Optimize Your Resume

Next, you need to prepare your resume to reflect an outstanding and competitive candidate for this desired job.  When was the last time you updated your resume?  Is it just a bare text in a Word file?  Let’s make sure your resume is modernized and up to date.

Better yet, let’s ensure that your resume is very well-aligned to the key qualifications and qualities the job opening is targeting.  This will ensure that your resume doesn’t get filtered out amount hundreds of others where people job hunting often spam their ill-fitting resumes to many openings.

Generally, whether starting your career or making a change mid-career, be selective with your job applications.  Tailor your resume and cover letter to the job description and qualifications that are posted.  Ensure there is an overlap of key terms and convey conviction within your cover letter around your fit and passion for the job.

See examples of a and cover letter for your reference.

Lettersize - Resume - Gemma Woodley - 2-pages.docx

Download DOCX • 352KB

Lettersize - Resume - Gemma Woodley - Cover Letter.docx

Download DOCX • 337KB

Make sure your resume is not too lengthy.  Try to keep it to one page, two at most including references.  Too much information will turn off the hiring manager, and it will likely never get read.  Think of your resume as a tease to entice the hiring manager into learning more about you from the interview.  You want to succinctly highlight your better attributes without going into a zillion details.  The hiring manager should get a quick sense that you sound very qualified and capable of doing the job based on your qualifications and past experiences.  However, they will need to interview to get more detail and figure out just how ideal you are of a fit.  This will lead you to securing an interview. 

Now that you have secured an interview, let’s make sure you are as prepared as can be.  This preparation will boost your confidence and performance during the interview.  It is a great and necessary investment of your time.  Finally, many of the tips we’ll go over for preparation will outwardly display your preparedness to the hiring manager demonstrating your professionalism.