Resume sections

Summarised below are the key expectations for a resume in Australia. The sections are listed in the order they most commonly appear. For sample resumes, or to create a resume, use our ResumeBuilder.

Main sections

Titles can be different to these, but keep them simple: one or two words that will be meaningful to an employer.

Your name: should be at the top of your resume as part of the main title in larger font. E.g. 'Resume of Bill Brown' or 'Bill Brown - Resume'

• If you have a preferred name it is acceptable to use this instead of your given name. This will help employers if you have a name that is hard to pronounce.
• Legal documents, such as contracts or tax forms, require your full legal name

Contact details: Do not list personal details such as date of birth, marital status or other family details.

• Address: Your current residential address in Australia
• Email address: Use a professional one that uses your name, not a humorous one such as: prettykitty@yahoo.com
• Phone number: A mobile or land line is acceptable. Ensure it has voice mail or an answering machine with a professional sounding message

Career objective: Summarises the type of work you are seeking and your key skills or experiences that make you a good candidate.

• No more than 2 to 3 lines.

Education:  Start with your current or most recent education and work back. Use your judgement on how far back is of interest to the employer. Most employers don't want information prior to your Year 12 studies.

• Suggested order: dates of study, name of course, name of institution. 
• Highlight relevant or strongest subjects/majors

Employment history: Start with your current or most recent employment and work back.

• Suggested order: dates, job title, name of company
• If some employment is strongly related to the job put it in separate section, such as 'Relevant experience', to draw attention to it
• Include your overseas employment
• Use your judgement on how far back to list (generally 5 to 10 years)
• 3 to 5 bullet points on your responsibilities, skills and key achievements

Key skills: As you get more experience, develop your resume skill section to target individual employers.

• Suggested sub headings: communication, teamwork, problem solving, research skills
• Provide examples of when and how you have used those skills before.
• Examples can come from work, volunteering, your studies or interests.
• Use the S.T.A.R technique to help you write interesting and succinct examples for your key skills.

Referees: Employers usually consult referees about your behaviour and performance in the workplace.

• Suggested order: referee's name, job title (in relation to you) and their preferred contact details
• Ask permission from an individual before listing them as a referee
• Professional referees have supervised you at work or sometimes volunteer work
• Academic referees have supervised you in your studies
• 2 or 3 referees are acceptable

Optional sections

Professional development: Training that is relevant to the work you are applying for. Do not repeat items from your Education section.

• Suggested order: dates, name of qualification, name of institution
• Include a brief description if the qualification title is not well known

Extra-curricular activities: May include volunteering, sporting involvements, interests (hobbies). Use it to show employers how you’ve used your skills outside the workplace, and that you’re a well-rounded person.

• Suggested order: dates, your role, name of organisation
• Usually included on the last page of your resume.