How to Write a CV for Australian Jobs (Format, Length and What to Leave Out)

An Australian employer will often spend less than a minute on your CV, and many big employers use software to sort applications before a person reads them. A CV that would work well at home can be rejected in Australia for small reasons: a photo, your ID number, a missing referee or the wrong spelling. This guide shows what Australian employers expect.

Australian CV or resume: what is the difference?

In Australia the two words mean the same thing: a document of about 2 to 4 pages that sums up your experience, skills and qualifications. Most job adverts say "resume". Use whichever word the advert uses.

The best layout, from top to bottom

1. 1Name and contact details: phone number with country code, email, city and country, and a LinkedIn link if you have one.
2. 2Career summary: 3 to 4 lines on who you are, your years of experience and what you are best at. Write it for the job you are applying for.
3. 3Key skills: 6 to 10 short points that match the words in the job advert, for example "PLC fault-finding" or "heavy diesel engine overhauls".
4. 4Work history: newest job first. For each job: title, company, city, dates (month and year), then 4 to 6 points about what you achieved.
5. 5Qualifications and licences: trade papers, certificates, licences and the year you got them.
6. 6Referees: 2 people who supervised you, with their job title and contact details, or write "Referees available on request".

What to leave out

Australian employers must not discriminate, so they prefer CVs without personal details that have nothing to do with the job. Leave out:

• your photo
• ID or passport number
• date of birth and age
• marital status, children, religion and health
• your full home address (city and country is enough)
• a long list of school subjects

Write achievements, not duties

Every diesel mechanic "services vehicles". What makes you stand out is what changed because of your work. Compare these two lines:

• Weak: "Responsible for servicing the fleet."
• Strong: "Serviced and repaired a fleet of 40 haul trucks, cutting breakdowns by a third in one year."

Use numbers wherever you can: the size of the fleet, the value of the project, the number of people you supervised, the time you saved.

Get past the ATS (the computer that reads your CV first)

ATS means Applicant Tracking System. It looks for the words from the job advert in your CV and ranks applications. To pass it:

• Use the exact job title and key words from the advert, if they are true for you.
• Use a simple layout: no tables, text boxes or pictures that the software cannot read.
• Use normal headings such as "Work History", "Skills" and "Qualifications".
• Save the file as Word or PDF, whichever the advert asks for.

Use Australian spelling and terms

Write "organised" not "organized", "labour" not "labor". Australians say "resume", "referee" and "tradesperson" or "tradie". Small things like these show you understand the Australian workplace.

Applying from overseas?

Say clearly where you are and when you can start, for example "Available to relocate to Perth from March 2027". If you already have a visa or work rights, state them exactly as they are. If you do not, do not guess: the official information on visas is on the Department of Home Affairs website.

Quick checklist before you press send

• 2 to 4 pages, newest job first
• Career summary written for this job
• Key words from the advert in your skills and work history
• No photo, ID number, age or marital status
• 2 referees or "available on request"
• Australian spelling, no typos
• A short cover letter for the same job