How can you help a mentee develop a standout resume and cover letter?

The best resumes and cover letters are those that are tailored to a specific job or post-graduate studies application. So it is important to verify the purpose for the resume and cover letter before drafting begins. This way, the relevant skills and experiences will be highlighted on each document, resulting in greater chances of securing the job or being selected for the post-graduate studies.

I've seen plenty of resumes from students and early career professionals that have a divided focus, they are not fully committed to applying for a role within their target industry. Having a clear focus on the purpose is essential. Everything within a resume can be written in a way that is relevant and focused on why you are ideal for the role being applied for in the industry it is within. Another mistake I've noticed is not having a clear idea of your own skills, talents and contributions. It can be easy to slip into writing quite generic statements. I like to ask, 'What could you put on your resume that someone else with the same experiences couldn't say? What difference did you make by being there?'

The type of feedback you provide will differ greatly depending on what you are presented with. One thing I take note of is the structure, does the order make sense and does it establish the most relevant information quickly. It's also important to ensure that context is provided while staying concise. Is the information included useful and relevant, is it adding anything in terms of establishing you as the right person for the job or establishing who you are as a person? I also keep an eye on the formatting, if it is not consistent throughout it can end up looking unprofessional.

I love to read about interests outside of work and study. This might be voluntary roles, community involvement or sporting pursuits. They give such great insight. I also enjoy the interests section. My advice is to ensure this isn't generic. I've seen many that state things like, 'Travel' or 'Movies', but lots of people like travel and most people enjoy watching a movie. So rather than staying general and surface level, go a bit deeper. Why do you like to travel? What kinds of movies do you enjoy? I once supported someone who mentioned they liked baking on their resume. When I suggested they get a bit specific they said that they were trying to make the airiest, lightest pavlovas which lead to us having a great chat. It created connection.

Authenticity should not be downplayed especially because there are recruiters who would carry out a background check to verify the contents of the resume or cover letter. My advice is that if you do not have the necessary skills or experiences, then do not formulate them on your resume. Instead, develop yourself by acquiring the skills and gaining the needed experience. Hacks for this include taking short online courses and volunteering or interning.

Resume: Provide measurable results for EVERY action. What you did doesn't matter, because that's not what you're bringing to the team/organization. The results that the action produced is what matters. And making it measurable (time saved, increased profit, decreased spending, etc) is what tells the reader just how impactful that result was. Cover letters: They are NOT an extension or recreation of your resume. Delineate the two this way: The resume is your "How," and the cover letter is your "Why." The resume tells me how you're the best person for the job (thru measured deliverable results), and the cover letter tells me why (how your values and vision align with that of the organization).

Recruiters usually spend about 40 seconds or less looking at a resume. So, it is important for the mentee's resume to have key points that can grab the recruiter's attention. Here are a few hacks: - Bullet points should be used to showcase competence in the work experiences section. - Each bullet point should begin with an action word. E.g. Managed, Collaborated, Led, Increased, Oversaw, etc. - Experiences should be written as achievements, using metrics and numbers, instead of in job description form. - The professional summary section should be written using bullet points rather than in paragraph form.