Complete NZ CV Guide 2026

1. NZ CV Basics

In New Zealand the document is called a CV (curriculum vitae) — not a resume. Employers and candidates use the terms interchangeably in practice, but the correct NZ terminology is CV. The NZ CV is a professional document that summarises your career history, skills, and achievements for a prospective employer.

NZ CVs follow British-origin conventions adapted for the local market. They are different in important ways from US resumes and from Australian CVs — though less different from Australian documents than from US ones.

2. Format and Layout

3. Section by Section

Contact details (top of page): Full name (large), phone number, email, city and region, LinkedIn URL (optional), NZ work rights status. No street address. No date of birth. No age.

Professional summary (3–4 sentences): Immediately below contact details. Your professional identity, key strengths relevant to this role, and most impressive credential. Rewrite this for every application.

Key skills (8–12 items): Keywords from the job description listed explicitly. This section directly feeds ATS keyword matching. Update for each application.

Work experience (reverse chronological): Most recent role first. For each: job title, employer, city, dates (MM/YYYY), and 4–6 achievement-focused bullet points with measurable results.

Education: Qualification, field, institution, year. Academic achievements if notable.

Professional development (optional): Recent certifications, courses, professional memberships. Only include if relevant.

References: Two professional referees (name, title, company, phone, email) or "References available on request."

4. ATS Compatibility

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) automatically scan, score, and rank CVs before a human reads them. Most NZ employers above a certain size use them. An ATS-incompatible CV is filtered out regardless of your qualifications.

ATS Rules: Single column only. No tables or text boxes. No graphics or images. Standard section headings (Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills). Plain fonts (Calibri, Arial). Save as DOCX or text-based PDF.

5. NZ English Spelling

NZ English uses British-origin spelling. US spelling on a NZ CV is the clearest signal of a non-localised, generic application.

In Microsoft Word: Review → Language → Set Proofing Language → English (New Zealand).

6. CV Length

• New graduate / entry level: 1–2 pages
• 3–7 years experience: 2 pages
• 8–15 years experience: 2–3 pages
• Senior / executive: 3 pages maximum

Every line must earn its place. Cut anything that does not directly support your candidacy for this specific role.

7. What NOT to Include

• Photo (except LinkedIn — see NZ CV photo guide)
• Age or date of birth
• Marital status or relationship status
• Salary expectations (discussed at interview or in application forms)
• Headings like "Hobbies and Interests" unless content is genuinely relevant
• Old jobs from 15+ years ago (summarise or omit early career)
• Tables, text boxes, or graphics
• Objective statement ("Seeking a challenging role where...")

8. Cover Letter Basics

Most NZ employers still read cover letters. A well-written cover letter is often the deciding factor between two equally qualified candidates.

Length: One page maximum. Tone: Warm and direct. Opening: Never "I am writing to express my interest..." — lead with your strongest point of fit. Spelling: NZ English throughout. Sign-off: Kind regards or Ngā mihi.