Australian Resume Format: Best Practices & Examples

Breaking into the Australian job market starts with crafting a compelling resume that follows local conventions and highlights your unique skills and qualifications. 

We’ll delve into the nuances of Australian resume format best practices and pro tips to maximize your chances of standing out from the competition and landing your dream role. 

What makes Australian resumes unique?

In many ways, Australian resumes and U.S. resumes resemble one another. However, there are a few key differences to keep in mind when crafting your Australian resume from abroad. 

Terminology 

In Australia, the terms “resume” and “CV” are often used interchangeably, with “resume” being the preferred term. 

This differs from the U.S. — where resumes and American CVs are distinct documents — and from European countries, where CVs are commonplace and have unique formatting differences. 

Length 

The key difference between U.S. and Australian resumes is the length. Whereas a one-page resume or two-page resume is preferred in the States, in Australia the average resume is around two to three pages long. 

The exact length of your Australian resume will depend on your professional background and years of experience. Here are some general guidelines you can follow:

• University students or recent graduates: 1-2 pages
• Early career or midlevel professionals: 2-3 pages 
• Senior or executive-level professionals: 3-5 pages

Ultimately, the content of your resume is more important than the length. In Australia, your resume should only go back 10-15 years unless you have additional, highly relevant experience.  

Dialect

To impress employers and demonstrate your ability to adapt to the culture, you can follow Australian English spelling and vocabulary conventions in your resume.

Below are a few examples of how Australian English differs from American English.

Spelling: 

• American English — "color," "center," "realize"
• Australian English — "colour," "centre," "realise"

Vocabulary: 

• American English — "elevator," "apartment," "gasoline"
• Australian English — "lift," "flat," "petrol"

Units of measurement: 

• American English — "miles," "pounds," "quarts"
• Australian English — "kilometres," "kilograms," "litres"

Australian resume formatting tips

Aside from the length, Australian resume format conventions are very similar to those in the United States. 

Here are a few formatting tips to keep in mind while you craft your Australian resume:

Australian resume examples

Explore the professionally crafted Australian resume templates below. You can also browse our library of resume examples for additional samples built by professional graphic designers.   

Note that the samples below are one page long. You can use them as a starting point and expand your resume up to five pages to adhere to Australian resume conventions.

Registered nurse resume

Build my resume

Zoom

Construction manager resume

Build my resume

Zoom

Software engineer resume

Build my resume

Zoom

What to include in an Australian resume

See what information to include in an Australian resume to stand out from local and international candidates. 

We also recommend exploring what to put on a resume for additional details and examples for each section.

Contact information 

Your Australian resume should have a header that includes your full name, email address and a phone number with an international dialing code. 

For your physical address, you’ll want to make it clear that you are either in the process of relocating to Australia or open to relocating if you have not yet established residence there. 

Here is an example header for an applicant who is relocating to New South Wales: 

See our sample resumes for Australian job applications for additional examples of how you can display your contact details.  

Professional summary

Include a three-to-five-sentence resume summary at the top of your Australian resume. Your summary should highlight the key qualifications that make you an excellent fit for the role. 

It is important to tailor your resume to the role by highlighting skills and qualifications that directly relate to the job description. Here is an example: 

In Australian culture, it is considered distasteful to brag too much about your traits or abilities in the workplace.

Avoid self-inflating adjectives such as “exceptional,” “outstanding,” or “incredible,” and, instead, let your experience speak for itself. 

For instance, in the sample above, the job seeker describes their “proven track record” of executing successful marketing campaigns.

Skills section

Ensure that your resume skills section features job-relevant skills that accurately describe your capabilities.

According to the Australian Government Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business, the following are the most sought-after skills by employers:

• Teamwork 
• Organizational skills
• Problem-solving skills
• Communication skills
• Creativity and initiative

Remember to include a balance of hard skills (e.g., Google Analytics and A/B testing) and soft skills (e.g., cross-functional collaboration and creative problem-solving). Here is an example skills section for a digital marketing position:

Work experience

The work experience section on an Australian resume can be more detailed than that of a U.S. resume.

Australian employers often appreciate comprehensive information about a candidate's work history, responsibilities and achievements. 

Your resume work history section should list your past roles in reverse-chronological order, starting with your current or most recent role.

If you think the hiring manager won’t be familiar with the company names, you can provide a short blurb describing each one, for example:

In the example above, you’ll also notice that the job seeker uses strong action verbs to describe their responsibilities (“led,” “implemented” and “managed”). Action verbs reduce wordiness and convey confidence.  

Education

The Australian Government Department of Employment, Skills, Small and Family Business notes that approximately 90% of jobs created in the future are likely to require Vocational Education and Training (VET) or university qualification. 

This means that it is essential to list education on your resume to indicate your relevant credentials and qualifications. Here is an example:

Optional sections

Adding optional sections to your Australian resume can help you stand out. Consider adding one or more of the following bonus sections to your resume if you have room:

• Volunteer work to demonstrate your passion, values and commitment.
• Awards to distinguish you as an exceptional job candidate.
• Hobbies to provide a glimpse into your personality and make you a more interesting job candidate. 

Key takeaways