Professional Résumé Writers Case Study
Professional Résumé Writers | 551,300 jobless Australians minus 1 | How The Perfect Resume Helped a Client Secure an Interview Despite A 7-Year Career Gap
The Client | Jenny and Her Family
Jenny, a job seeker from Brisbane, planned to re-enter the workforce after a 7-year hiatus. She and her husband, Mark, decided stepping down from her hospital administrator role would be the best decision for their family, despite receiving the news that she had been considered for a leadership position.
Picture this! Sizzling smokey bacon, farm-fresh eggs, perfect golden toast on the side, some grilled mushrooms, spinach, smashed avocado and tomatoes. A flat white for Mark, three glasses of apple juice for the kids, and a cup of tea for her – you'll find these on the table as Jenny wakes the entire household to join her for breakfast at the dining room table.
Picture perfect, right?
This is how Jenny started her new job, the best stay-at-home mum to her family.
Despite the new challenges she faced, such as picking and nearly stepping on Lego pieces on the floor and her second child discovering how to create her very own hieroglyphic on their walls, using a crayon, she survived her first day.
Days turned into weeks which turned it months, and she hit her first year.
She had a front seat to watch and celebrate every milestone – first practice, school play, science experiment, and so much more. Jenny also had to witness so many pains, like when her youngest scraped his knee, her eldest got into a fight, and her marriage heading into a downward spiral.
Despite her efforts, financially, the family was doing it tough and the pressure on Mark as the sole income provider was taking its toll. The image of Jenny's picture-perfect family eventually faded. Then the unimaginable happened, Mark left her.
The Problem | Opportunities? Plenty! Getting A Call Back? Barely!
With zero income and four stomachs to fill, anxiety was slowly devouring her. As soon as she sent the kids to school, you find her on the floor, next to the hieroglyphic which their child said was their family tree. Terrified, angry, tired – she tried to distinguish what she felt but never managed to. However, in front of her children, she had to put her "I am strong" mask on. As she tucks her children into bed, her youngest asks her, "when is daddy coming home?" she fights back the tears and whispers, "I'm not sure honey".
Knowing that she needed a stable financial income to sustain their needs, she knew she couldn't just let this challenge drag her to her rock bottom. She dusted and resurrected her old resume. This was how her job hunt started.
Jenny faced many challenges as she tried to secure a job, which was worsened by a global pandemic. The job market had changed dramatically since she last worked, and she struggled to compete with younger, more qualified candidates.
Days turned into weeks which turned into months; Jenny did not hear from any of the 20+ opportunities and companies she tried out for. She knew that this was a problem she couldn't solve on her own. Jenny started searching on Google for "affordable career coaches near me". With limited financial resources, Jenny knew that she needed to find the perfect career counsellor who would turn her investment into a job.
That's how she found and reached out to The Perfect Resume, who helped her turn $399 into a $72K annual yearly income!
Professional Résumé Writers Guide Jenny's New Job Search Journey
Before betting her money away, Jenny did some digging. She explored The Perfect Resume's website and looked for signs of deceit. After hours of contemplating, evaluating, and wandering around the website, Jenny discovered that the team offered free resume reviews. With nothing to lose, she sent the resume she had to info@theperfectresume.com.au. The review results that could help her gain valuable and updated recruitment insights were ready within the day. She received an email from the team's Director, Melissa Peacock, offering her a free 15-minute consultation to discuss her resume gaps, answer her related questions, and provide a quote with no hidden charges.
Since she only needed to invest 15 minutes, she did not think twice. Jenny booked a consultation with Melissa. After the call, Jenny received a recap of their discussion, and as she read each bullet, she had an accurate picture of the dilemma she was facing, including:
- Her resume was not ATS compliant; therefore, the ratio of Jenny receiving an automatic, scheduled unsuccessful message is way higher than her interview rate.
- Her resume design and template are modern, thus, narrowing her chances of getting noticed.
- Jenny's 7-year career break can make readers assume the worst about her when in fact, she was being an amazing role model to her children.
Without a doubt, Jenny's resume was hurting her job search. She enjoyed chatting with Melissa and she felt a genuine connection, so, she booked the most affordable option, Resume Package #1, which included:
- An applicant tracking system compliant resume in both editable Word and PDF formats, plus unlimited revisions
- A tailored cover letter focusing on her target role guaranteed to emphasise her transferrable skills
- Complimentary cover letter template that matches her resume design and can be easily edited, along with a guide on how to write the perfect cover letter
- Free proofreading service for cover letters Jenny writes until she lands a new job
- Loads of helpful guides and tips to support her on your journey
Professional résumé writers commenced work, which started with extensive industry research
The Perfect Resume team analysed the latest healthcare recruitment trends to see what would be the best fit for Jenny's needs. After, all the details gathered from the analysis, both big and small, were compiled. Then, they moved to the next phase – strategically placing everything on a well-designed, ATS-pleasing document. The best part was that she had her resume drafted within 24 hours!
When Jenny saw the email that her draft resume was attached, she was unsure why she felt so nervous about opening it. She was shocked to receive it so swiftly. "Did they put in enough hours on my order?" She asked herself. "What if it's not good enough and all this was a waste of time, money and effort?"
She hovered over the attachment and pondered, "this could be the difference between staying in my current financial and life position or the opportunity of a fresh new life." This thought gave her the courage she needed to take a peek. She gingerly opened the attachment and waited for it to load.
She could not believe her eyes! "I sound AMAZING!" Instantly she knew, she could stand a chance against the competitive job pool!
Would you like to know what triggered Jenny's reaction?
Little did Jenny know, during her initial consultation, prior to booking, Melissa, a trained Counsellor, took the time to listen, not because she wanted to provide her with an accurate quote, but because she wanted to learn more about who Jenny was as a person. What she desired for herself, for her career and what steps she had in place to achieve her goals.
When Jenny was concerned about going back to work and not being around her children, Melissa said, "It sounds like you were able to create lots of happy memories during your time away from work...Your children will cherish this time they spent with you, but now, it's time to look after what you need, so you can inspire them to think about what jobs they would like to do in the future".
"So, Jenny, what's the next job you would like to apply for?"
This was the PERFECT question that gave off valuable answers. As the conversation went on, Melissa had a well-rounded overview of Jenny's next steps, her concerns about any applications, and the solutions that Jenny needed to succeed.
Remember the 7-year career gap that was one of her main concerns? Well, our Professional Résumé Writers eliminated it. Not even a trace was found.
After the order came through, behind the scenes, Melissa worked with each of the writers and coaches on the team, brainstorming how they could close the gap and find the perfect solution. There was a buzz of energy as Microsoft Team messages were pinging around with ideas to help Jenny stay ahead of the competition. After all, many minds are better than one.
Melissa recalled when she asked, "What else have you been keeping yourself busy with apart from being a super mum?" Jenny giggled that she had been involved in several small volunteering opportunities since leaving her previous position, however, she just did it because she liked to be involved with the community.
At the time, Jenny didn't realise, that The Perfect Resume writers were very creative and Melissa knew that no volunteering role is too great or too small. So, the team worked together to present her information in the best light possible.
Her resume is now a constant reminder of her cherished family time – how she was not only a great mother, she was also a community member, helping our communities most vulnerable.
Reading her resume, the regret of quitting her job in exchange for having more time with her family melted away. She was back in control of her next steps.
The Result | A Worry-Free and Soon-To-Be Employed Jenny
Based on the latest figures released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in March 2022, there were 551,300 unemployed people in Australia; however, Jenny, was determined not to be one of them. Through the help of Professional Résumé Writers, she was equipped with the job search tools to escape that number, coupled with a better fighting chance at securing a job.
"I've got an interview next week!"
GIFs of cheer were sent throughout the Whole Team chat when Melissa announced Jenny's victory to the team of Professional Résumé Writers!
We all have our fingers crossed for Jenny's success!
Despite completing our initial service together, we are still here for Jenny throughout her career journey. In return for the trust that she bestowed on us, The Perfect Resume team continues to give her guidance and a caring ear to listen. This is how we work with our clients – it's not about the money. We know what it is to juggle both personal life and career problems, so we want to be the rock YOU can rely on.
What about you? Are you still reading other people's success stories? It's time for you to take control of your life.
With the support of The Perfect Resume team, you can get a competitive edge. Allow us to help you set yourself apart from the crowd using the correct format to please your human readers, eliminate biases from your job search equation, and pass the Applicant Tracking Software (ATS) gates! Email us at info@theperfectresume.com.au and find out how we can guarantee to improve YOUR chances of getting an interview.
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