Resume Tips: How to Write a Resume That Gets You Hired in Australia

Imagine this: you’ve applied for 50 jobs, rewritten your cover letter multiple times, and checked your inbox every morning — yet not a single recruiter has called.

This is one of the most common frustrations for job seekers in Australia, especially international students and skilled migrants. The truth is, most rejections don’t happen because you’re unqualified — they happen because your resume didn’t sell your skills effectively.

Recruiters spend 6–8 seconds scanning each resume. Many employers use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) that filter applications before a human ever sees them. If your resume isn’t optimised for both, your application may be rejected automatically.

The good news? With the right strategies, you can turn your resume into an interview magnet. I’ve helped clients who went from months of silence to multiple interviews in just weeks after applying these resume tips.

This guide will show you:

• Why most resumes fail.

• The most effective resume tips for the Australian market.

• How to highlight achievements, not just duties.

• Special strategies for international students and migrants.

• A resume scoring system to test your own document.

Let’s dive in.

Why Most Resumes Fail

Resumes fail not because candidates lack talent, but because they don’t communicate value. Common pitfalls include:

• Generic wording: Listing tasks like “responsible for managing projects” instead of results.

• Poor structure: Missing sections, long paragraphs, or irrelevant details.

• Design-heavy formatting: Templates with graphics and columns that ATS can’t read.

• No tailoring: Sending the same resume to 50 companies.

👉 Recruiter perspective: Picture a recruiter with 200 resumes in front of them. They don’t have time to “figure you out.” They want clear evidence — in seconds — that you can solve their problems.

1. Tailor Your Resume for Each Job

This is the single most important resume tip: customise your resume for every role.

Recruiters can instantly spot a generic application. A tailored resume shows you’ve studied the job description and can deliver what they need.

How to tailor effectively

1. Read the job ad carefully. Highlight 5–10 keywords (skills, tools, qualifications).

2. Mirror those keywords. Use them in your summary, skills list, and bullet points.

3. Reorder achievements. Put the most relevant ones at the top.

4. Adjust your headline. If the ad says “Graduate Accountant,” your summary should reflect that wording.

Industry-specific tailoring examples

• IT role:

  • ❌ “Analyzed data and wrote reports.”

  • ✅ “Used Python and SQL to analyse data, improving sales forecasting accuracy by 25%.”

• Finance role:

  • ❌ “Worked on financial statements.”

  • ✅ “Prepared monthly financial statements for 5 subsidiaries, ensuring 100% compliance with Australian accounting standards.”

• Engineering role:

  • ❌ “Worked on construction projects.”

  • ✅ “Delivered two $5M infrastructure projects ahead of schedule, reducing costs by 10%.”

👉 Checklist before sending:

• Did I use the role title in my summary?

• Did I match at least 5 keywords?

• Did I bring the most relevant achievements to the top?

Tailoring doesn’t mean rewriting your resume from scratch — 10–15 minutes of adjustments per job can double your chances of being shortlisted.

2. Keep It Concise and Clear

In Australia, clarity beats creativity when it comes to resumes.

Resume length guide:

• Students / graduates: 1 page.

• Professionals: 2–3 pages.

Longer resumes often signal lack of focus.

Bad vs good format

• ❌ Bad: Two-column design, icons, graphics, profile photo.

• ✅ Good: Single-column, clear headings, bullet points, standard font.

Why recruiters hate fancy resumes

• ATS can’t read them.

• They distract from content.

• They take longer to scan.

👉 Think: if a recruiter prints your resume in black and white, will it still be clear and readable?

3. Highlight Achievements, Not Duties

This is one of the biggest differences between an average resume and a strong one.

Employers want results, not responsibilities.

Examples: Duties → Achievements

👉 Pro tip: Use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) to build achievement bullets.

Action verbs to use

Increased, Reduced, Delivered, Designed, Created, Streamlined, Generated, Improved.

4. Optimise for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS)

ATS software acts like a robot recruiter. It scans resumes for keywords and formatting.

How ATS works (simple version)

• Scans resume for role-specific keywords.

• Ranks resumes based on matches.

• Passes only the top-scoring ones to recruiters.

ATS do’s and don’ts

✅ Do:

• Use standard headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills).

• Save as .docx (or PDF if allowed).

• Use exact keywords from the ad.

❌ Don’t:

• Use graphics, columns, or tables.

• Put key info in headers or footers.

• Overstuff keywords.

👉 Myth-buster: “ATS rejects 75% of resumes instantly.” Reality: ATS scores them. A poorly formatted resume with few keywords simply ranks too low to be seen.

5. Structure Your Resume the Australian Way

Resumes in Australia follow a particular style. Deviating from it may confuse recruiters.

Standard sections

1. Header: Name, phone, email, LinkedIn.

2. Career Summary: 3–4 lines of value proposition.

3. Key Skills: 5–10 bullet points.

4. Work Experience: Reverse chronological.

5. Education: Degrees, certifications.

6. Optional: Volunteering, awards, projects.

What NOT to include

• Photos (not standard, may cause bias).

• Date of birth, marital status, nationality.

• Hobbies (unless relevant).

Sample Career Summary

“Civil Engineer with 5 years’ experience in infrastructure projects. Skilled in AutoCAD, project management, and compliance. Delivered projects worth $10M+ on time and under budget.”

👉 Australian employers prefer simple, professional, and achievement-driven resumes.

6. Extra Resume Tips for Students and Migrants

If you don’t yet have “local experience,” you can still compete.

Tips for students

• Reframe university projects as achievements.

• Highlight internships, volunteering, part-time jobs.

• Example:

  • ❌ “Completed group assignment in marketing.”

  • ✅ “Led a team of 4 to develop a campaign that improved simulated sales by 18% in a capstone project.”

Tips for migrants

• Translate overseas success into Australian context.

• Avoid assuming employers understand overseas job titles. Clarify roles and impact.

• Example:

  • ❌ “Assistant Manager, XYZ Company.”

  • ✅ “Managed 12 staff in a retail branch with $3M annual turnover, achieving 15% sales growth.”

👉 Employers hire problem-solvers. Show how your past experience solves their problems.

7. Avoid These Common Resume Mistakes

Mistake 1: Using an Objective Statement

Outdated and self-focused. Replace with a summary that highlights value.

Mistake 2: Listing Generic Skills

❌ “Communication, teamwork.”
✅ “Delivered presentations to 20+ clients weekly, securing repeat business.”

Mistake 3: Ignoring Career Gaps

Employers don’t mind gaps if explained. Example:

“2021–2022: Completed postgraduate study in IT while raising family.”

Mistake 4: Misplacing Education

• Students: put education at the top.

• Experienced professionals: education after work history.

Mistake 5: Overusing Buzzwords

Avoid “hardworking, team player, fast learner.” Prove it with achievements instead.

Mistake 6: Typos and Errors

Recruiters see mistakes as carelessness. Proofread twice.

👉 Each of these mistakes can cost interviews. Fixing them makes your resume instantly stronger.

8. How to Measure the Strength of Your Resume

Use this 10-point system to score your resume:

• Relevance (0–4): Does it match the job ad? Keywords included?

• Results (0–3): Are achievements quantified?

• Presentation (0–3): Is it clear, ATS-friendly, error-free?

Example scoring

• Before: Generic resume, no keywords, duties not achievements. Score: 3/10.

• After: Tailored, ATS-optimised, results-driven. Score: 9/10.

👉 Try scoring your own resume honestly. If you’re below 7, it needs work before sending.

9. Keywords: The Secret to Being Found

Recruiters often run keyword searches on resumes.

How to find keywords

• Look at 3–5 job ads in your field.

• List recurring terms.

• Insert them naturally into your resume.

Keyword examples by industry

• IT: Python, SQL, Cloud, Agile, Cybersecurity.

• Finance: Forecasting, Budgeting, Data Analysis, Reporting.

• Marketing: SEO, Google Ads, Campaigns, Analytics.

• Engineering: AutoCAD, Safety, Project Delivery.

• Healthcare: Patient Care, Compliance, EMR, Risk Management.

👉 Place keywords in your summary, skills list, and bullet points.

10. Proofreading: The Most Overlooked Resume Tip

A single typo can sink your chances.

Top 5 resume errors

1. Wrong contact info.

2. Inconsistent dates.

3. Misspelled job titles.

4. Poor grammar.

5. Misaligned formatting.

Proofreading checklist

• Run spellcheck.

• Print and read aloud.

• Ask a mentor or coach to review.

👉 One of my clients once had “Manger” instead of “Manager.” The recruiter rejected the application immediately. Don’t let simple errors ruin your hard work.

11. FAQs 

Q1: Should I include a photo?
No. In Australia, photos aren’t standard unless the role requires it.

Q2: How long should my resume be?
1 page for graduates, 2–3 for professionals.

Q3: Should I include visa status?
Not on the resume. If asked, explain in interview.

Q4: Should I include casual jobs?
Yes, if skills are transferable (customer service, teamwork).

Q5: Do cover letters matter?
Yes. A tailored cover letter can give you an edge.

Q6: Should I include GPA?
Only if strong (Distinction average) and relevant.

Q7: Should I list references?
No. Simply write “References available on request.”

Q8: Should I explain a career change?
Yes. Address it in your summary and cover letter, highlighting transferable skills.

Q9: Should I use a professional resume writer?
It can help, but with the right structure and effort, you can create a strong resume yourself.

Final Thoughts

Your resume is not your autobiography — it’s your sales pitch. Done right, it convinces employers in seconds that you’re worth interviewing.

By tailoring every application, keeping your format clean, focusing on achievements, and avoiding common mistakes, you’ll stand out in Australia’s competitive job market.

I’ve seen countless clients go from 0 interviews to multiple offers by applying these exact strategies.

👉 Don’t let a weak resume keep you stuck. With the right approach, you can finally get noticed.

Ready to Create a Resume That Gets You Hired?

If you’re tired of rejection emails, I’ve created a free resource designed specifically for international students and migrants in Australia.

🎁 Download the Skilled Job Starter Kit — it includes:

• An ATS-friendly resume template

• A proven cover letter guide

• A LinkedIn checklist

• Interview strategies to convert offers

👉 Get Your Free Skilled Job Starter Kit