For people who do the work
Will you share your story?
Every job has a story someone needs to hear. Tell students how you really got in, what a normal Tuesday looks like, and what you'd tell yourself at 17. Not the LinkedIn version. The actual path.
- 15–20 minutes
- Skip anything that doesn't fit
- Free, always
"Hi, I'm Martin Hoang. Engineer turned growth consultant, based in Sydney.
When I was working out what to do after school, the picture of work I was given was pretty narrow.
That list was never the whole picture. People are doing work I didn't know existed. So I'm asking them what they do, and how they got there."
Martin Hoang · Founder · I read every storyWhy your story matters
You can Google any job title. You can ask AI what it's like to be a sound engineer or an arborist. What you can't replicate is a real person saying "This is my life, this is what I actually did, this is what I wish I knew."
- 37%
of Australian 15-year-olds hadn't spoken to a careers adviser at school.
ACER analysis of OECD PISA 2022 ↗ - 57%
of young Australians say their education prepared them for the future. The other 2 in 5 disagree or aren't sure.
Monash University, Australian Youth Barometer 2025 ↗ - 51%
of the occupations Australia has been short of every year since 2021 are trades.
Jobs and Skills Australia, 2025 Occupation Shortage List ↗
Your story helps fill that gap.
How it works
- Step 1 Answer the questions
Write your answers in a short online form, at your own pace. Answer what feels right, skip what doesn't.
- Step 2 Martin reviews it
Every submission is read personally. Nothing gets published without your sign-off.
- Step 3 Your page goes live
A public story page with your photo, your words, and links to your business or socials.
What you'll be asked
Your story
- Introduce yourself to a 17-year-old in one sentence. (needed)
- How and why did you end up in this line of work? (needed)
- How did you get your first break? (needed)
- The path from there to where you are now. (optional)
- What does a typical Tuesday look like? (needed)
The real talk
- The best part of the job nobody talks about. (needed)
- The hardest part nobody warns you about. (optional)
- Your hot take: an unpopular opinion about this job. (optional)
- Would you choose this career again? (optional)
Getting in
- Do you need a degree, or are there other ways in? (needed)
- Who would and wouldn’t you recommend this job to? (needed)
The practical stuff
- What separates someone great from someone good? (needed)
- What can you realistically earn, starting out vs later? (optional)
- Will this job still exist in 10–20 years? (optional)
- What advice would you give someone starting out? (needed)
- Anything else you’d like to share? (optional)
No wrong answers. A few honest sentences beats a polished paragraph.
What's in it for you
This is a volunteer project. I won't pretend otherwise. But here's what I can offer in return.
-
Your story, discoverable
A public page on the site, linked from the stories, findable by anyone exploring your field.
-
Your work, listed
Sole trader, run a business, or want to promote your craft? Your details and links go right on your page.
-
Be the person you wish you'd found at 17
Your story could be the one that changes where a young person decides to point their life. That's not a small thing.
Ready when you are
One short form. 15–20 minutes at your own pace, and you can skip any question.
Questions you might have
My job isn't unusual. Is my story still wanted?+
Yes. Every job has a story someone needs to hear. Students don't need rare jobs; they need honest ones.
Does it cost anything?+
No. It's free to browse, free to submit, and it'll stay that way. No sponsors, no catch.
Will my answers be edited?+
Martin reviews every submission personally before it goes live, and nothing is published without your sign-off.
Do I have to answer everything?+
No. A few questions are needed to publish your page; the rest are optional. Answer what feels right and skip what doesn't.
Who reads these stories?+
High school students working out what's next, and anyone curious about what a job is really like.
I have a question first.+
Email hello@whatyoudo.au. Martin reads everything.