An Australian CV (or resume, as it’s commonly called) follows specific conventions. Getting these right can be the difference between landing an interview and being filtered out.
The Australian CV Format
- Length: 2-3 pages for experienced professionals, 1-2 for entry-level
- No photo: Australian CVs don’t include photos
- No personal details: Exclude age, marital status, religion, or nationality
- Format: Clean, professional, easy to scan
Essential Sections
1. Header
Your name (large), phone number, email, LinkedIn URL, and suburb/city (not full address).
2. Professional Summary
3-4 lines that summarise your experience, key skills, and what you bring to the role. Tailor this for each application.
3. Work Experience
List in reverse chronological order. For each role include:
- Job title, company name, dates
- 4-6 bullet points describing achievements (not just duties)
- Use action verbs and quantify results where possible
“Instead of ‘Responsible for managing a team,’ write ‘Managed a team of 8, improving productivity by 20% over 12 months.'”
4. Education
List qualifications in reverse chronological order. Include institution, qualification, and year completed.
5. Key Skills
A section highlighting relevant skills — both technical and soft skills.
Australian English Matters
Use Australian spelling: “organise” not “organize,” “programme” for non-computer contexts, “colour” not “color.” Small details signal cultural fit.
Tailoring Your CV
Never send the same CV to every job. For each application:
- Mirror the language from the job description
- Reorder your bullet points to highlight the most relevant achievements
- Adjust your professional summary to align with the role
What Gets You Filtered Out
- Typos and grammatical errors
- Gaps in employment without explanation
- Generic, duty-focused descriptions
- Inconsistent formatting
- Including irrelevant personal information
Your CV is your marketing document. Invest time in it, get it reviewed, and keep it updated. It’s the most important tool in your job search.
