A Step-by-Step Resume Guide for Australian and International University Students

Craft the perfect Australian resume with expert tips for uni & PhD students. Learn formatting, avoid mistakes & boost success with AI tools like MagicCv.ai.

The Ultimate Australian Resume Guide for University & PhD Students

Australian employers have certain expectations when it comes to resumes (often used interchangeably with CV in Australia unsw.edu.au). Whether you’re an undergraduate, postgraduate, or PhD student, crafting a well-structured, tailored resume can greatly improve your chances in competitive job markets like Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane. This comprehensive guide draws on official Australian university career advice and government resources to help you create a standout resume. We’ll cover Australian formatting standards, common mistakes (with examples of good vs bad practices), and student-focused tips for all disciplines.

Understanding Australian Resume Expectations

Resume vs CV: In Australia, a “resume” and a “CV” generally refer to the same document – a summary of your qualifications, experience, and skills unsw.edu.au. Don’t worry about differences; focus on presenting your information clearly and succinctly.

Length: Australian resumes can be longer than the one-page standard some other countries enforce. For most graduate roles, 2–3 pages is common unsw.edu.au. Experienced candidates or academic roles (e.g. PhD graduates) may extend to 3–4 pages unsw.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. The key is to include relevant content and be concise – no padding with irrelevant details.

No Photo or Personal Details: It is not standard in Australia to include a photo, date of birth, marital status, religion or nationality on your resume sydney.edu.au, unsw.edu.au. Employers prefer to avoid bias, and Australian anti-discrimination laws discourage including age, gender or appearance. For example, the University of Sydney explicitly notes “there is no need to add extra information such as a date of birth, photo or nationality” sydney.edu.au. Keep your personal details limited to your name, phone, email, and maybe city/suburb. International students or new graduates can optionally mention visa status (e.g. “Student visa (subclass __), work rights 40 hrs/fortnight”) to reassure employers that you have legal work permission studyaustralia.gov.au, sydney.edu.au.

Contact Information: Use a professional email address (ideally your university email or one that includes your name) and make sure your voicemail greeting is work-appropriate employability.uq.edu.au. You can include your LinkedIn profile URL – ensure it’s customized and up to date unsw.edu.au. There’s no need to title your document “Resume” or “CV” at the top; your name should be the heading in large text unsw.edu.au.

Australian English: Write your resume in Australian English. That means using British spelling (e.g. “organised” instead of “organized”) and terminology familiar to Australian employers. For instance, use “university grades/WAM” rather than US-centric terms like GPA (unless applying to an international firm). Consistency in spelling and terminology demonstrates attention to detail.

Employer Preferences: Always read the job description carefully. Some Australian roles – especially government or graduate programs – might request specific formats, page limits, or even separate statements addressing selection criteria. Follow any specific instructions from the employer first and foremost employability.uq.edu.au. If a public-sector job asks for a 1-page cover letter plus a 2-page CV, stick to that. In general, Australian recruiters value clarity, honesty, and relevance in your resume over creative embellishments.

Resume Structure and Key Sections

Australian resumes share common sections, but you have flexibility to reorder or rename them to best highlight your strengths sydney.edu.au. Use clear headings and formatting so employers can easily find key information study.uq.edu.au, humanrights.gov.au. Here are the typical sections and how to handle them:

• Header (Name & Contact): At the top, put your name in a large, bold font (no need to write “Resume” above it) unsw.edu.au. Underneath, list your phone number, professional email, and optionally your city (e.g. “Sydney NSW”). Including your full address is optional – city and state is usually enough. Add your LinkedIn URL if available. Example:

  William Austin
  Phone: 0400 123 456 | Email: w.austin@example.com
  LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/william-austin Sydney, NSW

  Do not include: photo, date of birth, marital status, or other personal data sydney.edu.au. These details are not expected on Australian resumes and can actually work against you.

• Career Profile or Objective (Optional): A short personal statement or objective can start your resume, but only if it adds value. In 2–4 sentences (or a few bullet points), summarise your key skills, experience, and career goal relevant to the job studyaustralia.gov.au, sydney.edu.au. This is your elevator pitch to grab the reader’s attention. Make it specific – avoid vague statements. A good objective is tailored to the role, showing what you offer. For example, University of Sydney’s careers guide suggests:

  “Seeking a research position within Environmental Sciences where my university studies in water management and my work experience in local government environmental management can be utilised.” sydney.edu.au

  This statement tells the employer exactly what role you’re aiming for and what you bring. By contrast, a bad objective would be something generic like “Looking for a challenging position to grow my career” – it doesn’t reveal much to the employer.

  Tip: If you choose to include an objective or summary, write it last – after drafting your resume – so it truly reflects the highlights of your candidacy unsw.edu.au.

• Education: As a student or recent graduate, your education is likely one of your strongest assets, so place it prominently (usually towards the top, unless you have significant work experience). List your degrees/qualifications in reverse chronological order (most recent first) anu.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. For each qualification include:

  • Degree name, Institution – Years attended or expected completion. For example: “Bachelor of Science (Biotechnology), University of Queensland, Feb 2021 – Nov 2024 (Expected)”.

  • You can add major(s) or honours, and an overview of achievements: e.g. “WAM 78 (Distinction); Dean’s Commendation for Academic Excellence 2023” sydney.edu.au. Include academic awards or scholarships if you have them – they show merit.

  • If you’ve done a thesis or significant project, mention the title/topic briefly, especially if relevant to the job.

  • It’s generally not necessary to list high school once you’re in uni, unless you are a first-year student or it’s a particularly notable school achievement. Focus on tertiary education.

  • Short courses or certifications can be listed if relevant (e.g. a programming certificate for an IT job) sydney.edu.au. Otherwise, omit or put them in a separate “Professional Development” section.

  Australian grading tip: If you mention grades, use the local terms (e.g. High Distinction, Distinction, etc., or WAM) to be clear. Only include your GPA/WAM if it’s strong (generally Distinction average or above) – it’s optional, not mandatory anu.edu.au. You can also note “Expected to graduate [Month Year]” for ongoing degrees anu.edu.au.

• Key Skills Summary (Optional): A skills section can appear as a bullet-point list of your key competencies relevant to the job sydney.edu.au. This is optional but useful if you want to draw attention to specific skills (technical or transferable) that match the role. For instance, you might list skills like Project Management – Data Analysis – Python programming – Fluent in Mandarin – Team Leadership. Ensure these align with the job description’s requirements sydney.edu.au. Tip: if you claim a skill, consider adding an example or context: e.g. “Research Skills: Advanced literature review and lab techniques (honed through Honours research project)” – this gives evidence for your skills sydney.edu.au. Don’t just create a laundry list of buzzwords; make it meaningful.

• Work Experience (or “Professional Experience”): This is the core of your resume. List any relevant work experience in reverse chronological order anu.edu.au. For each position, include:

  • Job Title, Organisation, Location, Dates. For example: “Lab Assistant, CSIRO – Melbourne, Jan 2023 – Jul 2023”.

  • Under each role, use a few bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements. Start each bullet with strong action verbs (managed, developed, led, improved, etc.) and highlight outcomes or skills used sydney.edu.au.

  • Quantify achievements where possible to show impact sydney.edu.au. For example, instead of just “Tutored students in math”, say “Tutored 15 high school students in Mathematics, improving average test scores by 20%”. Numbers draw the eye and prove results.

  • Focus on what’s relevant to the job you’re applying for. You can omit superfluous details. If a past job isn’t obviously relevant, emphasize transferable skills from it. For instance: working at a cafe might not relate to an engineering job directly, but it shows customer service, teamwork, and time management – all valuable traits.

  • If you have extensive experience, consider dividing this section. You might have “Relevant Experience” (jobs/internships related to your target field) and “Other Experience” (part-time or older jobs) sydney.edu.au. This way, the employer sees the most pertinent info first.

  • No work experience? Don’t worry – list other experiences in this section. Australian career advisers stress that “experience” isn’t limited to paid jobs study.uq.edu.au, studyaustralia.gov.au. You can include internships, volunteering, significant university projects, student club leadership, hackathons, competitions, or any extracurricular activity where you gained skills. For example, “Treasurer, Engineering Society, 2022 – 2023: Managed a budget of $5,000 and coordinated 4 events, developing strong organisational skills.” These experiences are “incredibly meaningful” and employers do value them study.uq.edu.au, study.uq.edu.au. The key is to frame them like a job: role, organisation, dates, and your contributions.

  • Casual/Part-time jobs: Include them! Australian students often work in retail, hospitality, etc., and employers appreciate this. A barista or retail assistant role shows you can handle responsibility, work in a team, and manage time while studying study.uq.edu.au. Even if it’s not directly related to your field, it demonstrates a work ethic and transferable skills (e.g. customer service, communication) that “are in demand in every industry” study.uq.edu.au.

• Achievements & Awards (Optional): If not already covered under education or experience, you can have a short section for key achievements. This might include academic awards (scholarships, Dean’s list), industry prizes, notable accomplishments (e.g. winning a hackathon, publishing a paper, etc.). For each, just a brief description with year. This section isn’t mandatory, but if you have standout honors beyond your degree, highlight them. They help paint a picture of excellence. ANU’s career guide notes that achievements can come from various areas – academic, community, sporting – and to ask yourself “how does this achievement present me to an employer?” anu.edu.au. Ensure anything listed is somewhat recent or relevant.

• Volunteering & Extracurricular (Optional): If not already integrated into “Experience,” you can have a separate section for Volunteer Work or Extra-Curricular Activities. Australian employers value community involvement and leadership. For example: “Volunteer Tutor, Smith Family (Mar – Nov 2022): Provided weekly math tutoring to disadvantaged high school students.” Or “Captain, University Debating Team: Led team to national finals in 2023, honing critical thinking and public speaking.” These entries show a well-rounded candidate and often provide great talking points in interviews anu.edu.au, study.uq.edu.au. As with jobs, list any key role or outcome (don’t just say “Member of X Club” – specify what you did).

• Skills & Certifications: If not covered elsewhere, you might include a section for Technical Skills (e.g. software, programming languages, lab techniques, languages spoken) – especially for IT, engineering, or science students. For instance: “Programming: Python, R; Data Analysis: SPSS, Tableau; Design: Adobe Creative Suite.” Only list skills you actually have a working knowledge of. Also list any certifications or licenses (Responsible Service of Alcohol, First Aid certificate, etc.) if relevant for the job.

• Interests (Optional): A brief Interests or Hobbies section can humanize your resume, but keep it concise and professional. Study Australia recommends adding a few personal interests to “show a little bit of who you are as a person” beyond work studyaustralia.gov.au. This can hint at culture fit or spark conversation. For example, mentioning team sports can imply you’re a team player, or listing “Hiking and photography” shows personal balance. Do: list 2–4 hobbies you genuinely pursue. Don’t: include anything overly controversial or too personal (and avoid clichés like “reading, travel” unless you can be more specific). UQ’s resume guide suggests explaining unique interests in 1–2 sentences, possibly with a positive spin (e.g. “Avid rock climber – developed resilience and risk assessment skills through climbing adventures”) employability.uq.edu.au, employability.uq.edu.au. This is optional, so if you’re pressed for space, you can omit hobbies.

• Referees: In Australia, it’s standard to provide referees (references) at the end of your resume, or note that they are available on request. Typically list 2–3 referees who can vouch for your work ethic and skills sydney.edu.au. Good choices are former employers, supervisors, or academic mentors – people who know your capabilities. Include each referee’s name, job title, organisation, phone, and email, plus (optionally) your relationship (e.g. “Dr. Jane Lee – Senior Lecturer at University of Adelaide (Honours thesis supervisor)”) employability.uq.edu.au. Always ask permission before listing someone as a referee sydney.edu.au – and make sure they’re willing to give a positive reference. If you prefer not to list referees on the initial resume (which some prefer for privacy), you can simply write “Referees available upon request.” This is perfectly acceptable in Australia anu.edu.au. In any case, be prepared to provide referee details when asked.

Formatting Tips: Keep the structure clean:

• Use clearly marked section headings (e.g. bold or slightly larger font).

• Keep a consistent layout and font throughout – typically 10–12pt for body text, larger for headings sydney.edu.au. Sans-serif fonts like Arial, Calibri, or Tahoma are safe choices sydney.edu.au.

• Use bullet points for listing duties/achievements, not long paragraphs, to improve readability humanrights.gov.au. Ensure white space and margins are sufficient – dense text is off-putting humanrights.gov.au.

• If your resume goes beyond one page, add a footer with your name and page number on subsequent pages sydney.edu.au (e.g. “Smith 2/3”). This helps if pages get separated.

• Save and send your resume as a PDF unless instructed otherwise. Name the file professionally (e.g. JaneSmith_Resume.pdf).

Tailoring Your Resume for Each Application

One of the biggest mistakes job-seekers make is using the same generic resume for every job. In Australia, as everywhere, tailoring your resume to each position is crucial study.uq.edu.au. Here’s how to do it:

• Match the Job Description: Carefully read the role’s duties and selection criteria. Identify the keywords (skills, qualifications, attributes) the employer is seeking. Then edit your resume to emphasize those keywords – especially in your Profile, Skills, and Experience sections sydney.edu.au, study.uq.edu.au. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to scan resumes for keywords, so mirroring the language of the job ad can get you past that first filtersydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. For example, if a marketing job stresses “campaign management” and “Adobe Creative Suite,” make sure those terms (assuming you have those skills!) appear in your resume, in context.

• Reorder for Relevance: You don’t have to stick to a rigid format. Put your most relevant experiences earliest. If you’re applying for a research role and you’re a PhD student, your Education and research projects might come before your work experience. If you’re going for a business analyst role and have a relevant internship, you might add a “Relevant Experience” section at the top. The “most relevant and recent information” should appear first sydney.edu.au, so the recruiter sees it immediately.

• Tailor your Summary/Objective: Adjust your career goal statement (if you use one) to name the target role or industry and how you fit. A well-targeted objective “makes you look focused and enthusiastic” sydney.edu.au – it shows the employer you’re interested in their job, not just any job.

• Selective Detail: You might have projects or electives you did that are relevant to one application but not another. It’s perfectly fine to add or remove items to make your resume a better fit. For instance, include your coursework in “Data Mining” when applying to a data analyst role, but maybe leave it out for a general consulting role where it’s less relevant. Also, consider how much detail to provide for each entry based on relevance. A part-time job unrelated to your field might only need 1 bullet point (or none if you simply list it for completeness), whereas a related internship could have 3–4 detailed bullets.

• Use the Employer’s Values: Research the organisation’s mission or values (often on their website) and subtly reflect those in your resume or cover letter. For example, if a company values community service, you might make sure your volunteer work is highlighted. This shows cultural fit. Tip: In your cover letter (which should always accompany your resume unless stated otherwise), explicitly align your goals with the company’s values/mission studyaustralia.gov.au, studyaustralia.gov.au. While the cover letter carries most of that burden, a tailored resume backs it up.

Tailoring takes a bit of extra time for each application, but it significantly increases your chances of getting noticed study.uq.edu.au, study.uq.edu.au. Employers can tell when you’ve made an effort – as UQ’s career expert puts it, it “shows the employer that you’re engaged and have an understanding of what they’re looking for – you!” study.uq.edu.au.

Writing Strong Bullet Points (Showcasing Your Skills)

How you write your experience bullets can make or break your resume. Recruiters often skim resumes in 10 seconds or less, so your bullets need to efficiently communicate your value sydney.edu.au. Focus on achievements and skills, not just duties. Here are some tips with examples of good vs bad practices:

• Be Specific and Use Action Verbs: Start each bullet with a strong verb and mention concrete outcomes. For example:

Why it’s better: The good example quantifies the work and highlights a result (presentation), whereas the bad example leaves questions (what did you do? how much?).

• Translate Duties into Achievements: Don’t just list what you were “responsible for” – mention what you achieved or improved. For instance:

Here, the good version turns a generic duty into an achievement with measurable impact.

• Give Context or Purpose: Especially for technical or academic work, clarify the why/impact:

This shows not just that you can run scripts, but that it had a positive effect on the business.

• Highlight Teamwork and Soft Skills with Examples: Instead of just saying “Teamwork” or “communication skills,” demonstrate them:

As the UQ Careers team advises, rather than writing a one-word skill, show how you applied it. They give the example: don’t just say “Working in a team,” say “I adapted my work style to suit my co-workers and contributed to a positive team culture.” study.uq.edu.au. This illustrates the skill in action.

• Use Full Sentences in Bullets: While bullets are short-form, you should still write them as concise sentences or phrases that describe the what and how. A common mistake is writing fragments that are too short to convey value study.uq.edu.au. For instance:

The strong version gives scope (20-person team) and purpose (ensure coverage), making it meaningful.

• Quantify and Qualify: Wherever possible, add numbers, frequencies, or percentages:

Numbers immediately draw attention and give credibility to your claims sydney.edu.au. Even if you can’t attach a number, try to be specific: e.g. “wrote press releases” vs “wrote 5 press releases that were published on the university website.”

• Keep Bullets Concise: 1–2 lines per bullet is plenty. If yours are running longer, see if you can break them up or trim unnecessary words. The Australian Human Rights Commission’s IncludeAbility guide suggests keeping bullet points to one line if possible for clarity humanrights.gov.au, humanrights.gov.au. Each bullet should be an easily digestible unit of information.

• Avoid First Person Pronouns: Write in implied first person (no “I” or “my”). Australian resume style, like most, uses an understood subject. For example, “Organised campus tech meetup with 100+ attendees,” not “I organised a campus tech meetup…”. This keeps the focus on actions and achievements directly.

• Tailor Language to Your Field: Use appropriate terminology but avoid excessive jargon or acronyms that a layperson (or scanning software) might not understand sydney.edu.au. Spell out an acronym at least once. For instance, say “Customer Relationship Management (CRM) software” instead of just “CRM software” on first mention. This is especially true if you’re a PhD or applying outside academia – translate your academic experiences into business or lay terms where you can sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. Instead of “principal component analysis,” you might say “advanced statistical techniques (e.g. principal component analysis)”. The key is to communicate value to any reader.

By strengthening your bullet points, you not only demonstrate what you’ve done, but also how well you did it – which is ultimately what employers care about.

Common Mistakes to Avoid (and How to Fix Them)

Even bright students can trip up with some resume pitfalls. Here are common bad practices seen on resumes, and how you can do better:

By avoiding these pitfalls, you’ll present a much more compelling application. Remember, the goal is to make it easy for the employer to see your value. Every element of your resume should serve that purpose.

Tips for PhD Students and Academic CVs

If you’re a PhD student or pursuing an academic career, your resume (often called an academic CV) will have some unique aspects. Australian universities advise the following for higher degree research (HDR) students:

• Emphasize Academic Achievements: For academic or research roles, include sections like Publications, Conferences, Research Projects, Grants, Teaching Experience, etc. sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. List your publications (or manuscripts in progress), presentations, and any awards or grants. Show your research impact – e.g. citations or significance of your work. The University of Sydney suggests using a “Research Profile” in place of a generic career objective for academic resumes sydney.edu.au. This might outline your research interests, areas of expertise, and future research goals.

• No Strict Page Limit for Academic CV: While industry resumes should be concise, academic CVs can be longer (often 4+ pages) because you need to list publications, research details, etc. There’s “no set length for an academic resume,” but you should still keep it well-structured and relevant sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. Organise content with subheadings (e.g. Publications, Teaching, Lab Techniques) for clarity.

• If Transitioning to Industry: Tailor your PhD experience to highlight transferable skills (e.g. project management, analytical thinking, problem-solving, technical skills) rather than academic jargon sydney.edu.au. Industry employers may not immediately see the value of your thesis work unless you translate it for them. For non-academic jobs, Sydney Uni recommends focusing on “what you do, not just what you know,” demonstrating transferable skills and even noting things like membership in professional associations to show industry interest sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. For example, instead of a thesis title alone, you could say, “Research project using machine learning to improve solar cell efficiency – developed strong programming (Python) and data analysis skills.”

• Include PhD as Experience: Treat your PhD or research fellowship as part of your professional experience. You can list “PhD Candidate, University of X, 2020–Present” in your experience section, and bullet point key responsibilities (research, lab management, student supervision) and accomplishments (publications, findings) sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au. This recognizes that a full-time PhD is equivalent to a job – and often a very demanding one – which builds many skills.

• Teaching and Leadership: If you’ve tutored, lectured, or supervised students during your higher degree, absolutely include that. University hiring committees will look for teaching experience. For non-academic roles, teaching experience can be framed as public speaking, mentoring, and communication skills.

• International Considerations: If you did your PhD abroad or are applying internationally, remember different countries have different CV norms. Since this guide focuses on Australia, ensure you adapt to any international format if you seek opportunities overseas (e.g. some countries expect personal data or a photo, which Australia does not).

In summary, for PhD students: use an academic CV for academic roles (detailed and comprehensive), but have a shorter, tailored resume version for industry roles, highlighting how your research experience makes you valuable in that context sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au.

Leveraging University and City-Specific Resources

Being a university student in Australia means you have access to a wealth of career resources – make use of them:

• University Career Services: All top Australian universities have dedicated career centers offering resume reviews, workshops, and consultations. For example, the University of Melbourne provides an online AI resume reviewer to give feedback students.unimelb.edu.au, students.unimelb.edu.au, Macquarie University offers a CV360 tool for instant advice students.mq.edu.au, and many universities host resume-writing seminars. Take advantage of these. They are often free for students and can provide tailored tips for your situation.

• Resume Checklists and Samples: Universities often publish resume checklists or example templates. UQ’s Student Employability Centre and UNSW Careers, for instance, provide downloadable guides employability.uq.edu.au, unsw.edu.au and sample resumes. While you should never copy a template verbatim, these can inspire how to format and phrase your own resume. Look for guides specific to your uni or faculty – e.g. an “Engineering Resume Guide” or “PhD Resume Examples” if available.

• Local “Study” Organizations: Each major city has a government-supported student hub (especially for international students). For instance, Study Melbourne, Study Sydney (NSW), Study Queensland, Study Adelaide, etc., are platforms that provide job advice, events, and even free career counseling studyaustralia.gov.au. They understand local employer expectations and often run events like networking nights or career fairs. For example, Study Melbourne offers free resume checking sessions and workshops on finding part-time work in the city studyaustralia.gov.au. Check out these resources – they’re geared to help students and new grads succeed in the local job market.

• City Career Expos and Fairs: In Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and other capitals, watch out for annual graduate career expos (often in Feb-March) where employers gather. Before attending, refine your resume and print a few copies. These events can be a chance to hand your resume directly to recruiters and get quick feedback. Similarly, if you’re targeting a specific industry, there might be specialized career fairs (e.g. tech, engineering, law). Make sure your resume is ready and tailored for those opportunities.

• Networking and LinkedIn: While not part of your physical resume, building a strong LinkedIn profile complements your resume. Australian employers do look at LinkedIn. Ensure your profile matches your resume (dates, titles) and consider asking professors or supervisors for skill endorsements or recommendations. Also, join LinkedIn groups or professional associations related to your field – it shows engagement. Mentioning membership in a professional association on your resume (if you have it) is a plus sydney.edu.au.

• Career Mentors: Many universities (and programs like the Australian Government’s mentoring schemes) can connect you with industry mentors. A mentor can review your resume and give feedback from an employer’s perspective – invaluable insight. UQ’s article recommends asking not just friends, but also mentors or teachers to review your resume, as they might catch things others miss study.uq.edu.au. Don’t be afraid to seek guidance; Australians are generally open to helping students out, and a fresh set of eyes can spot areas to improve.

• State Government Resources: Sites like JobAccess (for students with disabilities) or local youth employment services sometimes offer resume tips too humanrights.gov.au, humanrights.gov.au. The Australian Government’s Study Australia portal provides general job application tips, and the Human Rights Commission’s IncludeAbility project (for inclusive hiring) also has resume guidance (some we cited above) which can be useful for all students.

Final Checks Before Sending

You’re almost ready to submit that application! Before you hit send, run through this final checklist:

• Proofread One More Time: It’s worth repeating – ensure zero typos or grammatical errors. Even a small mistake (like misnaming the company or a role) can hurt your chances. Reading your resume out loud or backwards (bottom-to-top) can help catch errors. If writing in Microsoft Word, be cautious of red/blue squiggly lines indicating mistakes. And double-check consistency: if you wrote “Sept 2024” in one place, don’t write “September 2024” elsewhere; if you bolded one job title, bold them all.

• Format Consistency: Check spacing, alignment, and fonts. Are all bullet points aligned? Do similar sections follow the same style? These details make your resume look polished. Ensure your file name is professional and includes your name (e.g. JaneDoe_CV.pdf).

• Ask for Feedback: By now, you might be a bit “blind” to your own resume. Have a friend or family member review it for clarity and errors study.uq.edu.au. Even better, have a career advisor or mentor critique it study.uq.edu.au. They might suggest improvements in phrasing or identify anything unclear. Be open to constructive criticism – it can greatly improve your final product.

• Cover Letter Ready: Almost always, you should send a customized cover letter with your resume. Your cover letter is your chance to articulate why you want the role and how you meet the criteria, in narrative form, complementing the bullet-point style of your resume studyaustralia.gov.au, studyaustralia.gov.au. Make sure you’ve written a strong cover letter that doesn’t just repeat your resume, but adds insight into your motivation and personality. Use it to explain anything the resume can’t (like a gap in employment or a change of career direction), in a positive way humanrights.gov.au, humanrights.gov.au.

• Selection Criteria (if applicable): For government or university roles in Australia, you might have to address specific selection criteria separately. This is essentially a series of short-essay responses. Don’t neglect this if it’s required – it’s often the first thing a hiring panel will read. Your resume can hint at those criteria, but the separate document is where you provide detail. Follow any guidelines on page/word limits strictly.

• PDF Check: If converting to PDF, open the PDF to ensure formatting translated correctly. Occasionally, fancy Word templates can shift when saved as PDF – make sure no lines broke awkwardly and all text is selectable (important for ATS). The advantage of PDF is it locks your formatting and is generally preferred by employers.

• Print Test (Optional): It can be useful to print your resume out (even in black and white) to see how it looks on paper. Sometimes you catch formatting issues on print that you might miss on screen (like a line that’s just slightly off). Plus, if you go to an interview, having a nicely printed copy on good paper to offer can be a nice touch – so you want to be sure it prints well.

Conclusion

Creating a great Australian resume is a process of planning, tailoring, and refining. By structuring your resume around the expectations outlined by top universities and recruiters – clear sections, relevant content, strong action-oriented language, and no fluff – you’ll present yourself as a professional, whether you’re applying for a casual job in Brisbane or a graduate program in Sydney. Always remember that your resume’s purpose is to get you to the interview stage sydney.edu.au. It’s your marketing document, so make every word count and ensure it highlights your best self.

Finally, once your resume is ready, don’t let it stand alone. Pair it with a compelling cover letter, prepare your interview skills, and leverage your university networks. Australian cities have vibrant job markets with lots of opportunity for graduates – and with a polished, targeted resume in hand, you’ll be well on your way to landing that next opportunity. Good luck!

References: This guide is based on official advice from Australian university career centers and government resources, including the University of Sydney Careers Centre sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au, sydney.edu.au, ANU Careers & Employability anu.edu.au, anu.edu.au, University of Queensland Student Employability Centre study.uq.edu.au, study.uq.edu.au, Study Australia (Australian Government) studyaustralia.gov.au, studyaustralia.gov.au, UNSW Careers unsw.edu.au, unsw.edu.au and others, to ensure advice is tailored to Australian standards and relevant to students across disciplines. Each student’s resume will be unique, so use these principles to craft a document that best represents you. Happy job hunting!