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How to create an Australian style resume and cover letter

AlKeep in mind your resume, cover letter and all communication with employers needs to be about what you can do for them not what they can do for you.

Recruiters spend less than 30 seconds to scan through a resume so it needs to capture the viewer’s attention

  • Use a simple layout
  • Don’t include your birth date, marital status, personal photos (unless you’re applying for a fashion job?)
  • If you have a complex long name, difficult to pronounce create a nick name and use in all written communication
  • Add key skills and work experience at the top of the resume

Example order of contents

  • Key Skills
  • Career Objective
  • Experience
  • Achievements eg awards
  • Education and Training
  • Referees – please inform them in advance so they can be prepared

How to write a cover letter?

Add your cover letter as the front page of your resume

Should be brief, 2-3 paragraphs max

Include the following:

  • date
  • your email address
  • name of the person you are writing to or ‘Dear Manager’ or person’s name
  • brief introduction
  • your top skills
  • experience
  • interview request
  • signature

Ensure your résumé/cover letter is free of errors, ask a strong English speaker to review it before you send to an employer – don’t expect an employer to hire you if you cannot demonstrate that you are capable of communicating well in English.

You can find more resume and cover letter templates here

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