Australian Resume Format: Length, Referees and Selection Criteria

An Australian resume is usually two to three pages: contact details, a career summary, key skills, employment history with achievements, education and referees. Leave off your photo and date of birth, state your work rights if you are not a citizen or resident, and use Australian spelling. Public-sector jobs often add a separate response to selection criteria.

These are common practices, not legal rules, and employers differ. Every example is fictional; replace each [bracketed] detail with your own, and follow the job posting when it asks for something specific.

What an Australian resume includes

• Contact details: name, mobile, email and suburb or city; no photo or date of birth.
• Work rights: citizen, permanent resident, or visa type with any work conditions.
• Career summary: three or four lines matched to the job.
• Key skills: taken from the job ad, each backed by experience.
• Employment history: newest first, with duties and achievements.
• Education and licences: qualifications, and licences such as a driver licence or White Card if the job needs them.
• Referees: two, or "available on request".

Selection criteria for government jobs

Many Australian public-sector applications ask for a written response to selection criteria or a short pitch alongside the resume. Follow the instructions exactly; the resume is often only one part of the application.

How many pages should an Australian resume be?

Two to three pages is common. Graduates can use one or two.

Is a CV the same as a resume in Australia?

The words are used interchangeably for most jobs. Academic and medical roles may expect a longer CV.

See the New Zealand CV format, which is similar, and other countries in the CV format by country guide.