Australian Resume Format and Template

What is the Australian resume format?

An Australian resume is a reverse-chronological document that combines a short career profile, a key skills section, detailed employment history with results, education and referees. It tends to be a little longer and more detailed than a US resume, and it leaves out personal details such as a photo, age and marital status. Employers in Australia expect your work rights to be clear, and many use tracking software to screen applications against the job ad.

Resume vs CV in Australia

Australians use resume and CV almost interchangeably for job applications. Both usually mean the same two to three page document. Academic and medical roles may still ask for a longer CV with publications and research.

How long should an Australian resume be?

Two to three pages is common for experienced professionals in Australia, more than in the US. Graduates, students and people early in their careers can present a strong application on one focused page, which is what this template is designed for. If you have a long career, keep the most recent and relevant roles in detail and summarise earlier ones briefly.

What to leave out

Australian anti-discrimination laws protect applicants from being judged on characteristics such as age, sex, race, religion and marital status. Employers do not expect a photo, date of birth, marital status, religion or nationality on a resume, and most prefer not to see them. Your suburb and state are enough; a full street address is unnecessary.

Sections in an Australian resume

1. Name, suburb and state, phone, email and LinkedIn.
2. Career profile with work rights.
3. Key skills.
4. Employment history with achievements.
5. Education and training.
6. Licences and certifications.
7. Referees.

Work rights and visas

Recruiters in Australia check work rights early because many employers cannot sponsor visas. State yours in one line in your career profile or under your contact details: Australian Citizen, Permanent Resident, or the visa and its work conditions, such as "Temporary Graduate visa, full work rights until 2027". If you need sponsorship, say so honestly and target employers who sponsor skilled workers.

Career profile examples

• International graduate: "Data analyst with a Master of Data Science from Monash and four years of experience, building dashboards used by 200 managers. Temporary Graduate visa, full work rights."
• Experienced professional: "Project manager with ten years delivering infrastructure projects up to 80 million dollars across New South Wales. Australian Citizen."
• Skilled migrant: "Registered nurse with eight years in intensive care, AHPRA registered, now a Permanent Resident in Brisbane."
• Graduate: "Commerce graduate from the University of Sydney with an internship in audit, seeking a graduate accounting role."

The key skills section

Australian job ads often list required skills and capabilities explicitly. Mirror them in a key skills section of six to eight items, then prove the most important ones in your employment history. The resume keyword scanner shows which terms from the ad are missing from your resume.

Writing employment history

For each role, give your title, employer, location and dates. A short line on the employer's size or sector helps if it is not well known in Australia. Then list achievements with numbers, rather than a copy of your duty statement. Australian readers appreciate a straightforward, modest tone, so let results do the persuading.

• "Reduced overstock by 14 percent across 120 stores with a new forecasting model."
• "Delivered a 12 million dollar school upgrade on time with zero lost-time injuries."
• "Lifted patient satisfaction on a 30-bed ward from 82 to 91 percent."

Referees

Australian employers usually contact referees before making an offer. Many resumes list two referees with name, title, company, phone and email; others say referees are available on request. Ask permission first, choose recent managers where possible and brief them on the role. For newcomers, an Australian referee, even from volunteer or contract work, helps.

Selection criteria for government jobs

Australian public service roles often ask for a pitch or a response to key selection criteria alongside your resume, with examples for each capability. Make sure your resume supports every example you give. The Public Sector template has more guidance on government applications.

Qualifications and licences

Many Australian occupations need registration or licences, such as AHPRA for health professionals, state licences for trades and Engineers Australia assessment for engineers. List current registrations with numbers where employers expect them, plus safety cards and checks such as a Working with Children Check if the role involves children. For overseas degrees, note any skills assessment that confirms the Australian equivalent.

Spelling and style

Use Australian spelling, which follows British forms such as organise and programme, Australian dollars and day-month date order where you write full dates. Keep headings standard and fonts plain.

Is this Australian template ATS-friendly?

Yes. It uses one column, real text and standard headings. Check your file with the ATS resume checker before applying.

Mistakes on Australian resumes

• Including a photo, age or marital status.
• Leaving work rights unclear.
• Copying duty statements instead of showing achievements.
• Missing registrations or licences the role requires.

Applying to Australia from overseas

Employers will want to know your visa pathway and when you can start. If you are applying before you arrive, state your visa status or the pathway you are on, your expected arrival date and whether you need sponsorship. Describe overseas employers by size and sector, convert figures to Australian dollars or use percentages, and add any skills assessment or registration you have completed. Local experience counts for a lot, so mention any Australian study, volunteering or contract work.

Cover letters and gaps

Many Australian employers still read cover letters, so include a short one unless the ad says not to. Name the role, give two achievements that match the ad and explain your work rights if they need context. If you have a gap for study, relocation or family, add one plain line with dates in your employment history.

Get started

Open the Australia template, add your work rights, key skills and results, or upload your current resume to convert it. Use job-tailored resumes to match each job ad, check your ATS score and download a clean PDF.