Career
Writing an Australian resume and cover letter
The local rules — 2 to 3 pages, no photo, no DOB, no marital status. Why an Australian address line matters, how to write about work rights, and the STAR-story interview format.
Published 17 May 2026 · Last reviewed 17 May 2026
The Aussie resume
- 2–3 pages for experienced candidates is normal (the US 1-page rule doesn't apply).
- No photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no religion. These are not standard and can hurt you (anti-discrimination laws — recruiters will skip resumes with them).
- Australian addresses help (even if it's just a suburb name). Listing "London, UK" at the top tends to send your resume to the rejected pile for some recruiters.
- Quantify achievements ("reduced support response time by 40%", "led team of 7").
- A short professional summary at the top is normal.
The cover letter
- A 1-page cover letter is still expected for most professional roles.
- Customise for each role. The "Why this company, why this role" paragraph is what recruiters read first.
- "I have full work rights" is worth saying explicitly in the letter if you're on a visa — many employers worry about sponsorship complications and a clear statement helps.
On work rights
- For non-sponsored roles (most jobs), employers want to see one of: citizenship, PR, partner of citizen/PR, 485 with full work rights, 482 (already sponsored by the same employer), bridging visa with full work rights from a prior PR application.
- A line like "I hold a Subclass 485 Temporary Graduate visa with full work rights until [date]" answers the question before they ask.
Interview style
- More casual than the US or much of Europe. "How are you going?" "Good thanks, you?" is enough to start.
- Behavioural interviews ("Tell me about a time when...") are very common. Prepare 4–5 STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) stories.
- Australians are often understated. Don't oversell — confident competence reads better than enthusiasm.
- Salary conversations happen openly, often in the first interview. Have a range ready.
Tax File Number and PAYG when you start You can't legally be paid your full wage without a TFN. Without one, your employer withholds at the top marginal rate (around 47%). Set up your TFN first.
You give your employer:
- A signed Tax File Number Declaration (or the electronic equivalent via myGov / your employer's onboarding system).
- Your bank account details for wages.
- Your super fund details (or your employer will put you in a default fund).