into broader themes. This helps you move from “I like lots of things” to a clearer understanding of what consistently drives you.
“Ask yourself why you like this until you find the threads that connect.”
This process can help graduates make better decisions about roles, industries and opportunities, because they are choosing based on what genuinely matters to them.
How to explain yourself clearly
Charlie shared a simple structure for creating a stronger personal introduction:
“I help [who] to [do what] through [how].”
This helps turn a broad mix of experiences into a clearer story. For example, instead of saying:
“I studied business and I’m interested in startups.”
You could say:
“I help early-stage businesses understand their customers and communicate their value through research, strategy and storytelling.”
This kind of explanation is more memorable and useful in applications, interviews and networking conversations.
Why this matters for graduates
Employers do not just want to know what you have done. They want to understand how your experiences connect, what motivates you and why you are interested in their opportunity.
Having a clear personal story can help you answer questions such as:
“What are you looking for next?”
“Tell me about yourself.”
“Why are you interested in this role?”
“What makes you different?”
Final thoughts
Having a varied background is not something to hide. It can be a strength, as long as you can explain the connection between your experiences.
By identifying your interests, grouping them into themes and finding your golden thread, you can build a clearer and more confident career story.
Your path does not need to fit neatly into one box. What matters is being able to explain where you have been, what drives you and where you want to go next.
