Frequently Asked Questions
Process. Scope. Expectations.
35+ years of practice. Thousands of engagements. These are the questions we are most often asked.
Most questions about this work relate to process, timing, and expectations.
Underneath all of those is a simple difference.
This is a résumé writing experience built on a structured thinking process — a pathway to stronger positioning, clearer direction, and more compelling career narratives.
Working With Top Margin
Timeframes and Availability
Our work is strategic and fully customised. It involves thoughtful career review, careful positioning, and collaborative refinement.
We do not produce overnight documents. The quality of the outcome depends on the quality of the process and the time you give yourself to think clearly about your career, what you want, and where you are heading.
Once you have completed the guided experience and supplied the material required for writing to begin, your résumé is typically delivered within two weeks. Further time is then allowed for review and refinement.
Overall timing depends on both our production schedule and your willingness to give the process the time and thought it deserves.
Our Process
Every engagement begins before the writing.
Through a structured reflection process, we clarify direction, uncover the strongest evidence of your work, and establish the narrative that will support your next move.
- Select Your Service: Choose the experience that best aligns with your needs. Full payment secures your place as a client.
- Settling in: you will receive a private folder that will include a Welcome Guide for more information. Over time, as you complete your reflections, a copy will be kept in your folder for safekeeping. Your resume and other documents will also be in this one handy spot for you to access on demand.
- You are given access to your experience: short, calm videos to watch, think about, and reflect on.
- Project Commencement: Once your reflections and the career signals experience are complete, the evidence is analysed, and you will receive a Career Narrative Review outlining our strategy for feedback and discussion.
- Draft and Refinement: You will receive your résumé within the agreed timeframe. Feedback is incorporated through structured reviews until the document is finalised. We will address your requests, provide professional feedback and offer options.
The process is methodical, collaborative, and designed to produce clarity; not simply a rewritten document.
What happens after I complete the reflection process?
Once your reflections are complete, I review your material carefully and prepare a Career Narrative Review before beginning your résumé. This outlines the key themes I’m seeing, where your strongest evidence appears to sit, the direction I believe your résumé needs to support, and any areas where more detail may be useful.
It gives us a shared understanding before the writing begins, which makes the final documents stronger, clearer and more aligned.
Fees and Payment Structure
All services require full payment prior to commencement.
Our work is bespoke, strategy-driven, and delivered at a senior professional level. As such, we do not offer discounted pricing or deferred payment arrangements—although PayPal offers an interest-free 4-payment plan.
Engaging Top Margin is an investment in long-term positioning, clarity, and career direction. Clients who are ready to commit to that investment tend to achieve the strongest outcomes.
Payment Methods and Security
Payments are processed securely via Stripe and PayPal. Credit card details are encrypted and are not stored on our servers.
We accept Visa, MasterCard, and PayPal. Australian clients may request a direct bank transfer.
Full payment is required prior to commencement.
How Consultations Work
All services are delivered virtually.
This allows for flexibility across time zones and supports structured, documented collaboration. Clients are based across Australia, North America, Europe, and Asia-Pacific.
Virtual delivery does not reduce rigour or depth. It allows the work to remain structured, considered, and uninterrupted.
International
International Clients, Currency, and Market Conventions
Top Margin is based in Australia and uses Australian English across its website.
When preparing client documents, language, spelling, and formatting are tailored to the conventions of the target market, including U.S., Canadian, UK, and Asia-Pacific standards. Strategic positioning includes cultural and stylistic nuance appropriate to the geography of application.
Currency
All prices are listed in Australian Dollars (AUD).
For Australian clients, pricing includes applicable GST as displayed. International clients are charged in AUD.
Documents and Systems
ATS and Digital Screening Systems
Most organisations utilise some form of digital document management or applicant tracking system.
Our documents are structured to remain professionally formatted while also maintaining compatibility with modern screening platforms.
For senior-level roles, recruitment is often managed through executive search and direct referral rather than open advertisement. Nevertheless, digital systems may still be involved at various stages.
Formatting decisions are made strategically to balance presentation, readability, and system compatibility.
Executive Advisory with Larry Howard
Positioning for Enterprise-Level Technology Leadership
For leaders transitioning from senior functional roles into enterprise-level technology leadership, Larry Howard provides strategic guidance on:
-
Expanding narrative beyond technical remit
-
Demonstrating commercial and governance capability
-
Translating operational leadership into enterprise-wide impact
-
Preparing for board-level and executive committee scrutiny
The focus is readiness at enterprise scale, not résumé editing, but leadership positioning.
Senior Leadership Interview Strategy
For clients stepping into significant leadership transitions, executive-level interview strategy is available.
Larry Howard works with senior leaders navigating:
-
Transition from CIO to enterprise leadership or CEO pathways
-
Repositioning technology leaders beyond functional perception
-
Board and C-suite panel preparation
-
Enterprise-scale leadership narratives within large, complex organisations
This is not general interview coaching. It is strategic positioning at executive level.
Availability is limited and typically aligned with clients already engaged in comprehensive résumé work.
Navigating Restructures and Internal Leadership Shifts
Larry Howard advises senior leaders facing complex organisational dynamics, including:
-
Role re-scoping following restructure
-
Perceived demotion or diminished remit
-
Executive layering or reporting changes
-
Managing stakeholder expectations at CFO or board level
-
Rebuilding influence within evolving governance structures
These situations require political judgement, strategic framing, and careful positioning, not generic career advice.
Engagements are typically aligned with senior leaders navigating material inflection points.
Confidence and Policy
Refunds and Cancellations
Due to the bespoke nature of our services, fees are non-refundable once work has commenced.
Each project involves strategic analysis and custom writing specific to the individual client. As such, completed or in-progress work cannot be transferred or resold.
We are committed to delivering a high-quality outcome and incorporate structured revision rounds within the agreed scope to ensure clarity and alignment.
Full terms are outlined in our Terms and Conditions.
Outcomes and Guarantees
No professional writer can guarantee interviews or employment.
Recruitment outcomes depend on multiple variables, including market conditions, role alignment, networking activity, and application strategy.
What we provide is a strategically positioned, professionally written document designed to strengthen credibility, clarify value, and support effective career progression.
If traction is limited, we review application strategy and positioning to identify gaps. In many cases, the résumé is only one component of a broader job search approach.
Our commitment is to quality and strategic clarity — not marketing promises.
Fit and Entry Points
Industries and Role Types
Over the past three and a half decades, we have written more than 15,000 résumés across a broad range of industries and leadership levels.
Our primary focus is executives, managers, and emerging leaders in sectors including technology, sales, logistics, healthcare, finance, government, and complex enterprise environments.
Where specialised insight is required, we draw on an established professional network to ensure industry nuance is accurately represented.
The fundamentals of strong positioning transcend industry. Our expertise lies in translating experience into a strategic narrative.
Complimentary Résumé Reviews
We do not provide complimentary résumé assessments.
Effective review requires detailed analysis, strategic evaluation, and professional judgement. Our structured Résumé Review service delivers written, personalised feedback designed to clarify positioning, strengthen messaging, and identify gaps.
This is not a generic checklist or automated response. It is a professional evaluation conducted directly by Gayle Howard.
For clients seeking serious insight prior to a full rewrite, the review service provides a structured, valuable starting point.