Client Name: Alison Jones*
Industry/ Role: Registered Nurse, seeking a leadership role
Services and Costs: Resume $349, cover letter $79
Brisbane Resume Writers: Nicole Wren and Team
Results:
- Marked increase in confidence
- 3 interviews within a month
- Secured a role as an Aged Care Facility Manager within 6 weeks
“Not Enough Leadership Experience”
Alison had worked as a Registered Nurse for 20 years. One of her favourite parts of her job is leading and supporting other nurses, which she had done a lot of in acting roles over the years. She was keen to secure a permanent leadership role.
Alison had applied for several aged care manager roles, but wasn’t getting any interviews. The feedback she was getting was she didn’t have enough leadership experience.
Alison told us this wasn’t the case. “I acted in the facility manager role while my manager was absent. I was also often asked to help out at that level in an informal capacity.”
It’s Not You, It’s Your Resume
Alison was chatting to a friend, who asked her if she’d had her resume checked. The friend (also a Nurse) had had her nurse resume completed professionally some months before, and forwarded Alison the contact details of a team of Brisbane resume writers: Resumes to Impress.
Discovering A Team of Brisbane Resume Writers
Alison looked us up on Google first. She explained “Having my friend’s recommendation was great. I did a quick check of the Resumes to Impress website and found a stack of other positive reviews. I was unsure what to expect, but decided to get in touch.”
Collaborating for Success
Alison sent us an email through our online contact form. She uploaded her old resume and asked for a quote to revamp it.
Alison was assigned senior writer Nicole. Nicole asked abut the types of roles she was applying for. When Alison said she was looking for leadership roles, a phone consult was organised, to discuss Alison’s experience and make sure we could help with her goals.
Nicole said: “After our conversation, I realised Alison had amazing leadership skills and experience behind her! But this was not being highlighted on her resume. So we had some big changes to make.”
Tailoring the Resume for Leadership Roles
Nicole made significant changes to Alison’s resume to ensure it showcased her leadership abilities and suitability for leadership positions. Nicole also ensured it aligned to Australian resume writing standards. Nicole used the information Alison had provided during the consultation and turned this into ‘key achievements’, using the XYZ formula.
Alison gives an example: “Nicole asked me about ways I had contributed to team performance. The weekly training sessions I had implemented seemed obvious but she explained I needed to include those sorts of things in my resume if I wanted to stand out.”
There were a range of other changes made, as outlined below.
What Was Changed?
Before:
- Outdated, non-ATS or reader-friendly template (text boxes!)
- Professional profile highlighting RN skills but not leadership skills
- Generic skill list
- Too much info on pre-nursing, non-relevant roles
- Limited key words for nursing resume
- No link between volunteer work and target role
- Lengthy, wordy paragraphs of duties text
- No achievements
- No emphasis on leadership skills
After:
- Modern, ATS-friendly and reader-friendly template (no text boxes!)
- Professional profile highlighting leadership abilities
- Comprehensive skill list
- Minimal detail about non-nursing employment
- Comprehensive key words for nursing resume
- Emphasis on leadership aspect of volunteer work
- Easy-to-read dotpoints outlining duties
- Achievement-focused content
- Emphasis on leadership skills throughout resume
The Results
Improved Confidence
Alison told us even the process of collaborating about her resume increased her confidence. “Nicole asked me questions that got me thinking about all the things I had achieved. It made me realise that yes, I really am a good candidate for these roles.”
The resume itself further strengthened her confidence. “I felt more confident applying, because I knew I’d be taken seriously.”
3 Interviews Within a Month
Alison said she started applying for jobs as soon as she received her new documents. She mainly targeted Aged Care Facility Manager roles. Pretty quickly, she had her first call-back. “It felt really good to get that first call.”
She’d had three interviews within a month, and she felt they all went fairly well. “I think the process of talking about my achievements and skills during the resume creation process helped me during the interviews, actually. Everything was fresh in my mind, I just needed to elaborate on what was written in my resume.”
Secured a Role as a Facility Manager Within 6 Weeks
Alison was offered one of the roles she applied for within just six weeks of having her resume completed. This role offered the growth and leadership opportunities she had been seeking.
“When they rang to offer me the job, I was absolutely rapt. I think I even shed a tear! I couldn’t wait to get stuck in and make a difference to the residents lives.”
Alison said the work of Nicole and the resume writing services Brisbane team was invaluable. “My new employer even commented on the quality of my resume. I’d recommend them to any nurses trying to get ahead in their career.”
*Note, names and some personal details have been changed for privacy reasons.
