How to write an Australian-style resume
Career
The Perfect Resume
How to write an Australian-style resume
16 www . smpmagazine . com . au | Spring 2016
HAVE YOU BEEN TRYING to secure a role in Australia with no luck ? Are you tired of getting turned down with no explanation ? Well you have come to the right place !
For 10 years I have worked as a recruitment consultant in Australia and in this time , I have seen hundreds of resumes from overseas candidates . I have seen resumes that included unprofessional photos , inappropriate hobbies , memorable email addresses , as well as count-
By Paulina
Tatangelo , Change Manager less spelling mistakes and grammatical errors . at Landgate WA Each of these resumes had one thing in common ; they did not
Via Ajilon sell the candidate .
So , what does it take to win over your recruitment consultant in Australia ? Here are my top 10 tips :
1 . Long names
If your name is hard to pronounce , shorten it – Australians love to shorten names . When my family moved to Australia , my dad went to buy a car . When the car salesman heard my dad ’ s name was Zdzislaw Puchalka , he said ‘ mate , you are in Australia now , I will call you Ziggy ’. He ’ s been known as Ziggy ever since .
2 . Spelling and grammar
It ’ s absolutely vital to spell check your resume and review your grammar . Often candidates get caught out with American spelling such as recognize instead of recognise , or color instead of colour . Candidates should use the British English version in Australia .
3 . Contact details
You will be taken more seriously by recruitment agencies and employers once you have moved to Australia . Until then , it is vital that you include your email address , mobile number and Skype name . Often , recruiters will contact you via Skype to interview you , so make sure you set up a profile . Also , make sure you have a LinkedIn account , as this is often used for headhunting .
4 . Visa details
Many migrants move to Australia looking to be sponsored for work , whereas others will arrive on a pre-approved visa . If you are an Australian permanent resident or citizen , make sure that you mention this in your resume . If you do not have full working rights , then you need to disclose this information . Your visa details , anticipated arrival location and date should also be included in your cover letter .
5 . Past tense
Use past tense for completed roles ( eg . completed , implemented ). Present tense should only be reserved for a current role ( eg . completing , implementing ).
6 . Achievements
If you aren ’ t describing what you ’ ve achieved at each role , you won ’ t sell your strengths and value as an employee . Achievements are one of