How to Write an Australian Resume

An Australian resume follows its own conventions — different from US resumes, different from British CVs, and different from what many international job seekers expect. Understanding the local standard is the difference between getting shortlisted and getting screened out before a recruiter ever reads your name.

This guide covers every element of a professional Australian resume in 2026, with verified information drawn from Australian employers, recruitment firms, and ATS platform requirements.

Resume or CV — which term do Australians use?

Both terms are used in Australia, and both are widely understood. Resume is the standard term for most professional industries. CV (curriculum vitae) is used primarily in academia, medicine, and research — where it typically means a longer, more comprehensive document listing publications and academic history. For most job applications in Australia, the document is called a resume, and it should be 2 to 3 pages long.

Australian resume length

The standard Australian resume is 2 to 3 pages for most professionals. This is one of the most important differences from US conventions, where a single page is often required. Australia expects more detail — not filler, but genuine evidence of your experience, achievements, and capabilities.

• Recent graduates (0–2 years experience): 1 to 2 pages
• Early to mid-career (2–10 years): 2 pages
• Senior professionals (10–20 years): 2 to 3 pages
• Executive or academic roles: 3 pages maximum for most roles

Format and layout

What to include in your contact block

Your contact block sits at the very top of the resume. Include:

• Full name (larger font, bold)
• Phone number
• Professional email address
• Suburb and state only — e.g. "Parramatta, NSW" — never a full street address
• LinkedIn URL (if your profile is current and professional)
• Work rights — if you are not an Australian citizen or permanent resident, include one line: "Full working rights — Temporary Skill Shortage visa 482" or whichever applies. Do not omit this — recruiters need to know upfront.

Professional summary

The professional summary sits directly below your contact block. It is 3 to 4 sentences, written in third person or first person (both are acceptable in Australia), and tailored to the specific role you are applying for.

A strong Australian professional summary includes:

• Your professional identity — role type, level, years of experience
• Your strongest quantified achievement
• Your key areas of expertise relevant to this role
• What you are targeting next

Example: "Results-driven Marketing Manager with eight years leading digital campaigns across financial services and technology sectors. Delivered a 43 per cent increase in qualified leads year-on-year at current employer through data-led SEO and paid media strategy. Skilled in team leadership, marketing automation, and stakeholder management. Seeking a senior marketing leadership role with a growth-stage organisation."

Key skills section

Australian employers and ATS systems both prioritise keyword matching. Include a dedicated skills section with 8 to 12 skills drawn directly from the job description. Use the exact terminology from the job posting — if the ad says "stakeholder engagement," your resume should say "stakeholder engagement," not "managing stakeholders."

Split your skills into categories where relevant: Technical Skills, Tools and Software, and Core Competencies.

Work experience — the most critical section

Australian employers expect quantified, achievement-focused bullet points. Listing duties is not enough. Every role should demonstrate what you achieved, not just what you were responsible for.

Format for each role:

• Job title | Company name | City, State | Month Year – Month Year
• One sentence describing the scope of the role (team size, budget, reporting line)
• 4 to 6 achievement bullets, each with a quantified outcome

Weak bullet (duties-based): "Responsible for managing the sales team and developing client relationships."

Strong bullet (achievement-based): "Led a team of nine sales professionals to deliver 127% of annual revenue target, growing the NSW portfolio from $3.2M to $4.7M in 18 months."

Where the CV data supports it, quantify with: dollar values (AUD), percentages, team sizes, time savings, customer numbers, project values, and revenue impact.

Include context where helpful. Australian recruiters appreciate knowing team size, budget managed, reporting line, and project scope — this helps them understand the complexity of your experience.

Education

List education in reverse chronological order — most recent first. For each qualification include: degree title, institution name, city and state, and year of completion.

For recent graduates (within the last 3 years), include your GPA if it is strong (above 5.5 on a 7-point scale, or above 65% WAM). For experienced professionals, education can be condensed — one or two lines per qualification.

If your qualifications were awarded overseas, list the institution name and country. Most Australian employers recognise UK, US, Canadian, NZ, and major European qualifications. For other countries, you may note "NOOSR equivalent assessment available on request" if you have had your credentials assessed.

Referees

Australian employers commonly check referees — often before making an offer and sometimes before shortlisting. Two to three professional referees is standard.

You have two options:

• List two named referees with their name, title, organisation, and contact details
• Write "References available on request" — also acceptable

If you list referees, always contact them first and confirm they are comfortable providing a reference. Never list someone without their knowledge.

ATS compatibility

Most medium and large Australian employers use Applicant Tracking Systems. The most common in Australia are PageUp, JobAdder, Workday, and SmartRecruiters. These systems scan your resume for keywords and rank candidates before a human reviewer sees them.

To pass ATS:

• Use a single-column layout
• Use standard section headings: Professional Experience, Education, Skills
• Save as a text-based PDF — not a scanned image
• Mirror exact keywords from the job description
• Avoid tables, text boxes, headers/footers, and graphics

Australian English spelling

Use Australian English throughout — which follows British conventions. Common differences from American English:

• colour, not color
• organise, not organize
• centre, not center
• programme (non-tech contexts), not program
• analyse, not analyze
• behaviour, not behavior

Set your spell checker to English (Australia) in Microsoft Word before writing. American spelling on an Australian resume signals unfamiliarity with the local market.