Free Australian Resume Templates
An Australian resume template follows local standards: two pages, single-column, with sections like Career Objective, Key Skills, Work Experience, Education, and Referees. Qarera's free Australian CV templates parse cleanly through SEEK, LinkedIn, and the major ATS systems Australian employers use (Workday, Greenhouse, SmartRecruiters, Lever). Edit online with AI-powered bullet rewrites and export unlimited PDFs.
Australian English spelling · AUD metrics · Citizen / PR / visa status supported
Australian resume templates by role
Each template is a 2-page Australian format. Pick based on your industry and career stage.
Australian Professional
Best for: Mid-career to senior roles in finance, consulting, or government
Structure: Contact → Career Objective → Key Skills → Work Experience → Education → Professional Development → Referees
The most common Australian format. Two pages, single-column, parses cleanly through Seek's internal ATS and enterprise systems like Workday Australia.
Australian Graduate
Best for: University graduates, recent school leavers, internship applicants
Structure: Contact → Career Objective → Education → Projects / Placements → Work Experience → Skills → Referees
Leads with education when you don't have years of experience yet. Ideal for graduate programs at Big 4, banks, and government.
Australian Trades & Construction
Best for: Trades, construction, site supervisors, safety roles
Structure: Contact → Summary → Licences & Tickets → Work Experience → Technical Skills → Referees
Licences and tickets (White Card, RSA, Forklift) sit near the top. This is what hiring managers scan for first.
Australian Healthcare / Nursing
Best for: Registered nurses, allied health, aged care workers
Structure: Contact → AHPRA Registration → Career Summary → Clinical Experience → Education → Skills → Referees
AHPRA registration near the top. Clinical experience structured to match hospital and aged-care recruiter expectations.
Australian Tech / Engineering
Best for: Software engineers, data, DevOps, product roles in Australian tech
Structure: Contact → Summary → Technical Skills → Work Experience → Projects → Education → Referees
Technical skills up front, which is essential for ATS keyword matching across Australian tech employers (Atlassian, Canva, SafetyCulture).
Australian Executive
Best for: Directors, GMs, C-suite, board appointments
Structure: Contact → Executive Summary → Core Competencies → Work Experience → Board & Community → Education → Referees
Two-page executive format. Emphasises strategic outcomes and board-level experience. Still ATS-clean.
Australian vs US/UK resume: what's different
If you're applying in Australia with a US or UK resume, these differences will trip you up.
| 🇦🇺 Australia | 🇺🇸 United States |
|---|---|
| Two pages is standard and expected | One page unless you have 10+ years of experience |
| Called "CV" or "Resume" interchangeably; both are used | Resume for corporate, CV for academic only |
| Include Referees section or "Available on request" | References omitted entirely, never listed |
| Date format: "March 2024" or "Mar 2024" | Date format: "March 2024" or "03/2024" |
| No photo (except some creative roles) | Never include a photo |
| Spell "organise," "specialise," "analyse" | Spell "organize," "specialize," "analyze" |
| Work rights status at the top (Citizen / PR / 482 visa) | Work authorisation usually not stated unless asked |
| Mention Seek, LinkedIn, and referrals as sources | Less weight on specific job board origin |
| Include Australian-relevant achievements and metrics in AUD | Metrics typically in USD |
| Career Objective or Summary is common | Summary common, Objective is dated |
How to state your work rights
Visa status goes in the Contact Details section at the top of your resume, right below your phone and email.
Australian Citizen
Strongest standing. List plainly: "Australian Citizen". No restrictions.
Permanent Resident (PR)
Treated equivalently to citizens for most roles. List as "Australian Permanent Resident".
Subclass 482 (TSS Visa)
Employer-sponsored. Some employers will only interview if role is on sponsoring list. State visa clearly.
Subclass 485 (Graduate Visa)
Post-study work visa, usually 2-4 years. Many grad programs accept this. List expiry date if asked.
Subclass 417/462 (Working Holiday)
Typically 6-12 months per employer. Mostly relevant for hospitality, retail, seasonal work.
Student Visa 500
40 hours per fortnight during study, unlimited in breaks. State clearly to avoid mismatched roles.
Writing tips for Australian resumes
Quantify in AUD and Australian context
Use AUD for financial metrics. Reference Australian clients, industries, or state/territory contexts recruiters recognise. A US applicant writing "managed $2M portfolio" should clarify whether that's USD or AUD.
Use Australian spelling consistently
"Organise," "specialise," "analyse," "labour," "colour," "centre," "programme," "licence" (noun) vs "license" (verb). Spell-check your doc in Word set to English (Australia) before submitting.
Match the Career Objective to the role
Unlike US resumes, Australian CVs often include a Career Objective (2-3 lines explaining the role you're targeting and what you bring). Make sure it references the specific role or industry. Don't copy the same objective across every application.
Include relevant Australian context
Experience at an ASX-listed company, work with Australian government tiers (Federal / State / Local), Big 4 Australian consulting (Deloitte / KPMG / EY / PwC), or "Top of the Town" law firms carries specific weight locally. Call it out.
Keep referees current
If listing referees, call them first and confirm they're willing. Two is standard: one professional manager, one peer or client. If using "Referees available on request," have the same two people ready to respond.
Format dates as Month Year
Use "March 2024 - Present" or "Mar 2024 - Present," consistent throughout. Avoid US-style "03/2024" dates. They look foreign on an Australian resume.
Frequently asked questions
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