How to write a resume in Australia

What an Australian resume includes

The University of Sydney's resume guide describes the same core elements and notes there is no need to add a date of birth, photo or nationality. The Queensland Government's resume and cover letter guide lists the same things employers look for: contact details, career strengths, employment history, education and referees.

Step 1: Read the job ad before you write

Open the job ad and mark three things: the tasks you would do, the skills or qualifications it calls essential, and any instructions about format, length or selection criteria. Those notes decide what goes near the top of your resume.

The University of Sydney points out that software may scan for key words in the first review of applications, so use the employer's terms where they honestly describe your experience. Our guide to ATS resume keywords explains how to do that without stuffing.

If the ad asks you to respond to selection criteria or write a short pitch, treat that as a separate document. See how to address selection criteria.

Step 2: Put contact details and work rights at the top

Use your name as the heading. Add your phone number, a professional email address and the city you live in. A full street address is optional.

If you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, say what you can work. Study Australia's international student resume guide recommends listing your visa type, its expiry and any work restrictions, because it reassures the employer that you can legally work. One line is enough, for example: "Student visa (subclass 500), work rights up to 48 hours per fortnight during semester."

Step 3: Write a two-to-three-sentence summary

The summary tells the reader how to interpret everything below it. Name the kind of role you are applying for, the experience that supports it and one specific strength you can prove later in the document.

Keep each claim checkable. If the summary says you handle supplier enquiries, an employment entry below should show you doing that.

Step 4: Show your experience as evidence

List roles from most recent to oldest. For each one, give the job title, employer, location and month-and-year dates. Under each role, write a few bullets that show what you did and what changed because you did it.

Numbers help when you have them; a made-up number does not. If you have a gap in your work history, the Australian Public Service Commission's application guide suggests explaining it. Our guide to career gaps on a resume shows short, neutral wording.

Step 5: Add education, training and licences

Start with your most recent qualification. Use the full qualification and institution names and the month and year you finished, or expect to finish. Recent graduates can include majors, a weighted average mark (WAM) and academic awards.

Add licences and checks the job actually asks for, such as a driver licence, a White Card, a Working with Children Check or professional registration. If you are unsure what a term in the ad means, see our Australian job application glossary.

Step 6: Finish with referees

Referees usually appear last. Name two or three people who can speak about your work, with their title, organisation and contact details, or write "Referees available on request". Always ask permission first. Our guide to referees on an Australian resume covers who to choose and how to brief them.

A worked example

Priya Nair is a fictional applicant for an operations coordinator role. The ad emphasises scheduling, supplier communication and Excel. Here is how the top of her resume reads after tailoring.

Priya Nair

Parramatta, NSW · [Phone] · [Email]

Permanent resident, full work rights

Summary

Operations assistant with three years' experience coordinating deliveries and supplier enquiries for a multi-site retailer. Builds weekly Excel schedules that store managers use to plan staff and stock. Looking for a coordinator role with more ownership of supplier performance.

Relevant skills

• Delivery scheduling across 12 sites
• Supplier communication and issue tracking
• Excel: lookups, pivot tables and data checks

Every claim in that summary is repeated as evidence in the experience section that follows. That is the test to apply to your own draft.

Check the file before you send it

• Length: one to three pages suits most industries, according to both the University of Sydney and the Queensland Government. See how long a resume should be.
• Readability: body text between 10 and 12 point, consistent headings, and your name and page number in the footer from page two.
• Format: follow the employer's file-type instruction. If an online form pre-fills from your resume, check those fields; errors there show what the system read. Our ATS-friendly resume guide has a quick plain-text test.
• Spelling: use Australian English (organise, centre, programme where the employer uses it).

Questions about writing an Australian resume

Is a CV the same as a resume in Australia?

Both words are used. The Queensland Government describes a CV as similar to a resume but usually longer and more detailed. For most non-academic jobs, employers mean the same one-to-three-page document.

Do I need a cover letter as well?

Usually, yes. The Queensland Government advises sending a short cover letter, specific to the position, with your resume. Our Australian cover letter format guide shows a one-page layout.

Should I include a photo or my date of birth?

No. Australian resume guidance treats these as unnecessary, and they reveal personal attributes that are not part of assessing your work. Read why photos are left off Australian resumes.

How much should I change for each job?

Keep one accurate master version, then adjust the summary, the order of skills and the bullets you lead with for each ad. Our guide to tailoring a resume to a job description walks through a full example.