4: The Things Resumes Don't Tell You

What My Job Has Really Taught Me

When your job is to care for fifty dogs at once, you learn pretty quickly how to stay calm under pressure. Most people think doggy daycare is all cuddles and wagging tails, but the truth is, it’s controlled chaos. You’re constantly scanning the room, listening for the start of a scuffle, and keeping everyone safe while a pack of dogs circles your legs. It’s loud, it’s messy, and it’s nothing like what people picture from the outside.

In four years of doing this work, and especially since becoming a team lead, I’ve learned that pressure doesn’t just mean keeping the dogs safe. It means keeping my team supported, communicating clearly, and making quick decisions that affect everyone in the room. Those are the kinds of skills that never make it onto a resume, but they shape who I am as an employee.

What A Resume Can’t Capture

A resume is a highlight reel. It’s a list of titles, dates, and tidy little blurbs that are supposed to tell your whole story in one page. But the truth is, they can’t. They don’t show your work ethic, your empathy, or how you handle chaos with grace.

If your job title doesn’t perfectly match what a company’s looking for, you’re often dismissed before anyone even gets to know you. It’s frustrating. Because traits like “compassionate,” “creative,” and “adaptable” don’t fit neatly under a “Skills” section, but I truly believe they’re what actually take someone from simply good at their job to exceeding expectations. 

What You Don’t See on Paper

Take me for example: I’m sure that when I send in my resume for jobs that don’t involve animals, the hiring manager sees “Team Lead at So and So Doggy Daycare” and immediately writes me off and skips over to the next resume. After all, how could a person who just sits around with dogs all day be useful in my fast-paced office setting? 

I Google searched “Top Three Qualities that Employers Look for When Hiring,” and here are the answers:

1. Strong Communication Skills

2. Demonstrated Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities

3. Positive Attitude and Work Ethic

Here’s how I actively practice and demonstrate these qualities at my doggy daycare job everyday:

1. Strong Communication Skills - In a facility with a dozen staff members and dozens of dogs, communication is everything. We coordinate medication schedules, feeding instructions, and health updates across teams constantly. Clear, concise communication isn’t optional… It’s the difference between calm and chaos.

2. Demonstrated Critical Thinking and Problem-Solving Abilities - Working with animals means thinking fast and staying ready. Whether managing a minor injury or preventing a larger one, we have to make smart, quick decisions under pressure. It’s trained me to assess, act, and stay composed when things go off-script, which are essential skills that matter in any fast-paced workplace.

3. Positive Attitude and Work Ethic - Doggy daycare is physically demanding and nonstop, but it’s also deeply rewarding. It’s taught me how to stay motivated, focused, and compassionate even on the most chaotic days. Building trust with a nervous dog or keeping a pack happy and safe requires patience, teamwork, and grit… Qualities that no resume bullet point could fully capture.

Behind the resume, those are the traits that shape who I am as an employee: adaptable, steady under pressure, and committed to doing my best, no matter the setting.

Connecting the Dots

The truth is, the lessons I’ve learned at a doggy daycare aren’t that different from what someone learns in retail or food service. Every job teaches you how to communicate, problem solve, and keep your cool when things go sideways.

Yes, I’ve only worked with dogs, but that’s taught me patience I can use with customers and coworkers.

Yes, I’ve only worked with dogs, but that’s taught me how to manage conflict calmly and confidently.

Yes, I’ve only worked with dogs, but that’s taught me the value of teamwork and trust.

So while I may not have ten years of “office experience,” I do have experience that matters. I hope more employers start looking beyond job titles and start recognizing the qualities behind them. Sometimes, the people with the least conventional paths are the ones most ready to learn, grow, and give everything they have.

A Note to Job Seekers (and Employers)

If you’re job searching, I challenge you to take a step back from your resume. Forget about titles and timelines for a moment and think about who you are behind those bullet points. Are you good with people? Do you go the extra mile? Do you care deeply about doing things right?

Those are the qualities that make you great at what you do.And those are the stories you should tell especially when faced with those dreaded interview questions like, “Tell me about a time you solved a problem.”

If you’re an employer reading this, I hope you’ll take a chance on the ones who don’t check every box. We may not have decades of experience, but we have drive, adaptability, and heart… And that’s a combination that can’t be trained.

No matter how your next interview turns out, please remember this: Your value isn’t defined by the bullet points on your resume. The qualities you can’t measure are often the ones that make you unforgettable.

Here’s to progress, not perfection.

Jordan