Australian resume format: what to include and what to check

1. Read the whole application request

Check the job advertisement and information pack for a page limit, file format, mandatory qualifications and additional documents. A resume, cover letter and response to selection criteria serve different purposes.

For Australian Public Service applications, the APSC explains that a CV alone is often insufficient: an agency may also request a pitch or responses to selection criteria. Follow its word limit and use specific evidence. Do not assume that adding more keywords to the resume replaces that response.

2. Keep the contact block useful and private

Use your name, a reachable phone number, professional email and city/state. A relevant portfolio or LinkedIn link can help. SEEK gives a city-level location as an example and says a full street address is unnecessary.

Fictional contact example: Taylor Morgan | Brisbane, QLD | +61 4xx xxx xxx | [email protected]. Replace placeholders with your own details; keep links readable in the exported file.

An ordinary application does not need a date of birth, age, marital status or photograph. SEEK notes exceptions such as acting or modelling when a photograph is requested. Keep tax file numbers, passport numbers and identity documents out of the resume; use the employer’s appropriate secure process if a legitimate later step requires them. OAIC advises protecting TFN information.

3. Choose length for the role, not a universal rule

There is no single two-page rule for every Australian application. SEEK’s format article suggests two to four pages depending on relevant experience; the APSC describes most APS CVs as two to six pages and gives priority to the selection panel’s instructions. These are contextual guides, not targets to fill.

A graduate may need less space than a specialist with substantial project evidence. Put the most relevant experience early, shorten older unrelated roles, and avoid shrinking the font to squeeze in everything. Keep enough context to show your contribution.

4. Make qualifications and Australian wording clear

Name the actual qualification, institution and completion date or expected completion date. Job Jumpstart includes relevant qualifications, registrations and licences among the details to gather. Include a Certificate IV, White Card, professional registration or licence only when you hold it and it matters to the application; state current status accurately.

Use consistent Australian spelling, such as organised, prioritised and analyse, while preserving official course names, job titles and technology names. Explain an overseas qualification by its actual title and institution. Do not invent an Australian equivalent or accreditation.

5. Handle work rights and referees deliberately

Address work rights when the advertisement asks or when they are relevant to availability. Use an accurate statement, including applicable limits; do not imply unrestricted work rights without checking. Home Affairs provides VEVO for checking current visa conditions and sharing evidence with an employer. A resume is not the place for a passport scan.

Ask referees before sharing their contact details. Follow the employer’s request: some applications ask for named referees up front, while others accept references later. For APS applications, the APSC advises noting sensitivities about contacting a referee, such as a current employer.

6. Show evidence suited to the Australian role

Use recent experience first and connect each important claim to work, study or volunteering. Job Jumpstart recommends keeping a master resume, then removing irrelevant details and reflecting the employer’s language for each application.

Fictional illustration for a Sydney QA role: “Documented checkout regression tests and triaged defects with developers before fortnightly releases.” This describes work that could be verified through test cases and defect records. Add a tool name or measurable result only if the candidate’s history supports it.

For a public-sector role requiring stakeholder communication, choose an example showing who needed information, what you communicated and the outcome. Use the requested pitch or selection-criteria response to explain that example rather than copying the entire resume into it.

7. Check the file you will actually submit

Follow the requested PDF or DOCX format. Use clear headings and consistent dates, such as Mar 2022–Jun 2025. Check that text can be selected and copied in the intended reading order, and that contact links work.

A format checker can identify observable risks; it cannot guarantee acceptance by an employer’s ATS. Review the exported file and the application checklist before sending it.