Resumes and cover letters in Australia

Australian resumes are similar to those common in other English-speaking countries.

A resume for a skilled position can be up to three pages long. However, keep it to one page maximum for entry-level and unskilled jobs.

Tailor your resume to the position you’re applying for. If you have a ton of past experiences, leave out the ones that are irrelevant to the job at hand.

DON’T include in your resume

Regardless of what the norms might be in your home country, don’t include:

• A picture of yourself
• Your date of birth or age
• Your gender
• Your marital status (or the number of children you have)
• Your race
• Your political affiliation or religion

These pieces of information are irrelevant in fair hiring practices.

What SHOULD be included in your resume

To easily format your resume, you can use the templates that are available in Google Docs or Microsoft Word.

1. Contact information

Start with your first and last name, address, phone number and email. Make sure the email address is professional.

It’s best to provide a local address and phone number so that employers can reach you easily. This is also to show that you are here and ready to work.

You could also include your LinkedIn profile. Just make sure it’s up to date and doesn’t contradict the contents of your resume.

2. Short summary (optional)

This is a one- or two-line summary of your professional profile as it relates to the specific position. It should be catchy; you can select a few relevant keywords from the job ad.

3. Work experience

This is the most important section!

List in reverse chronological order (most recent experience first) relevant work experience. For each one, write the:

• Job title
• Name of company (describe what it is if it’s not obvious from the name)
• City and country of the role
• Start and end date (if still employed, leave out end date)
• Responsibilities and achievements, starting each with a verb in the present (if current job) or past tense

Be factual, concise but add relevant metrics and performance achievements if applicable (XX new contracts signed, XX% sale increase, XX customers served daily, promotions, award or bonuses granted, etc.).

You don’t have to include short-term contracts or irrelevant high school jobs that are not important to the role.

Running out of ideas to describe your responsibilities? Check this useful List of action verbs for resumes & professional profiles!

4. Education

Education matters but it’s not the most important section. This is because many WHMs are technically overqualified for the type of jobs they take during their WHV, which is totally normal if you’re there to have a good time, not advance your career. Secondly, your university might not be very well known by Australian employers.

List your degrees or certifications in a reverse-chronological order, starting with the most recent degrees.

Every country has its own grading system, so don’t assume your results are self-explanatory. Schools in Australia give scores out of 100, so translate your GPA if needed.

WHV holders aiming for a skilled position may need to have their foreign degrees and credentials assessed by a designated organization for work or immigration purposes (read Qualifications and skills recognition for more information). Most backpackers can just state how their education compares to the Australian education system—read Australian education system and Australian Qualifications Framework to understand how it works and relates to your own education.

5. Languages, hard skills, certifications

You can develop this section if you have skills that would be relevant to the position.

6. Volunteering and hobbies (optional)

This section is typically used to show another side of your personality. Transferable soft skills that show team spirit, dedication, creativity, etc. are always welcome. You can also add meaningful volunteering experiences, especially if you learned skills like time management or problem solving.

References

This is not a section that needs to be included in your resume, but you should be prepared to provide references if a prospective employer asks for them.

Basically, a professional reference is a former manager or supervisor willing to vouch for you if a potential employer contacts them. The typical basic question is: “Is this employee eligible for rehire?”. Your reference may also be asked to talk about your professional skills, your character, your strengths and weaknesses.

References are usually contacted in the last stage of the hiring process.

Cover letter

Cover letters are usually part of the application process for skilled jobs but you can skip it (unless specifically requested) for fruit picking and other entry-level jobs.

The typical format for this typed, one-page letter is:

• An intro mentioning the position you are applying for and where you found the ad (a company can have several positions open, be specific!).
• A few paragraphs describing what you have to offer the employer. This is basically your pitch–explain how your qualifications match the job you are applying for and why you’d be a great fit. Don’t just copy experiences from your resume, detail what you would do for the potential employer. Make sure to connect your skills, experiences and background to the position and don’t be afraid to reuse the keywords from the ad in context. You can research the company to show you understand business activities.
• Close by thanking the person for considering you for the position and include your contact information for easy follow up.

Useful links for your Australian resume and cover letter

Many Australian universities have a “Careers” section with tips and advice for students. It’s a precious resource for foreign backpackers as well!

• “Resumes” from the Australian National University
• “Applying for work” from The University of Melbourne
• “Applying for jobs” from The University of Sydney
• “How to write a resume” from Monash University

State government websites also have interesting resources:

• “How to write a resume and cover letter” from the Queensland Government
• “Applying for a job” and “How to apply for a job in Melbourne” from Live in Melbourne
• “Job search and job application resources” from the Government of Western Australia
• “Tips to help you get a job” and “How to write a resume” from the Government of Australia

Several staffing agencies and job search websites also have great resources:

• Kelly Services’ “How to write a resume” and “How to write a cover letter”
• “Resumes and cover letters” from SEEK
• “How to format your resume – Australian style” from CareerOne