Checklists built to be used, not just read
Each walkthrough below is written to be worked through with a notebook open, not skimmed on a train. Pick the one that matches where you're stuck.
Naming what you already know how to do
The ten-year work history audit
A structured way to go back through your last decade of roles and pull out the recurring capabilities hiding inside your job titles. Works best over two sittings, one for listing and one for editing.
Asking three people what you're actually good at
A short script for approaching a manager, a peer and a former colleague to ask a specific, non-awkward question that surfaces skills you undersell.
Translating industry jargon into transferable language
A worksheet for rewriting three of your proudest achievements so someone outside your industry could understand exactly what you did and why it mattered.
Sorting skills into "keep, retire, and build"
A simple sorting exercise for deciding which of your current skills you want to keep using, which you're happy to leave behind, and which need active development.
Choosing and reading short courses
A checklist for evaluating a course before you enrol
Questions to ask about the issuing body, the assessment method and how the credential is typically described on LinkedIn and resumes in Australia.
TAFE, university and industry body credentials compared
An explainer on the practical differences between a TAFE Statement of Attainment, a university micro-credential and a professional association certificate.
Writing a micro-credential into a resume properly
Placement, phrasing and context: how to add a short course to your resume so it reads as a deliberate skill investment rather than filler.
Bringing a stale profile up to date
A section-by-section profile refresh
Works through the headline, banner, About section, experience descriptions and skills list in order, with a small task for each one.
Writing a headline that isn't just your job title
A short framework for describing what you do in a way that signals your current direction, not just your current title.
Reordering your skills without starting from scratch
How to decide which existing skills to pin to the top of your profile based on where you want your next opportunity to come from.
Choosing a photo and banner that don't undercut you
Practical, non-vain considerations for a profile photo and banner image, including what tends to look dated after a few years.
Setting a quarterly reminder so this never happens again
A short routine for reviewing your profile four times a year so it never drifts seven years out of date again.
Preparing for the conversation itself
Building an evidence page before you ask
A one-page template for gathering outcomes, not just responsibilities, so you walk into the conversation with specifics rather than a vague sense of deserving.
Timing the request around your organisation's cycle
How budget cycles, performance reviews and restructures affect the likelihood of a "yes", and how to time your request accordingly.
A script for opening the conversation itself
A flexible opening framework for the first two minutes of the conversation, when most people either freeze or oversell.
What to do when the answer is "not yet"
A checklist for turning a deferred decision into a concrete, time-bound plan instead of a vague promise to "revisit it later".