Complete Australian Resume Guide 2026

1. Australian Resume Basics

In Australia, both "CV" and "resume" are used — the terms are interchangeable. The document format is 2–3 pages for most professionals, following single-column layout conventions that are compatible with Australian ATS systems.

The biggest difference between Australian and New Zealand documents: Australian employers expect quantified achievements in every single bullet point of your work experience section. This is the non-negotiable standard of the AU market in 2026.

2. Format and Layout

3. Quantification — The AU Non-Negotiable

This is the most important rule for Australian resumes and the one most candidates get wrong. Every bullet point in your work experience section should include at least one number.

Examples of strong AU resume bullet points:

• "Led a cross-functional team of 14 across three states to deliver a $6.8M CRM implementation, on schedule and 4% under budget."
• "Reduced customer complaint resolution time from 8.4 days to 2.1 days through process redesign, increasing NPS from 42 to 71."
• "Managed a $2.3M annual marketing budget across 6 channels, generating $14.2M in attributed revenue — an ROI of 517%."

If you cannot find a number for a particular achievement, rewrite the bullet point as a capability statement rather than an achievement. But most achievements can be quantified with effort — team size, project value, time saved, percentage improvement, customer numbers, budget managed.

4. Australian ATS Systems

All AU ATS platforms share the same formatting requirements: single column, no tables, no graphics, standard fonts, standard section headings.

5. Keywords for AU Applications

Include 8–12 keywords from the job description in your skills section. Use the exact language from the job ad — not synonyms. Australian ATS systems are particularly rigorous on keyword matching.

For government roles (Commonwealth and state), the selection criteria are typically published with the job listing. Address each criterion explicitly in your cover letter or selection criteria response — these are assessed separately from your resume.

6. Section by Section

Contact details: Name, phone (AU format: +61 4xx xxx xxx or 04xx xxx xxx), email, city and state, LinkedIn URL, visa/work rights status if applicable. No date of birth, nationality, or marital status.

Professional summary: 3–4 sentences. Professional identity + key strengths + most impressive credential. Tailored to each role.

Key skills: 8–12 keywords from the job description. Listed explicitly.

Work experience: Reverse chronological. Dates in MM/YYYY or Month YYYY format. 4–6 bullet points per role, all quantified.

Education: Qualification, institution, year. Australian qualifications first if dual-country experience.

References: "References available on request" or include 2 professional referees.

7. What NOT to Include in an AU Resume

• Date of birth or age
• Nationality or country of origin
• Marital status
• Photo (unless specifically requested)
• Salary expectations
• Tables, text boxes, or graphics
• More than 4 pages

8. AU vs NZ — Key Differences

Australian and New Zealand resumes are more similar than different, but the quantification requirement is the key differentiator. If you are moving from NZ to AU, the main rewrite task is adding metrics and measurable results to your bullet points throughout your work experience section.

The file naming convention also differs: NZ uses FirstName-LastName-CV.pdf; AU uses FirstName-LastName-Resume.docx (signals AU-local awareness).

9. Australian Job Boards

• SEEK.com.au: Dominant platform — 90%+ of AU online job advertising spend. Non-negotiable.
• LinkedIn: Essential for professional and management roles. Strong recruiter activity.
• Indeed.com.au: Broad aggregator. Useful secondary platform.
• CareerOne: Established AU-specific board. Strong in certain sectors.
• APSjobs.gov.au: Australian Public Service (federal government) roles.
• State government portals: Each state has a dedicated government jobs site.

10. AU Cover Letter Basics

One page maximum. Professional but direct in tone. AU English spelling (same as NZ). Every achievement in the cover letter should be quantified — same standard as the resume.

For government roles, address each published selection criterion separately, either in the cover letter or a separate selection criteria response document.