Frequently Asked Questions

• Why should I trust you with my resume?

  We’ve worked in Corporate and Technology for many years where we’ve seen loads of staff churn. We’ve also had to refine our career documents to give us the edge when job hunting. And we’ve worked in a lot of places where we’ve had to employ a lot of people so we know both sides of the fence.
  Plus we’re passionate writers.
  So we know what the industry wants, what someone looking for a job wants, what someone offering a job wants and how to say it so it looks irresistible.

• Why do I have to fill in a Word document and not an online form? That’s just a hassle

  The web crashes. Your laptop, tablet or whatever crashes. It’s a fact of life. And we’re hoping that you take this exercise very seriously. Which means you’ll be spending a fair bit of time to complete the questions giving us as much of your relevant information as you possibly can. Remember, the more information you give us the better results you’ll get.

• I’ve been told I’m the wrong ‘cultural fit’ for this role, what’s this about?

  First off, this has nothing to do with race, gender, colour or anything else about the way you look. Generally this is a ‘cop out’ when someone can’t easily see that you’ve addressed every requirement in the job advertisement. You’ll get responses such as your resume is too general/specific, or too-much/too-little big corporate experience or even too/not-enough technical. The answer is to clearly address the specific requirements for this role and show the value you’ll add to the organization when you get there. Or in other words; a specifically targeted cover letter and resume. And remember that 94% (2013 statistics) of recruiters admit they use LinkedIn and Facebook and Twitter and other networks to check on you. So read our LinkedIn bonus guide to make sure you look great.

• What happens after I buy my resume upgrade?

  We check that you have sent us everything we need. Such as your current resume (whatever you’ve got, we want to see it), the job adverts you’re interested in and if need be, your LinkedIn URL. Then we get to work on your draft resume and cover letter. Each service level has different response times. If we have any questions (and we usually do) we’ll send them to you and get more details from you. NOTE: Usually these questions ask for more detail around what you did at each job you’ve had. So the more detail you give us in the questionnaire, the quicker you get your finished resume. We’ll email you the draft and ask you to check the dates, roles, details, etc so you can let us know they’re all accurate. Once that’s done we’ll make the final updates and send you your files.

• I’ve been in IT for over 30 years. I’m one of the top in my field and my skills are current but because of my age I’m not even getting to an interview. What can I do?

  There’s a lot you can do so that you make it to the interview. A few easy fixes include; Take your birthday off your resume, List jobs for the last 10-15 years only, do NOT fax your resume, use email only, list only your current tech skills as anything from 1959 is not relevant. And there’s plenty other things only a professional resume writer will do to make you look ‘young’ and very experienced.

• I’ve been told I’m too qualified for this role, what gives?

  You’re probably showing too much professional education. Or you’ve listed every skill you’ve ever been good at since 1^st grade. No, the answer is not ‘dumbing down’ your resume. The answer is tailoring your resume and cover letter to address each specific requirement raised in the job advertisement. When we re-write your resume we do this for you, it’s what we do to make you look good. In other words; we answer the questions they’re asking you…

• What paper do you use?

  Are you kidding me? In this day of technology there is no need to use old, outdated methods when it’s so much faster via email. All our communication is electronic and we deliver your final resume, cover letters etc electronically. No paper…

• I was unemployed for 8 months. How do I explain the gap in my resume?

  Relax, we make you look good no matter what. And it’s not really as big a deal as you think it is. Everyone knows there’s been some tough times in the current job market and a few months off is no big issue.

• I’m sick of working as a DBA and want to get into Project Management Office stuff, but my resume is all about DBA work. What can you do?

  We tailor your resume and cover letters to get you the interviews you want. You’ve got a lot of good skills already so we’ll highlight the ones relevant to your new career and downplay the not-so-relevant ones. And they key point is that a professional resume writer knows how to tailor your resume and cover letters to help you get the interview.

• Why are there different levels of service? I just want my resume upgraded.

  It reflects both what you want and what you’ve done. A graduate position resume is a planet away from an executive position package including resume, multiple cover letters, LinkedIn upgrade and consultation. Think of your last holiday. Were you camping on the beach or staying in a 5 star penthouse? What’s right for one person is wrong for another.

• When do I pay?

  You pay up front before we start any work.

• Do you have a student or unemployed discount?

  Many people come to us only when they’re unemployed and desperate to land an interview. So sorry, no.

• How long will my resume upgrade take?

  Your first draft (assuming there’s no questions back to you) arrives in 5 to 6 business days, depending on the service level you’ve bought. Typically you will see 2 to 3 drafts before we have a final version. And your response times will also be a factor in the turnaround timeframe.

• Why do I have to pay upfront?

  Most of our customers come back for regular resume updates before seeking their next role. So if we have to chase you for payment, it sours the relationship. And, this policy helps us keep our costs, and hence your fees down.

• Can I get my resume upgrade any quicker?

  Unfortunately no. Quality work and attention to detail takes time. You simply can’t get a top quality result by paying more and asking us to take shortcuts. A great resume that gets you the interview you want takes time to draft. And it takes more than one ‘cut’ to get it right.

• You say you’re good, but what’s your hit rate?

  We don’t keep stats on our ‘hit rate’ but we can tell you that; – Most of our business comes from referrals – We get a lot of happy customers coming back for updates – We’ve been writing resumes for many years and keep getting great feedback. And you can check out our feedback here.

• Do I need to see you face to face?

  Usually, No. You’re busy and you’re after the best resume you can get. Our experience shows you’ll get a better resume and cover letter when you’ve had to sit down and write what you’ve done and what you want to do. Clarifying and focusing your thoughts (and writing them down) gives us better information to work from than 30 minutes of ‘off-the-cuff’ answers on the spot. But in some cases we will need to talk to you or arrange updated photos. Besides, we don’t look good in the morning.

• Why can’t I just use some resume-writing software or a template?

  Seeing something that offers you 100’s of templates online and promises you’ll have a ‘professional resume in under 10 minutes’ seems too good to be true. And like most things that seem too good to be true, they are. Well, let’s qualify that. If you’re going for a job at Maccas or Burger King, then it’s probably fine. If you’re going for a professional IT / Corporate job, then definitely not. Nothing, absolutely nothing beats the quality an experienced resume writer gets you.

• Do I need to fill in all of your questionnaire?

  Yes and no. Your existing resume covers your jobs, dates you were at each job and company names. What we’re really after is what you did and contributed at each job. This is the secret sauce to an interview-getting resume. If the same stuff, the title and dates are in your existing resume then please leave them out. There’s no value in copying and pasting stuff for the sake of completing a form. Concentrate on the value add questions. The more time you spend here, the better resume you get.

• How long is the perfect resume?

  For a start let’s define ‘perfect resume’ as one that gets you the interview. In the current Australian IT market, for a; Graduate, first job it’s 1-2 pages Professional with up to 15 years’ experience, it’s 2-3 pages Executive, highly technical or specialized career path, it’s 3 pages to whatever it takes to accurately convey what value you’ve added and what you’ve done. If it’s 6 pages, then so be it. It is what gets you the interview.

• Will you keep my resume on line so I can add updates later on?

  Sure. We keep all your details (but NOT credit card numbers) so when you come back for an update for your next role, it’s easy and quick to update your resume.