Australian Resume Key Takeaways for Job Seekers
- NO PHOTO RULE: Australian anti-discrimination laws under the Fair Work Ombudsman advise omitting headshots on resumes.
- 2-Page Standard: The expected standard in Sydney, Melbourne, and Brisbane is a clean 2-page document.
- AQF Framework Mapping: State your tertiary degree alongside its Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF) level.
- AI Resume Generator: Create your document using our Australian resume builder.
Applying for positions in Australia—whether in Sydney (CBD & North Sydney), Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, or Adelaide—requires adhering strictly to Australian recruitment norms.
1. The Fair Work Ombudsman & No Photo Rule
Under Australian workplace laws enforced by the Fair Work Ombudsman, recruiters avoid photos and personal details (age, marital status) to protect against hiring bias.
✓ WHAT TO INCLUDE
- Full Name & Target Title
- City & Suburb (e.g., Sydney, NSW 2000)
- Australian Mobile Number & Email
- Work Visa Status (PR, Citizen, Subclass 485 / 482)
✗ WHAT TO EXCLUDE
- Headshot or photo
- Date of Birth or Age
- Marital status
- Tax File Number (TFN)
2. The 7 Golden Rules of the Australian Resume Format
Rule 1: The 2-Page Standard
2 pages is the gold standard for Australian candidates. Fill both pages evenly without spilling onto a third.
Rule 2: Australian English Spelling
Use Australian English: optimise, organisation, and program.
Rule 3: Professional Career Summary
Highlight your key skills and achievements in a 3 to 4-line opening summary.
Rule 4: Quantified STAR Metrics ($ AUD)
Format bullet points using action verbs and express achievements in Australian Dollars ($ AUD).
Rule 5: Reverse-Chronological Layout
Start with your current or most recent role and list work experience backwards.
Rule 6: AQF Qualification Display
Include your AQF level (e.g. Bachelor of Science — AQF Level 7).
Rule 7: References Section
List 2 professional referees or state "References available upon request".
3. Australian Qualifications Framework (AQF)
| Qualification Type | AQF Level | How to Display on AU Resume |
|---|---|---|
| Certificate III / IV (VET) | AQF Level 3 / 4 | Certificate IV in Information Technology — AQF Level 4 |
| Diploma / Advanced Diploma | AQF Level 5 / 6 | Diploma of Business Management — AQF Level 5 |
| Bachelor's Degree | AQF Level 7 | Bachelor of Commerce (BCom) in Finance — AQF Level 7 |
| Bachelor Honours / Grad Diploma | AQF Level 8 | Bachelor of Engineering (Hons) — AQF Level 8 |
| Master's Degree (MSc / MBA) | AQF Level 9 | Master of Information Technology — AQF Level 9 |
4. Full Australian Resume Blueprint
COMPLETE AUSTRALIAN RESUME BLUEPRINT
LIAM O'CONNOR
Sydney, NSW 2000 • 0412 555 199 • liam.oconnor@email.com.au • linkedin.com/in/liamoconnor-sydney
Work Status: Australian Permanent Resident (PR) — Full Work Rights
SENIOR IT PROJECT MANAGER
Accomplished IT Project Manager with 7+ years of experience leading digital transformation and cloud migration projects across Australia. Proven track record of managing multi-million-dollar tech budgets ($3.5M AUD) while delivering 99.4% on-time project completion.
CORE SKILLS
Agile & Scrum Delivery • PMP Certified • AWS Cloud Migration • Stakeholder Engagement • Budget Oversight ($ AUD) • JIRA • Risk Mitigation
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Senior Project Manager — Commonwealth Bank, Sydney, NSW
March 2022 – Present
• Managed a $4.2M AUD cloud migration project across 5 cross-functional engineering teams.
• Reduced quarterly deployment downtime by 30% through automated release pipelines.
EDUCATION & CERTIFICATIONS
Bachelor of Science in Information Technology — AQF Level 7 — University of Sydney (2018)
PMP — Project Management Institute (2020)