Australia CV and resume guidance

Both words are used in Australia, and for most jobs they mean the same thing: a document summarising your experience, education and skills. "Resume" is very common in private sector job ads, while "CV" is also widely understood and is used more in academia, medicine and research, where a longer document listing publications or clinical training is normal.

What matters is what the ad asks for:

• "Send your resume" or "upload your CV": a two- to three-page document is usually fine.
• "Academic CV": a fuller record of teaching, research, grants and publications.
• "Statement addressing the selection criteria": a separate document, common in the public sector.

Do not worry about which word you put in your file name. "Priya-Nair-Resume.pdf" and "Priya-Nair-CV.pdf" will both be read the same way.

Two to three pages is usual for an experienced applicant in Australia, and one to two pages for students and recent graduates. Australian resumes are often a little longer than the one-page style common in the United States, because many employers like to see achievements for each role.

A practical guide:

• School leavers and students: one page, or two with part-time work and volunteering.
• Graduates: up to two pages.
• Experienced professionals: two or three pages.
• Senior or technical roles: three pages can work if every page is relevant.

Length is less important than relevance. If your resume runs to five pages, cut older roles to a line or two and remove duties that do not relate to the job you want. The first page is what every reader sees first, so put your strongest, most relevant material there.

No, this is not expected in Australia. Leave off your date of birth, age, marital status, religion and similar personal details. Employers assess you on skills and experience, and the Australian Human Rights Commission lists age, marital status, religion, race and several other grounds as areas where discrimination in employment is covered.

If you are coming from a country where these details are standard, removing them is one of the easiest ways to make your resume look local. Keep your header to:

• Full name.
• Mobile number and email.
• Suburb and state, such as "Footscray VIC".
• A LinkedIn or portfolio link if relevant.

If an application form asks for a detail, such as your date of birth for a payroll or background check later in the process, answer the form. Your resume itself does not need it.

Usually not. Photos are not the norm on Australian resumes for most office, technical, trade and professional jobs, and many recruiters prefer to judge applications without one. A photo also takes space you could use for achievements, and some applicant tracking systems handle images poorly.

Exceptions where a picture may be requested:

• Acting, modelling and some on-camera roles, where a separate headshot is normally sent.
• Some hospitality or promotional roles, but only when the ad asks.

If an ad asks for a photo, send it as a separate file unless told otherwise. Your LinkedIn profile can carry a professional photo instead, which gives employers a face to the name without changing your resume.

Yes. Use Australian spelling, which mostly follows British English: organise, colour, centre, licence (noun), analyse, labour. A resume written in consistent local spelling reads as careful and suited to the market, although employers will not reject you for a single American spelling.

Points that often trip people up:

• "Program" is commonly used in Australia for both software and plans or schemes, as in "graduate program".
• "Licence" is the noun, "license" the verb.
• Use "mobile" rather than "cell".
• Write dates as "March 2024" or "03/2024", not "2024-03" and never US-style "3/15/24".

Set your word processor or browser spell checker to English (Australia) before a final read-through. If you are applying for a role with a US company in Sydney, local spelling is still fine.

Use A4. It is the standard paper size in Australia, and employers who print applications will print on A4. US Letter is slightly wider and shorter, so a Letter document printed on A4 can end up with odd margins or a line moved onto a new page.

When you save your resume:

• Select A4 in your template or page settings.
• Keep margins of around 2 cm so nothing is cut off when printed.
• Export a text-based PDF unless the ad asks for Word.

ResumeBuilder.ae lets you choose A4 or US Letter for the PDF, so switch to A4 before downloading if you are applying in Australia.

Many Australian employers check referees before making an offer, so either list two referees at the end of your resume or write "Referees available on request". Both are accepted. Listing them is common for trade, hospitality and entry-level jobs; experienced professionals often hold them back to protect referees' privacy.

If you list them, include:

• Name and job title.
• Organisation.
• Relationship to you, such as "Former line manager".
• Phone and email.

Example: "Sarah Koh, Operations Manager, Harbourline Logistics (my manager 2021–2024), 0412 000 000, s.koh@example.com"

Choose people who supervised your work recently, ideally direct managers. Always ask permission first and tell them what job you have applied for, because Australian referee checks are often a phone call with questions about your performance.

Key selection criteria are a list of skills and qualities an employer, often in Australian public sector or university jobs, wants you to show evidence of. You usually respond in a separate statement, addressing each criterion with a short example, as well as sending your resume.

A common way to write each response is the STAR approach:

• Situation: where you were working.
• Task: what needed to happen.
• Action: what you personally did.
• Result: the outcome, with a number if you have one.

Example: "In my role at Coastal Health Service, I redesigned the referral intake process, which reduced the backlog from six weeks to two."

Read the job pack carefully. It usually states the word or page limit, whether to use headings for each criterion, and whether a short "pitch" replaces criteria responses. Your resume should support your responses, so make sure the same examples appear in it.

A pitch is a short written statement explaining why you suit the role, written in paragraphs and linked to the role's duties or capabilities. Your resume lists your history; the pitch argues your case with selected examples. Many Australian public sector agencies ask for both.

Tips for a pitch:

• Read the job description and any capability framework mentioned in the job pack.
• Choose two or three strong examples rather than covering every duty.
• Use first person and active verbs: "I led", "I negotiated".
• Stay within the stated word or page limit, as reviewers may stop reading at the limit.

Keep your resume consistent with the pitch. If you mention a project in the pitch, it should appear in your experience section with the same dates and job title.

Put your suburb and state, with or without the postcode. A full street address is not expected, and leaving it off protects your privacy, especially when you upload your resume to job sites.

Examples:

• "Parramatta NSW 2150"
• "Brunswick, VIC"
• "Perth, WA (open to relocation)"

The suburb helps employers judge your commute, which matters for shift work, retail, trades and hospitality jobs. If you are moving to a new city, write the destination and date, for example "Relocating to Brisbane QLD, February 2027". If you are overseas, put your current city and country and add a note about your plans, rather than giving a false local address.

Write it the way Australians read it: "0412 345 678" if you are applying from within Australia, or "+61 412 345 678" if you might be contacted from overseas or you are using an international number. Drop the leading zero when you add +61.

Tips:

• Use spaces to group the digits; avoid brackets and dashes that make it harder to read.
• Give one number only, the one you answer.
• Record a clear voicemail greeting with your name, because Australian recruiters often call and leave a message.

If you do not yet have an Australian number, give your current international number with its country code and mention when you will have a local one.

Many applicants add a short, accurate line about their right to work in Australia, especially if their name or education suggests they might need sponsorship. It answers a question recruiters often ask early and can stop your application being set aside while they wonder.

Examples:

• "Australian citizen"
• "Permanent resident of Australia"
• "Full working rights in Australia"
• "Visa holder with work rights until June 2027"

Write only what is true and what your visa documents say. Do not describe conditions you are unsure of; the employer may ask for evidence and can check your status through official channels. For questions about what your visa allows, check the official Australian Government immigration website rather than relying on resume advice.

List them in your education or qualifications section with the full qualification title, the provider and the year completed. Australian employers recognise qualification titles like "Certificate III" and "Diploma" and use them to judge your level, so do not shorten them.

Example: "Certificate IV in Building and Construction, TAFE NSW, 2023"

Other tips:

• If the course is still in progress, write "Expected completion: November 2027".
• For trade qualifications, add any related licence or ticket in a separate licences section.
• If your training included a work placement, describe it under experience with bullets on what you did.

Put the most relevant qualification first. A Certificate III in Individual Support matters more for an aged-care role than an unrelated degree, so lead with it.

AQF refers to the Australian Qualifications Framework, which places qualifications at levels from certificates through to doctoral degrees. Most Australian recruiters already understand titles like "Certificate IV" or "Bachelor", so you rarely need to add the level number.

Mention an AQF level when:

• The job ad states a level, for example "AQF Level 5 qualification or higher".
• Your qualification is from overseas and an official assessment has given it an Australian equivalent.
• The course title is unusual and the level helps explain it.

Example: "Diploma of Early Childhood Education and Care (AQF Level 5), 2024"

Do not claim an equivalent you have not had confirmed. If you are unsure how an overseas qualification compares, write the original title and country and let the employer ask.

Create a "Licences and Tickets" or "Licences and Certifications" section near the top of your resume for trades, construction, warehousing and hospitality roles. Australian employers in these industries often screen for these first, so do not bury them at the end.

List each item with its name, number where appropriate, issuing state and expiry date if it has one.

Example:

• "General Construction Induction (White Card), NSW, 2024"
• "Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA), VIC, 2025"
• "High Risk Work Licence: Forklift (LF), QLD, expires 2028"
• "C class driver licence, manual"

Keep the list relevant to the job. A barista resume needs the RSA and a food safety course; it does not need a crane ticket from ten years ago unless you are applying for site work.

Mention it if the job involves work where the ad says one is needed, such as childcare, teaching, disability support, aged care or community services. A short line saying you already hold a current check can make you more attractive, because it can speed up hiring.

How to write it:

• "Working with Children Check, VIC, current"
• "National Police Check completed March 2026"

Do not include the card number unless the application specifically asks for it, and never attach a copy unless requested. For jobs where no check is mentioned, leave it off; it adds nothing. Requirements and validity differ by state and employer, so follow the job ad and the issuing body's information.

Add a line under personal details or a licences section, but only when driving or travel matters for the job, such as trades, sales territories, community care, delivery or regional roles. For office jobs in the city it is usually unnecessary.

Examples:

• "Full C class driver licence, own vehicle"
• "MR licence (medium rigid), NSW"
• "Provisional (P2) licence"

Australians say "driver licence" or "driver's licence"; both are fine. If you hold an overseas licence and are new to Australia, write it accurately, such as "UK full licence", and check with your state's road authority how long you can use it rather than guessing on your resume.

Write the degree under its original title, add the institution, country and year, and, if it helps, a brief explanation of what it covered. Australian recruiters see many overseas qualifications, so clarity matters more than conversion.

Example: "Bachelor of Technology (Civil Engineering), Anna University, India, 2018"

Ways to add context:

• If you have had your qualification assessed by a recognised assessing body, add the outcome in a short line, such as "Assessed as comparable to an Australian Bachelor degree".
• If your profession is registered or licensed in Australia, list your registration status honestly, for example "Registration in progress".
• Translate any title written in another language.

Do not rename your degree into an Australian title you have not been granted. If your role or field requires a licence or registration, list it with its number and expiry date as required by the regulator.

Make it easy for a local recruiter to picture you in the job: clear work rights, a realistic start date, Australian conventions and context for any company they will not know.

Changes to make:

• Remove photo, date of birth, marital status and religion.
• Switch to A4 and Australian spelling.
• Add a location line, such as "Currently in Dubai, UAE; relocating to Melbourne, May 2027".
• State your work rights accurately.
• Explain unknown employers in a short line, such as "Regional distributor of building materials, 300 staff".
• Write achievements in local units and terms.
• Give a mobile number with country code and mention when you can do video interviews.

Tailor each application. Australian recruiters can tell a generic overseas resume from one written for their job, and a tailored one is far more likely to get a call. Be honest about your situation: employers often prefer a candidate with clear plans over one whose availability is vague.

You cannot invent local experience, but you can show you will adapt quickly. Recruiters usually worry about three things: whether you understand local standards, how you communicate and whether you will stay.

Ways to address that on your resume:

• List any Australian experience, even short contracts, volunteering or a professional year.
• Name local standards, software or regulations you have learned, such as Australian Standards in engineering or Xero in bookkeeping.
• Add relevant short courses completed in Australia.
• Show work with multinational or English-speaking teams.
• Describe results in terms any industry reader understands.

Example: "Managed payroll for 120 staff across three countries, including Australian award interpretation after completing a local payroll course."

Your cover letter can then explain your move and commitment to staying.

List them as normal jobs under experience, with the employer, your title, dates and "Casual" if you like. Australian employers understand that most students work casual shifts in retail, hospitality or tutoring, and these jobs show reliability, customer service and time management.

Example:
"Customer Service Assistant (casual), FreshMart, Geelong VIC, 2022–2025

• Served customers on busy weekend shifts and handled cash and card reconciliation.
• Trained four new team members on registers and stock rotation."

If you had several similar casual jobs, group them under one heading, such as "Hospitality roles, 2021–2024", with a couple of bullets that cover them all. Keep the focus on transferable skills that relate to the graduate or professional job you are applying for.

Start in your second-last year. Many large Australian employers recruit graduates well before they finish their degree, often in the year before the program starts, so your resume needs to be ready early. Check each employer's careers page for dates rather than assuming.

A graduate program resume usually includes:

• Degree, university, expected completion and your grade average if it is strong.
• Internships, vacation programs or industry placements.
• Casual work showing reliability and teamwork.
• Leadership in clubs, societies or volunteering.
• Skills relevant to the stream, such as data tools for analytics.

Keep it to one or two pages and tailor it to each program's values and streams. Your university careers service may also offer resume reviews before the main recruitment period.

List it under experience with the organisation, program name, dates and two or three bullets on what you did and delivered. Australian graduate employers look closely at these placements, so treat them as real roles.

Example:
"Summer Vacationer, Audit, Greenfield Partners, Melbourne, Dec 2025 – Feb 2026

• Tested revenue and payroll controls for two mid-sized clients.
• Prepared working papers reviewed by the senior manager with minor changes."

If you received a graduate offer at the end of the program, you can mention it in your cover letter rather than on the resume, depending on whether you are applying to competitors. Keep confidential client names out and describe the industry instead.

Usually only for your first year or two after finishing school, and only if it is strong or the employer asks. Once you have a university result, internships or work experience, your ATAR becomes much less relevant and can be removed.

When it can help:

• School leaver applying for apprenticeships, cadetships or entry roles.
• First-year university student without much work history.
• An employer or scholarship that asks for it.

Example: "Higher School Certificate, Northside High School, 2024. ATAR: 91.40"

If your ATAR is not a strength, simply list your certificate and school, and lead with your casual work, volunteering or achievements instead.

Keep it to one page and show reliability, availability and any responsibility you have had. Employers hiring school leavers for retail, hospitality, apprenticeships or traineeships know you have little work history.

Include:

• Contact details and suburb.
• A short objective: "Year 12 student seeking a casual retail role on weekends and school holidays."
• Education: school, expected completion year, relevant subjects.
• Experience: casual jobs, work experience week, babysitting, family business.
• Volunteering and sport, such as coaching juniors or a surf club.
• Licences: learner or provisional licence, RSA, first aid.
• Availability: days and hours you can work.
• Referees: a teacher, coach or supervisor.

Ask a parent or teacher to proofread it before you send it.