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Create ResumeFirst Job Resume Australia
If you’re applying for your first job in Australia, your resume does not need years of experience to work. What recruiters and hiring managers actually look for at entry level is evidence that you’re reliable, switched on, willing to learn, and capable of handling basic workplace responsibilities.
Most first job applicants make the same mistakes:
• Writing generic resumes copied from overseas templates
• Listing school subjects instead of transferable skills
• Using weak objective statements
• Focusing on what they want rather than what the employer needs
• Submitting resumes that look immature or unprofessional
A strong first job resume in Australia positions you as employable before you’ve built a work history. That means showing initiative, communication skills, reliability, teamwork, customer service potential, and practical achievements from school, sport, volunteering, extracurriculars, or personal projects.
This guide explains exactly how to build a first job resume that aligns with Australian hiring expectations, passes ATS screening, and gives recruiters a reason to shortlist you.
For entry-level hiring, recruiters are not expecting an experienced candidate. They are looking for low-risk hires.
That means your resume needs to answer these questions quickly:
•Can this person communicate professionally?
• Are they likely to show up on time?
• Can they follow instructions?
• Do they seem mature and reliable?
• Would they represent the business well with customers or staff?
• Can they learn quickly?
• Do they have basic workplace readiness?
This is especially important for:
• Retail jobs
• Hospitality jobs
• Fast food jobs
• Customer service roles
• Warehouse jobs
• Apprentice applications
• Junior office roles
• Casual jobs
• Supermarket jobs
• School leaver positions
At first-job level, employers hire attitude and reliability more than technical skill.
The best structure for a first job resume is simple, clean, and easy to scan.
A modern Australian first job resume should usually include:
•Contact details
• Short resume summary
• Key skills
• Education
• Work experience or practical experience
• Volunteering or extracurricular activities
• Certifications or licences
• References
Keep your resume to one page if possible.
Recruiters often spend less than 30 seconds on first screening for entry-level roles. Over-designed resumes, graphics, multiple columns, and excessive colours usually hurt readability and ATS compatibility.
This is where most candidates panic unnecessarily.
No formal work experience does not mean no valuable experience.
Australian recruiters regularly shortlist candidates based on:
• School leadership
• Sport participation
• Volunteering
• Fundraising
• Community involvement
• Babysitting
• Informal family business work
• Group projects
• Personal initiatives
• Event participation
• Club involvement
The key is translating those experiences into workplace-relevant value.
For first jobs, transferable skills matter more than industry experience.
Strong transferable skills include:
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Time management
• Reliability
• Organisation
• Customer interaction
• Problem-solving
• Adaptability
• Initiative
• Attention to detail
Do not just list skills randomly.
Back them up with evidence.
Weak Example
“Good communication skills and teamwork.”
This tells the recruiter nothing.
Good Example
“Worked collaboratively in a school fundraising team that exceeded donation targets by organising community events and managing customer interactions.”
That sounds employable.
Your resume summary should quickly position you as reliable and work-ready.
Avoid generic career objectives like:
• “Looking for an opportunity to grow”
• “Seeking a challenging role”
• “Motivated individual wanting experience”
Recruiters see these hundreds of times.
Instead, focus on:
• Reliability
• Work ethic
• Relevant strengths
• Practical traits
• Availability if relevant
• Customer-facing confidence
“Motivated and reliable Year 12 graduate with strong communication and teamwork skills developed through school sport, volunteering, and community involvement. Confident working with people in fast-paced environments and eager to contribute positively in a customer service or retail role.”
This works because it sounds employable, not desperate.
Many first job resumes fail because candidates use generic skills that do not align with the actual role.
Tailor your skills section to the job advertisement.
For retail and hospitality jobs, prioritise:
• Customer service
• Communication
• Teamwork
• Cash handling
• Fast-paced environments
• Multitasking
• Reliability
• Problem-solving
• Positive attitude
For warehouse or physical roles:
• Physical stamina
• Safety awareness
• Attention to detail
• Time management
• Reliability
• Team collaboration
• Following instructions
For junior office roles:
• Organisation
• Written communication
• Microsoft Office
• Scheduling
• Attention to detail
• Professional communication
This is where most online advice is unrealistic.
Recruiters rarely expect polished corporate-level resumes from first-time applicants.
But they absolutely notice red flags.
These commonly cause instant rejection:
• Spelling mistakes
• Unprofessional email addresses
• Poor formatting
• Generic copy-paste resumes
• Long paragraphs
• Fake experience
• Overly inflated language
• Missing contact details
• Inappropriate social media usernames linked to email addresses
Even for casual jobs, presentation matters.
A clean, professional resume signals maturity.
Many Australian employers use Applicant Tracking Systems even for junior hiring.
That means your resume should include keywords naturally pulled from the job ad.
For example, if the ad mentions:
• Customer service
• Team environment
• Reliability
• Weekend availability
Then your resume should naturally reflect those phrases where truthful.
Do not keyword stuff.
ATS systems today are more context-aware than many people realise. Recruiters also manually review resumes after screening.
Include:
• Full name
• Mobile number
• Professional email address
• LinkedIn only if professional and complete
• Suburb and state only, not full address
Sarah Nguyen
Brisbane, QLD
0412 345 678
sarah.nguyen@email.com
Keep this short:
• 2 to 4 lines maximum
• Focus on employability
• Match the role type
Use concise, role-relevant bullet points.
•Customer service
• Team collaboration
• Time management
• Verbal communication
• Fast learner
• Reliable and punctual
• Problem-solving
For first job resumes, education matters more than it does later in your career.
Include:
• School name
• Year completed or expected completion
• Relevant achievements
• Leadership positions
• Relevant subjects if directly applicable
Year 12 Certificate
Marsden State High School, Brisbane
Completed 2025
Achievements:
• House captain
• School debating team
• Volunteer fundraiser participant
You can still create a strong experience section.
•Volunteering
• School projects
• Sporting leadership
• Family business support
• Community involvement
• Event assistance
• Tutoring
• Babysitting
The key is framing responsibilities professionally.
Volunteer Assistant
Community Fundraising Event | Sydney
•Assisted with event setup and customer interaction
• Handled attendee enquiries professionally
• Worked collaboratively within a volunteer team
• Maintained organisation during busy event periods
This demonstrates workplace readiness.
Small certifications can significantly improve entry-level employability in Australia.
Useful certifications include:
• RSA
• White Card
• First Aid Certificate
• Food Handling Certificate
• Barista training
• Driver licence
• Responsible gambling certificates depending on state
These reduce hiring risk for employers.
Most first-job resumes look interchangeable.
The candidates who get interviews usually show:
• Specific examples
• Real initiative
• Clear communication
• Practical maturity
• Evidence of responsibility
•Consistent extracurricular commitment
• Team sports participation
• Leadership roles
• Volunteering
• Community involvement
• Part-time informal work
• Strong attendance or academic reliability
• Professional presentation
These signals suggest future work performance.
This instantly weakens the resume.
Recruiters care more about:
• What value you bring
• Whether you seem employable
• Whether you fit the role
Do not include:
• Full home address
• Date of birth
• Marital status
• Religion
• Nationality unless work rights clarification is necessary
• Long hobbies sections
Australian resumes are generally concise and practical.
Many online templates are based on US hiring practices.
Australian resumes tend to favour:
• Simplicity
• Readability
• Practicality
• ATS compatibility
• Direct communication
Avoid:
• Photos
• Excessive graphics
• Complex layouts
• Skill bars
• Decorative icons
Recruiters are very good at identifying exaggerated or fake experience.
Entry-level hiring managers are not expecting polished professionals.
Authenticity wins.
A truthful resume with strong positioning is far more effective than fake experience.
Tailoring does not mean rewriting your entire resume every time.
It means adjusting:
• Resume summary
• Key skills
• Relevant examples
• Keywords
• Prioritised achievements
For example:
• Retail jobs prioritise customer interaction
• Warehouse roles prioritise reliability and physical capability
• Office jobs prioritise communication and organisation
The strongest resumes align with the employer’s priorities quickly.
Emily Carter
Melbourne, VIC
0413 555 222
emily.carter@email.com
Reliable and motivated Year 12 graduate with strong teamwork, communication, and organisational skills developed through school leadership, volunteering, and sport participation. Confident working with people in fast-paced environments and eager to contribute positively in a retail or customer service role.
•Customer service
• Team collaboration
• Verbal communication
• Time management
• Reliable and punctual
• Problem-solving
• Fast learner
• Cash handling awareness
Year 12 Certificate
Brighton Secondary College, Melbourne
Completed 2025
Achievements:
• School sports captain
• Volunteer fundraiser participant
• Public speaking competition finalist
Volunteer Assistant
Community Charity Event | Melbourne
•Assisted customers and event attendees during community fundraising activities
• Helped manage event organisation and setup
• Worked collaboratively with volunteers and event coordinators
• Maintained professionalism during busy event periods
•Victorian RSA Certificate
• First Aid Certificate
• Driver Licence
Available on request.
Hiring managers rarely remember fancy wording.
They remember candidates who seem:
• Dependable
• Easy to train
• Professional
• Friendly
• Motivated
• Low-risk
Your first job resume should make the employer feel confident you will:
• Show up
• Learn quickly
• Represent the business well
• Fit into the team
That is the real goal.
Even a strong first job resume works better when combined with:
• Tailored applications
• Smart job targeting
• Professional communication
• Follow-up where appropriate
• Availability flexibility
• Strong interview preparation
For entry-level hiring, responsiveness and attitude often influence outcomes more than qualifications.
Candidates who apply professionally and communicate clearly already separate themselves from much of the market.
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