CV Format: Best Australian Curriculum Vitae for a Job [PDF]

Am I professional enough?

What would recruiters think of me when they see my CV?

You’re about to pick a CV format, and those worries haunt you like a Kapunda’s ghost.

But here’s what I think: you’re safe with us. 

This guide will show you:

• What can you expect from a CV format in Australia.
• More of that in Australian CV Format PDF examples that are better than any other out there.
• And finally, how to format a curriculum vitae to get a job in Australia.

See?

Nothing to be afraid of.

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Sample CV made with our builder—See more templates and create your CV here.

What’s the Right CV format in Australia?

Let’s set some things straight first.

A CV and a resume are the same documents in Australia. So if you’re looking for CV or resume format details, have at it. No matter which one you choose, you’ll always be right.

Now, there are three CV formats you can choose from:

1. Reverse-chronological is the most popular (and ultimately the best).
2. Skills-based is the best CV format for career changers.
3. And the combination format, the most complex one, is therefore left for the old birds and pros.

Have a look at what they look like in real-life examples:

Australian CV Format PDF Examples

Let’s start with the first on the list, and that is—

Reverse-Chronological CV Format

The reverse-chronological CV format is also called a chronological format. Thanks to its layout and structure that highlight one’s career progression, it’s the most valued CV format by the hiring managers. 

It’s versatile, which means you can use it no matter what career situation you’re in. Whether you’re advancing, branching out, or have had a long break from employment, it’s always a good choice.

See what to include in a standard job CV format:

1. Heading with your personal details
2. Personal statement, which can either be a summary of your experience or a career objective if you’re inexperienced
3. Career history going back no further than 10 to 15 years of experience
4. Education with the highest degree you earned
5. Skills section with the list of skills you possess and which connects with the job description
6. Additional information, for example, your certifications, awards, or hobbies and interests
7. References 

Moving on—

Skills-Based CV Format

The skills-based CV format, or functional as some may call it, is there to prove you’ve got the skills for the job. The experience section is timed-out with only dry facts about where you worked and when.

This curriculum vitae format is perfect for writing a CV after an employment gap or when moving industries. Its goal is to give the employer what they want while having limited experience.

Make sure you include these sections in the functional CV:

1. Header with contact details
2. Career objective
3. Skills summary with main skills needed to do the job and their descriptions
4. Work history listing entries of where you worked and the dates
5. Education section
6. Additional information, such as your certifications, language skills, or relevant interests
7. References 

There’s one little thing to mention here, though. 

Recruiters prefer the reverse-chronological format. Functional CVs leave your experience in the background and recruiters with stretched reasons for inviting you to an interview. So if you still want to go for a functional CV format, you’d better do an outstanding job with the resume skills descriptions!

Combination CV Format

The last of the great three CV formats is the combination format. As the name suggests, it’s a hybrid of chronological and functional CVs. 

This is the sections structure of a combination CV:

1. Heading
2. Resume summary
3. Skills summary with an in-depth list of resume accomplishments using the skill in question
4. Experience with 5–6 bullet points describing your achievements
5. Education
6. Additional sections
7. References 

Again—this isn’t the format recruiters are typically looking for. Unless you’re an executive presenting your numerous strengths, you don’t want to bet on this horse. 

But, there’s one more format you may want to learn about—the academic one. 

See what I mean:

Academic CV Format

The academic CV format is necessary to apply to a graduate school, receive a grant, join a fellowship, or get a job in academia.

Compared to the standard CV format for a job, it’s a complete list of all your professional and academic experiences, which you update as you go instead of tailoring to every position you apply for. 

The standard structure of an academic CV is this:

1. Contact information
2. Personal or research statement with an overview of your qualifications
3. Academic history but not earlier than your bachelor’s degree
4. Professional experience from the past 10 to 15 years and relevant
5. Teaching experience if you’ve already had a placement
6. Publications in magazines, websites, or journals
7. Awards and honours
8. Grants and scholarships
9. Conferences 
10. Affiliations as in active membership to a fellowship or association
11. Languages
12. References

CV format may sound intimidating, but in reality, it really is not. 

Success comes with practice, so why don’t you do exactly that with our Zety templates?

Here are Australian CV format PDF examples that you can try out for free in our CV maker:

Primo

An ideal template for a chronological CV format. The timeline design perfectly highlights the progression you’ve made over the years. Plus, its unique take on the initials will make the recruiter remember you.

Simple

That’s one of the templates that always work. It’s simple, clear, and just right for you, no matter which CV format you decide to use. The splash of colour won’t distract the reader from picking the essentials. In fact, it draws attention to them. 

Cascade

If you believe you’ll need quite a bit of space, then Cascade has been made with you in mind. The thought-out structure allows you to fit Elon Musk’s achievements into one page. And that’s quite a lot to squeeze in. 

Cubic

Cubic ensures your CV lands on the recruiter’s desk. Why? Because it’s ATS-friendly. And once it reaches their hands, it won’t go anywhere. With the heading format like this, your name will stick with them for a long time.

Valera

It’s a single-column template that guides the gaze with its structure. But what’s striking is not the layout but the one-of-a-king typography resembling hand-lettering. The admissions office will surely appreciate such a design for your academic CV.

When making a CV in our builder, drag & drop bullet points, skills, and auto-fill the boring stuff. Spell check? Check. Start building a professional CV template here for free.

Create your CV now

When you’re done, Zety’s CV builder will score your CV and tell you exactly how to make it better.

How to Format a CV in Australia?

The CV structure is crucial for recruiters to figure out what’s what. But the layout makes it all crystal-clear. Literally, there’s never enough whitespace.

Follow these simple CV formatting tips to help you get started:

Simple CV Format

• Pick a simple resume template so that the ATS doesn’t break down and your recruiter isn’t overwhelmed by the colours or graphics.
• Choose the best font that reads well in digital, like Verdana, Arial, or Calibri. Set it to 11–12 font-size points.
• Design a heading with your personal information: your name, phone number, and email address. Never give away such information as religious beliefs, marital status, or date of birth.
• Make your name pop by enlarging the font by 2 points.
• Space out the lines (1–1.15) and set the margins (1-inch). Align your text to the left.
• Create CV sections that include a personal statement, employment history, education background, and skills. You can also add such CV parts as certificates, licences, awards, memberships, or hobbies and interests.
• Save your file to PDF or Word, depending on what the recruiter says in the job description. If they say nothing, always go for a PDF file format. That way, you can be sure it doesn’t crash en route. You can convert a Word file into a PDF using one of the many free tools available online.
• Name the file with the position first, followed by your name and type of document, like this: ProjectManager_JoeBloggs_CV.pdf.
• Remember that no CV format is good for bad grammar.

ProTip: If you can see the original content after pasting your CV into a basic text editor like Notepad, it means your PDF is readable by the ATS.

Plus, a great cover letter that matches your CV will give you an advantage over other candidates. You can write it in our cover letter builder here. Here's what it may look like:

See more cover letter templates and start writing.

Key Takeaway

And that’s what you should remember for a lifetime:

• CV and resume formats mean the same thing.
• There are four CV formats: chronological, functional, combination, and academic. The chronological format is the most popular one among recruiters. And the academic CV format is perfect for applying to graduate schools, research or teaching placements, and grants or scholarships.
• You should never forget about the proper layout. Otherwise, the ATS will not pass your CV to the recruiter.

And that’s that.

Thank you for reading my article!

Please tell me—

Do you have questions about the CV format for a job you’re applying for? Not sure about the best CV format for you? Would you like to see yet another example of a CV format? What do you feel is the most professional CV format?

Give me a shout in the comments! Let’s get the conversation rolling.