Australian resume format and cover letter: what employers expect

Australian job ads and job boards mostly say resume, though CV is understood too, and in practice both mean the same document: a short, targeted summary of your experience. (In some countries a CV is a longer academic record; if you apply for research roles, ask which one they want.) SEEK’s career advice puts it simply: a resume is a summary that shows why you would be a good match for the role, not your whole career history.

On length, SEEK advises one page for entry-level candidates and recent graduates and two pages for experienced professionals. Its formatting guide allows up to four pages only when you have a lot of relevant experience, and suggests dropping roles from more than 20 years ago. If your European CV runs to three pages of duties, the cut is almost always in the older roles and the task lists.

Your name in a larger font, then phone, email and location. SEEK recommends listing your city rather than your full address, for example “Melbourne, Victoria”. Add a LinkedIn link if your profile matches your resume.

Then a profile of three or four lines: your level and field, one or two achievements with numbers, and the role you are targeting. Mirror the job title the ad uses.

If you are on a temporary visa, say so plainly, because recruiters screen for it: “Work rights: Temporary Graduate visa (subclass 485), full work rights until 2028.” Keep it factual and short, and be ready to share proof through VEVO, which lets you send your visa conditions to an employer.

Several things that are normal on CVs elsewhere look odd here, and some invite bias you do not need.

• Photo: SEEK says you don’t need one unless you work in a field such as acting or modelling.
• Date of birth and full address: SEEK advises against both, partly to protect your privacy.
• Marital status, children, religion, nationality and ID numbers: none of these belong on a resume. Australian workplace law protects you from discrimination based on attributes such as race, sex, age, disability and religion, and your resume should not hand an employer information it should not use.
• Irrelevant hobbies and a long list of every course you have taken: keep only what supports this application.
• “References available on request” is optional. It is a common closing line, but it takes space you may need.

An Australian recruiter will not know your employer in Bogotá, Lagos or Pune. Give every overseas role one line of context, covering sector, size and what the company does, and then write bullets about results, not responsibilities. The how recruiters read your resume article explains why the first third of the page matters most.

Translate job titles into the nearest Australian equivalent and keep the original in brackets if it helps. Convert figures into something comparable: team size, number of customers or projects, percentage improvements. Currency amounts are fine, but say which currency.

If you apply for sponsored roles, keep your resume consistent with your visa paperwork. For a Skills in Demand visa application, Home Affairs requires a CV with your full employment and educational history, with dates and positions, for at least the last 5 years. Gaps and title mismatches between the two raise questions you do not want.

Referees are former managers or senior colleagues who can confirm your work, and Australian employers do call them. SEEK advises sticking to professional referees, not friends or family, and says that unless you are asked to include them, there is usually no need to list them on the resume.

Timing matters: hiring managers generally contact referees in the final stages, often after the last interview. Get each referee’s permission first, tell them about the role, and check they are reachable in Australian business hours or by email. SEEK suggests three to five references give a rounded picture; for most roles, have at least two recent managers ready.

If your referees are overseas and do not speak English well, say so early and offer a written reference in translation as well.

Home Affairs describes the standard application as a resume plus a cover letter stating the position you are applying for and why you should be considered, based on your skills, experience and qualifications. That is exactly what employers read for: fit to this role, not your life story.

Keep it to one page and four short paragraphs. Open with the role and one specific reason you want this employer. Give two short proof stories that answer the top requirements in the ad. Say briefly how you work in a team. Close with your availability and, if relevant, one line on your visa situation. Many ads name a contact person; address the letter to them, and if you spoke to them first, say so. The cover letter template gives a structure to start from.

Many employers and recruitment agencies screen applications with software before a person reads them. SEEK recommends a sans-serif font at 11–12 point and a clean, uncluttered layout, which also happens to be what applicant tracking systems read most reliably.

Use standard headings (Profile, Experience, Education, Skills), put dates on the right of each role, avoid text in tables and graphics, and send a PDF or Word file as the ad requests. Mirror the ad’s keywords honestly; the keywords guide and the ATS-friendly resume checklist cover both in detail. For job boards and agencies to apply through, see where to search in Australia.