There’s a version of your résumé that no one ever sees.
It doesn’t start with your latest internship or highest GPA.
It starts with that shaky first presentation in front of 30 judgmental faces.
The one where your voice cracked, your slides glitched, and you wanted to vanish into the podium.
It includes the day you forgot your lines on stage, the time you got rejected by a company you were sure you’d get into, and that awkward silence in a GD where your mind went blank.
It includes the “no” you got from a club you desperately wanted to join.
It includes the first class you bunked (and regretted), the first time you had to admit you didn’t know the answer — and the courage it took to say it out loud.
We don’t add these to our résumés — not because they’re not important, but because we’re taught to celebrate only the shiny stuff: positions held, certificates earned, awards won.
But you know what?
This invisible résumé — of fumbles, failures, and firsts — is the one that truly defines you.
It’s where you learned grit, resilience, humility, and humor.
Where you discovered that messing up isn’t the end — it’s often the beginning of something real.
I still remember my first lecture as a faculty member. I was nervous, over-prepared, and terribly formal. One student raised his hand and said, “Ma’am, you can relax. We’re not judging you.” I laughed. We all did. That moment didn’t go on my official CV, but it taught me how to connect — not just teach.
So, dear student, as you craft your perfect résumé, don’t forget the one you’re secretly building alongside it.
One day, you’ll look back at those messy, raw, real moments and realize — that’s where the magic happened. That’s where you happened.
And honestly? That’s the version of you the world needs to see more of.
Because in the résumé that really matters — your growth, your grit, and your grace are the highlights.
Would you like to share your own “fumble” moment? I promise — it might just be your best story yet.
Submitted by
Prof. Somya Gupta
Faculty – Economics
Asian School of Business Noida