Hi, I'm Sam.
I help people get the real version of themselves onto paper. That's the idea behind every prompt and template in my shop.
Why I made these
I've been on both sides of the hiring table. I've written my own CVs, cover letters and selection criteria for roles in health, aged care, universities and government. I've also hired people, sat on interview panels, seen new starters through probation and managed formal performance processes when they were needed.
From the panel side, I kept seeing the same thing. Capable people sent in applications that said very little: big claims, no detail and, more and more, the same AI phrases everyone else was using. The person who walked into the interview was often far stronger than the one on paper.
So I wrote down the process I use myself. Start with the job. Ask the questions a good mentor would ask. Find the real examples, the numbers and what changed because of your work. Then write, and only write what's true.
That process became the Bloom Kit. The selection criteria prompt came next, because that's where I've watched strong people lose the most marks.
Where I've come from
- I served in the Royal Australian Navy, then trained as an occupational therapist.
- I've built and run national leadership and mentoring programs for the aged care workforce, reaching 400+ mentoring participants across six states.
- I've led teams and projects in health and aged care, from recruitment through to coaching.
- I've sat on national and Commonwealth boards, and I chaired the first ageing panel at the CHOGM Women's Forum in Kigali.
- I run Hyphae Network, where I work with aged care, community and disability organisations on their programs and their people.
More about my work on LinkedIn.
What I believe about applications
Your application should sound like you on a good day.
Polished is fine. Unrecognisable isn't.
Only claim what you can back up.
Panels ask follow-up questions, and an inflated claim tends to unravel at interview.
Real examples do the heavy lifting.
One example with a number in it will do more for you than a paragraph of adjectives.
Help shouldn't cost hundreds.
A CV writer is out of reach for lots of people, so my prompts cost about the same as a pub lunch and you can reuse them for every application.
The non-work bits
I was the kid who chose the library at lunch and played trumpet and tuba in the school band. Glasses, braces, the lot. These days I'm a mum in Perth with a soft spot for useful things, terrible embroidery included.
Sam
Give your next application some spark.
Questions, feedback, or want to tell me how you went? Email info@samanthabowen.com.au.