Your Sidekick.Resumes and applications that give you the best shot.
I write and edit resumes, selection criteria responses and pitches for people going for their next job, whether that is in the Australian Public Service — the APS — or anywhere else. I have worked in the APS and sat on selection panels, so I know what a panel is reading for. I work with people, not businesses, and wherever you are in Australia I can help.
If you are applying for an APS role
Australian Public Service applications are their own thing. A resume that works everywhere else quietly fails here, because the panel is not reading it the way a private-sector recruiter would.
The most common reason a good application goes nowhere is that it describes the job instead of answering the question. You list what your role involved. The panel is looking for evidence of what you did, at the level you are applying for, against each criterion. Those are different pieces of writing, and the second one is harder.
I can help with:
- Responses to selection criteria, and the one-page pitch
- APS1 to APS6, Executive Level 1 and Executive Level 2 roles
- Graduate program applications
- Resumes rewritten for an APS panel rather than a private-sector recruiter
- Moving from the private sector into government, where the format is unfamiliar
- Getting your examples into the shape a panel expects, without turning you into someone you are not
If you have been sitting in a merit pool, or you have sent a hundred applications and heard nothing, the problem is usually the writing, not you.
Not applying for the APS?
A good resume matters in every industry. I write and polish resumes and LinkedIn profiles for private-sector jobs too, from site managers to people changing careers. Same approach: your real experience, written so the person hiring can see what you did.
What I do
LinkedIn profile rewrite — $250
Your profile is the first thing a recruiter reads, and most people write it once and never look at it again.
- A rewritten headline and About section
- Rewritten role descriptions
- One round of edits
Resume polish — $180
You already have a resume and it needs tightening up.
- A full review of your existing resume
- Rewritten wording, structure and layout
- Two rounds of edits
Feedback on your own writing — $100
You would rather write it yourself, and get better at it along the way. You draft, I show you what to change and why, and it stays in your own words and style.
- Detailed written feedback on your resume, one selection criteria response, or a pitch
- The reason behind each suggestion, so you can use it next time
- A second round of feedback on your revised draft
A review from Ena
‘Nikki was so helpful and exceeded my expectations. Her expertise in application processes was only exceeded by her detailed explanations regarding adjustments. I am impressed by her ability to create a balance between suggesting improvements and allowing me to maintain my style of writing and formatting. This dynamic was ideal as it was efficient for completing the tasks I needed while also upskilling myself.’
Full resume rewrite — $300
We start fresh and build something ready to go.
- A conversation about your work history and where you are heading
- A resume written from the ground up
- Two rounds of edits
- A version you can adapt yourself for future roles
Selection criteria or pitch — $350
You are happy with your resume. What you need is the written response, and that is the part most people get stuck on. This is the one most Australian Public Service applicants come to me for.
- A written response to the selection criteria, or a one-page APS pitch
- Built on real examples from your own work, drawn out in a conversation
- Written at the level you are applying for, against each criterion
- Two rounds of edits
The whole application — $650
Everything for one role, written by someone who has sat on the panel.
- A full resume rewrite
- A written response to the selection criteria, or a pitch
- A 30-minute interview preparation call
- Two rounds of edits across the written work
Good for: Australian Public Service roles at any level, and private-sector jobs too — early career, career changes, or anyone who needs a hand.
How long it takes
| Option | First draft |
|---|---|
| LinkedIn profile rewrite | 5 business days |
| Resume polish | 5 business days |
| Feedback on your own writing | 3 business days |
| Full resume rewrite | 7 business days |
| Selection criteria or pitch | 5 business days |
| The whole application | 5 business days |
Each round of edits takes 3 business days once I have your feedback.
Applying for a specific role? I need at least 7 business days before the closing date.
In a hurry? A 3-business-day turnaround is sometimes possible — an extra $100 on the LinkedIn profile, polish, rewrite or selection criteria, or $200 on the whole application. Ask and I will tell you honestly whether I can do it.
How you pay
Every option, including the whole application: paid in full upfront. Work starts once the invoice is paid.
What is not included
- Career coaching. I write and edit applications. I do not advise on what career to pursue.
- Applying for roles on your behalf.
- Any guarantee of an interview or a successful application. I make your application as strong as it can be. The rest is the panel.
How it works
- You send me your current resume and the role you are going for. No charge, no obligation
- Within one business day I tell you what I would do, when and why, and which option fits
- If that sounds right, I send a short scope of work with the price. You pay in full and work starts once the invoice is paid
- I draft
- You review, and we do the included rounds of edits
- Final version delivered
Where you are does not matter. I am Canberra based and work with people across Australia and overseas.
A review from Matt
‘Nikki really understood what I needed and was very fast at getting it done. I would highly recommend Nikki and will use her for any future works.’
I will tell you what I would do, when and why. No charge either way.
Frequently asked questions
- Do you know how Australian Public Service applications actually get assessed?
- Yes. I have worked in the Australian Public Service and I have sat on selection panels, so I have read applications from the other side of the table and know what a panel is actually scoring against. That is the whole reason this service exists.
- Is it cheating to get help with a pitch?
- No, and it is worth being clear about what I do. The examples are yours. I draw them out of you in a conversation, then help you get them into the shape a panel expects. What I will not do is invent achievements or write something that sounds like a person you are not — that is obvious to a panel and it does not survive an interview.
- How do I know you are right for my industry?
- Tell me the role in our first conversation and I will be straight with you about whether I am the right fit.
- Do I need to book a call first?
- No. Send me your current resume and the role you are going for, and within one business day I will tell you what I would do, when and why. No charge either way.