Australian employers expect a structured, achievement-focused resume that is longer than a typical US one. In Australia, "resume" and "CV" mean the same thing. These are conventions, and the sources below differ on a few details, which are noted where they matter.
A convention, not an official rule
There is no single official CV format for Australia. This page describes what employers commonly expect. Some public-sector and government applications, such as US federal jobs or EU institutions, do set a required format. If a job post gives one, follow it.
At a glance
| Length | Two to three pages is common. One page for interns and graduates. Senior, academic and research resumes can run longer. |
|---|---|
| Photo | Leave it out. |
| Personal details | Leave out date of birth, age, marital status, gender, religion and nationality. |
| Contact line | Name, phone, email, suburb or city and state, and a LinkedIn link. No full street address, and no passport or visa numbers. |
| Work rights | If you are not a citizen or permanent resident, many guides suggest one short line, such as "Permanent Resident" or "Full working rights". Sources differ on whether to name visa types, so keep it brief. |
| Referees | Two or three named referees with contact details are common, and expected for government and academic roles. Some employers accept "Referees available on request". |
| Spelling | Australian English: organisation, colour, centre. |
What to include
- Header. Name, phone, email, suburb or city and state, LinkedIn.
- Career summary. Three or four sentences: your role, years of experience, strengths and, if it applies, your work rights.
- Key skills. Tools and skills grouped on a few labelled lines.
- Experience. Job title, employer, city and country, and dates. Bullets that show achievements, with numbers where you can.
- Education. Degree, institution and year. For an overseas qualification, you can add the Australian equivalent if it has been assessed.
- Referees. Two or three people who know your work, with their title, organisation and contact details. Ask their permission first.
What to leave out
- Photo, date of birth, marital status, nationality, religion and gender.
- Passport and visa numbers. State your work rights in words instead.
- A full street address. Suburb or city and state are enough.
- Padding. Long lists of duties and unrelated old jobs.
If your resume was written for India
- Remove the photo, date of birth, nationality, marital status, father's name and any declaration paragraph.
- Add two or three referees, and ask them first.
- Add a short work-rights line if you are not yet a permanent resident or citizen.
- Rewrite duties as achievements, with numbers.
- Use Australian spelling and keep to two or three pages.
- For government jobs, expect to answer key selection criteria separately, often with STAR examples (situation, task, action, result).
Template for Australia
A plain single-column template that follows these conventions. Replace the bracketed parts with your own details, and delete any optional line you do not need.
[Your Full Name] [Suburb or City, State] | [Phone with country code] | [Email] | [LinkedIn URL] Work rights: [for example, Permanent Resident or Full working rights. Delete this line if not needed.] CAREER SUMMARY [Three or four sentences: your role, years of experience, two or three strengths that match the job, and one result.] KEY SKILLS [Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool] [Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool] EXPERIENCE [Job title], [Employer], [City, Country] [Month Year] to [Month Year or Present] - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. [Job title], [Employer], [City, Country] [Month Year] to [Month Year] - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. EDUCATION [Degree], [Institution], [City, Country], [Year] [Australian equivalent, if assessed] REFEREES [Referee name], [Job title], [Organisation] [Phone] | [Email] [Referee name], [Job title], [Organisation] [Phone] | [Email]
Check your resume against these rules
The checker has a setting for Australia that flags the items on this page in your pasted or uploaded resume.
Common questions
Should I include a photo?
No. Australian employers do not expect or want a photo on a resume.
Do I need to list referees on the resume?
Often yes. Many employers expect two or three named referees at the end. If you write "available on request", have names ready, and expect to give them for government and academic jobs.
Should I state my visa?
Most guides suggest one short work-rights line if you are not a citizen or permanent resident. Skip visa subclass numbers and passport details unless the employer asks.
How long should it be?
Two to three pages for most experienced applicants, and one page for graduates. Longer is acceptable for senior, academic and research roles.