Writing a graduate résumé

A résumé (often called a CV in Australia, although the terms are used loosely) is a short summary of your education, experience, skills and achievements. For graduate roles, it is often the first document a recruiter reads, and it may be one of hundreds they review for the same role. A clear, well-organised résumé that is tailored to the job makes it easy for them to see why you are worth interviewing.

This guide walks through how to structure a graduate résumé, what to include when you have limited work experience, how to describe your experience in terms of achievements and how to adapt it for each application.

What employers look for

Recruiters typically skim a résumé quickly at first, looking for evidence that you meet the basic requirements and have something relevant to offer. They want to see:

• the qualification you have completed or are completing, and when;
• relevant experience, including placements, projects and part-time work;
• skills that match the role;
• evidence of achievement, not just a list of duties;
• clear, error-free writing.

Australian Government careers advice suggests your résumé should be simple and easy to read, no more than one to two pages, use dot points and short factual sentences, include keywords from the employer's job ad and be free of spelling errors and jargon.

A simple structure

There is no single correct format, but this structure works well for most graduates:

1. Name and contact details

Your name, phone number, a professional email address and your suburb or city. You can add a link to a professional networking profile or portfolio if relevant. You don't need your full street address, date of birth or a photo.

2. Career summary (optional)

Two or three lines summarising who you are and what you are looking for, tailored to the role. For example: "Recent environmental science graduate with field research and data analysis experience from two industry placements, seeking a graduate role in water resource management." Avoid generic phrases like "hard-working team player"; show those qualities through your examples instead.

3. Education

As a graduate, your qualification is likely your strongest asset, so put education near the top. Include the qualification name, institution, completion date (or expected date) and, if helpful, your majors, relevant subjects, honours thesis topic, academic awards or strong results.

4. Experience

List relevant experience in reverse chronological order (most recent first). For each role, include the title, organisation, location and dates, followed by a few dot points describing what you did and achieved. This section can include paid jobs, internships, placements, research assistant work and significant volunteering.

You can split this into "Relevant experience" and "Other employment" if you have a mix. Don't leave out retail, hospitality or other part-time work; it shows reliability, customer service and working under pressure.

5. Projects (optional)

For technical and creative fields, a projects section can show what you can do: a capstone project, research, an app you built, a design portfolio or a competition entry. Briefly describe the project, your role, the tools you used and the outcome.

6. Skills

List relevant technical skills (software, programming languages, laboratory techniques, languages) and keep it specific. "Intermediate Python (pandas, Matplotlib)" is more useful than "computer skills".

7. Activities and interests (optional)

Leadership roles in clubs, sport, mentoring, community involvement and other activities can show initiative and teamwork. Include them if they add something.

8. Referees

Write "Referees available on request" or list two referees with their permission, typically a recent supervisor and an academic or placement supervisor.

Writing about your experience

The biggest improvement most graduates can make is to describe achievements, not just duties. Compare:

• "Responsible for serving customers."
• "Served customers in a busy café, consistently handling peak periods and training three new staff members on the point-of-sale system."

The second version shows what you did, the context and a result. Start dot points with strong action verbs such as analysed, built, coordinated, designed, improved, led, organised, presented, researched or resolved. Where you can honestly quantify something, such as the number of people you trained or the size of a dataset, do so. Never invent figures.

When you have little experience

Everyone starts somewhere, and recruiters for graduate roles know you won't have years of professional experience. Draw on:

• university projects and group assignments, especially those that resemble real work;
• placements and practicums;
• part-time and casual jobs;
• volunteering and community work;
• leadership in clubs, societies or sport;
• caring responsibilities, which show organisation and responsibility;
• personal projects, such as a blog, website, app or small business.

Focus on the skills each experience demonstrates and how they relate to the role.

Tailoring for each role

Read the job advertisement and role description carefully, highlighting the skills, qualifications and qualities the employer is looking for. Then adjust your résumé:

• Reorder sections and dot points so the most relevant information comes first.
• Use the employer's language where it honestly describes your experience.
• Add or remove projects and experiences depending on relevance.
• Update your career summary to match the role.

Many larger employers use applicant tracking systems that scan résumés. A clean, simple layout with standard headings and the relevant keywords helps both software and people read your résumé.

Formatting tips

• Use a clear, readable font and consistent formatting.
• Keep margins reasonable and use white space so the page doesn't feel crowded.
• Avoid complex tables, graphics and columns, which can confuse scanning software.
• Use consistent date formats.
• Save and send as a PDF unless the employer asks for another format, and give the file a sensible name, such as your name and "Résumé".

Proofread, then proofread again

Spelling and grammar mistakes can make an otherwise strong résumé look careless. Read it slowly, read it aloud, check names and dates, and ask a careers adviser, mentor or friend to review it. Your careers service may offer résumé checks.

Honesty matters

Never exaggerate your qualifications, grades, job titles or responsibilities. Employers may check transcripts and references, and you may be asked to talk about anything on your résumé in an interview.

Keep a master version

Keep a longer master résumé that includes everything you have done, then copy and edit it for each application. Update it regularly with new projects, skills and achievements, so you are not trying to remember details months later.

Getting a second opinion

Before you send your résumé, ask someone in your field to look at it. They can tell you whether it highlights the right skills and uses the language employers in that industry expect.

Keep it current

Update your résumé whenever you finish a project, take on new responsibilities or complete training, even when you aren't job hunting, so it's always ready when an opportunity appears.

Key points

• Keep your résumé simple, clear and no more than one to two pages.
• Put education near the top and include all relevant experience, paid or unpaid.
• Describe achievements with action verbs, not just duties.
• Tailor every résumé to the role using the job ad's language.
• Proofread carefully and never exaggerate.