Choose from a wide range of NEWCV resume templates and customize your NEWCV design with a single click.
Use ATS-optimised Resume and resume templates that pass applicant tracking systems. Our Resume builder helps recruiters read, scan, and shortlist your Resume faster.
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create Resume
Use professional field-tested resume templates that follow the exact Resume rules employers look for.
Create ResumeAn Australian aged care resume needs to show three things quickly: you can provide safe personal care, you understand compliance, and you are reliable with vulnerable residents. Hiring managers are not just looking for “kind” people. They are checking whether you can follow care plans, document changes, manage challenging situations calmly, work across shifts, and protect resident dignity while doing practical hands-on care.
The mistake I see often is candidates writing a warm resume that says they are compassionate, hardworking and passionate about helping people. Lovely. Also not enough. In aged care, your resume needs evidence. Mention your Certificate III or relevant training, checks, manual handling, infection control, dementia care, medication assistance if relevant, and real examples of care tasks you have performed. The goal is not to sound caring. The goal is to prove you are safe to hire.
Aged care hiring is different from many other job markets because employers are not only assessing skill. They are assessing risk.
A hiring manager reading your resume is quietly asking:
Can this person work safely with older people?
Can they follow instructions without cutting corners?
Will they show up for early starts, weekends, nights or split shifts?
Can they handle personal care respectfully?
Can they communicate changes in a resident’s condition?
Will they document properly?
Do they understand boundaries, privacy and dignity?
For most aged care roles in Australia, your resume should be clear, practical and easy to scan. Do not over-design it. This is not the industry for decorative resume templates, icons, skill bars or dramatic personal branding. Recruiters and hiring managers want clarity.
A strong aged care resume usually follows this structure:
Name and contact details
Professional summary
Key skills
Qualifications, checks and certifications
Employment history
Practical care experience
Education and training
Are they qualified, screened and ready to start?
This is where many aged care resumes fall flat. Candidates describe themselves emotionally, but hiring decisions are made practically.
Saying “I am passionate about caring for the elderly” is not wrong, but it is weak on its own. A stronger resume shows how that care appears in the workplace.
Weak Example
Compassionate aged care worker who enjoys helping elderly people and working in a team.
Good Example
Aged care worker with experience supporting residents with personal care, mobility assistance, meal support, dementia behaviours, progress notes and infection control procedures in residential aged care settings.
The second version gives the recruiter something to assess. It shows work context, tasks, capability and care environment. That is what gets attention.
Availability
References
Your resume should usually be two pages. One page can work for entry-level candidates, but if you have real care experience, do not squeeze it so tightly that the useful evidence disappears. Aged care employers want details that prove you can do the job safely.
What I would avoid:
Photos
Date of birth
Full home address
Generic career objective
Large blocks of text
Colour-heavy templates
Long lists of soft skills without evidence
Unexplained employment gaps
Claims like “excellent communication skills” with no care context
Australian employers are used to straightforward resumes. Make it clean, ATS-friendly and human-friendly. The applicant tracking system may scan the resume first, but a real person still has to trust what they are reading.
Your professional summary should be short, specific and useful. This is not the place to write your life story or explain that you have always loved helping people. That may be true, but the employer first needs to know whether you are suitable for the role.
A good aged care resume summary should include:
Your role or target role
Your care setting experience
Your strongest practical skills
Relevant qualifications or checks
Your reliability, availability or work style where useful
Weak Example
I am a caring and hardworking person looking for a job in aged care. I love helping people and want to make a difference.
This sounds sincere, but it could belong to almost anyone.
Good Example
Reliable aged care worker with experience supporting older residents with personal care, mobility, meal assistance, dementia support, infection control and progress notes. Holds Certificate III in Individual Support and current screening checks. Known for calm communication, respectful care and consistent shift reliability.
That summary works because it answers the hiring question quickly: Can this person do the job safely and professionally?
For entry-level candidates, the summary can still be strong if it focuses on placement, training and readiness.
Good Example
Entry-level aged care worker completing Certificate III in Individual Support, with placement experience assisting residents with personal care, mobility, nutrition support, infection control and companionship. Brings a calm, respectful approach, strong reliability and a genuine interest in resident-centred care.
Notice that I did not write “no experience.” I positioned the candidate around training, placement and practical exposure. That is a much better strategy.
In aged care, qualifications and checks are not decorative. They can decide whether your resume moves forward.
Do not hide them at the bottom of your resume. Place them near the top, either after your summary or in a dedicated section called Qualifications, Checks and Certifications.
Include relevant items such as:
Certificate III in Individual Support
Certificate III in Individual Support Ageing
Certificate IV in Ageing Support
First Aid Certificate
CPR Certificate
National Police Check
NDIS Worker Screening Check, where applicable
Working with Children Check, if relevant to the employer
Manual Handling training
Infection Control training
Medication Assistance training, if completed
Food Safety training, if relevant
Driver licence and reliable transport, if relevant
COVID or flu vaccination status, if requested by the employer
Be precise. Do not just write “all checks completed” unless the job ad uses that wording and you explain what you mean. Recruiters prefer specifics because vague compliance language creates extra follow-up.
Weak Example
Relevant certificates and checks available.
Good Example
Certificate III in Individual Support
Current National Police Check
Current First Aid and CPR
Manual Handling training completed
Infection Control training completed
NDIS Worker Screening Check in progress
If a check is in progress, say that. Do not pretend it is current. Aged care employers deal with compliance closely, and dishonesty here damages trust immediately.
Your employment history is where you prove you have actually done the work. Many candidates write aged care experience too generally, and it undersells them badly.
A weak aged care work history often looks like this:
Weak Example
Aged Care Worker
ABC Aged Care
Responsibilities included caring for residents, helping staff, assisting with daily activities and providing support.
That tells me almost nothing. It does not show the level of care, the environment, the resident needs, the systems used or the candidate’s reliability.
A stronger entry should include:
Type of care setting
Resident support tasks
Mobility and transfer experience
Dementia or behavioural support
Documentation
Communication with nurses or families
Infection control
Shift type or workload where relevant
Any measurable or observable contribution
Good Example
Aged Care Worker, ABC Residential Care, Melbourne VIC
Supported residents in a high-care residential aged care environment with personal care, showering, dressing, grooming, toileting, continence care, mobility assistance and meal support. Followed individual care plans, documented changes in resident condition, escalated concerns to nursing staff and maintained infection control standards across morning and afternoon shifts.
That is much stronger because it gives the employer practical evidence.
If you have worked in home care, write it differently. Home care requires independence, time management and judgement because you are often working without immediate supervision.
Good Example
Home Care Support Worker, Community Care Provider, Brisbane QLD
Provided in-home support for older clients, including personal care, domestic assistance, medication prompts, meal preparation, mobility support, transport to appointments and companionship. Managed scheduled visits independently, followed client care plans, maintained professional boundaries and reported changes in client wellbeing to the care coordinator.
This tells the employer the candidate can work independently, follow a care plan and communicate concerns. That matters.
Yes, keywords matter. But no, your resume should not read like someone copied the job ad and threw it into a blender.
Applicant tracking systems may search for relevant terms, but human recruiters can spot keyword stuffing very quickly. The goal is to include the language employers expect while still sounding credible.
Useful aged care resume keywords may include:
Personal care
Resident-centred care
Care plans
Manual handling
Hoist transfers
Mobility assistance
Dementia support
Palliative care
Continence care
Infection control
Progress notes
Medication prompts
Meal assistance
Behaviour support
Falls prevention
Privacy and dignity
Work health and safety
Communication with nursing staff
Family communication
Emotional support
Companionship
Domestic assistance
Community access
Home care
Residential aged care
The best place to use keywords is inside real work examples, not dumped into a long skills list.
Weak Example
Skills: dementia, care plans, manual handling, personal care, progress notes, infection control, hoist, residents, teamwork, communication, safety.
Good Example
Followed resident care plans while providing personal care, continence support, mobility assistance, hoist transfers and meal support. Completed progress notes and escalated changes in behaviour, appetite, mobility or wellbeing to nursing staff.
The good version still includes keywords, but it sounds like real work. That is what employers trust.
Here is a reality candidates often underestimate: in aged care, reliability is not a soft skill. It is operational survival.
Aged care facilities and home care providers are often managing rosters, ratios, last-minute absences, agency staff, weekend coverage and urgent client needs. A candidate who looks reliable on paper has an advantage.
This does not mean writing “I am reliable” six times. It means giving practical signals.
You can show reliability through:
Long-term employment
Consistent shift availability
Weekend or overnight availability
Experience across morning, afternoon and night shifts
Casual flexibility
Own transport
Short-notice availability, if true
Strong attendance record, if appropriate
Experience managing multiple clients or residents in one shift
Good Example
Available for morning, afternoon, weekend and public holiday shifts. Experienced working across high-care residential rosters and maintaining consistent attendance in casual and permanent part-time roles.
This is useful because it answers a real hiring concern.
If you are applying for home care roles, mention transport clearly if you have it. Many home care jobs require travel between clients, and recruiters will not chase unclear resumes when they have applicants who state availability and transport upfront.
Good Example
Current driver licence, reliable vehicle and availability for community care shifts across the western suburbs.
That line can move your resume up the shortlist because it removes doubt.
Aged care requires empathy, patience and communication, but simply listing those words does not prove anything. Every aged care resume says compassionate, patient and caring. The stronger resumes explain what those traits look like in practice.
Instead of writing:
Compassionate
Patient
Good communication
Team player
Write care-specific evidence.
Weak Example
Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
Good Example
Communicates calmly with residents experiencing confusion, anxiety or distress, using reassurance, clear instructions and respectful redirection.
That is stronger because it shows the skill under pressure.
Weak Example
Strong teamwork skills.
Good Example
Works closely with nurses, lifestyle staff and other care workers to follow care plans, report changes in resident condition and support safe handovers between shifts.
This is what I mean by writing like someone who understands the job. The same skill becomes more persuasive when it is attached to a real aged care situation.
Soft skills that matter in aged care include:
Calm communication
Patience under pressure
Emotional maturity
Respect for dignity and privacy
Cultural sensitivity
Professional boundaries
Observation skills
Team communication
Conflict de-escalation
But always connect them to the work. Hiring managers do not need a personality list. They need confidence that residents will be safe, respected and properly supported.
Many new aged care candidates make the same mistake: they think no paid aged care experience means they have nothing valuable to say. Not true.
If you are new to aged care, your resume should highlight:
Student placement
Practical assessments
Volunteer care experience
Family care responsibilities, if appropriate
Hospitality or cleaning experience
Disability support exposure
Childcare experience
Healthcare, nursing assistant or hospital support experience
Customer service roles involving vulnerable people
Multilingual communication skills
The key is to connect transferable experience to aged care requirements without pretending it is the same thing.
For example, hospitality experience can support aged care applications if you position it around cleanliness, food safety, communication, routine, pace and service.
Good Example
Previous hospitality experience developed strong hygiene standards, time management, customer communication and the ability to stay calm during busy service periods. Now applying these strengths to aged care after completing placement in a residential care environment.
Retail experience can also be relevant if it involved patience, difficult conversations and reliability.
Good Example
Built strong communication and problem-solving skills through customer-facing roles, including assisting older customers, handling complaints calmly and working reliable weekend shifts.
Be careful with family care experience. It can be meaningful, but it should be written professionally.
Weak Example
Looked after my grandmother so I know how to care for elderly people.
Good Example
Provided informal family care support, including companionship, meal preparation, mobility assistance and appointment support, while maintaining patience, dignity and clear communication.
That sounds more mature and professional.
Your skills section should be targeted, not enormous. A long list of every possible care task can look unfocused. Choose skills that match the job ad and your actual experience.
A strong aged care skills section may include:
Personal care including showering, grooming, dressing and toileting
Continence care and hygiene support
Mobility assistance and safe transfers
Manual handling and hoist use
Dementia and memory support
Meal assistance and hydration support
Medication prompts or assistance, where permitted
Infection prevention and control
Progress notes and incident reporting
Following individual care plans
Falls prevention awareness
Resident dignity, privacy and boundaries
Communication with nurses, families and care coordinators
Home care visit management
Domestic assistance and meal preparation
Companionship and emotional support
Do not include skills you cannot confidently discuss in an interview. This is important. If you write dementia support, expect to be asked how you handle confusion, agitation, wandering or refusal of care. If you write manual handling, expect questions about safe transfers. If you write medication assistance, expect questions about scope and procedure.
Recruiters are not only checking whether the words are present. They are checking whether the words are believable.
Resume bullet points should show action, context and outcome. They do not need to be dramatic. Aged care is practical work, and practical evidence is enough when written well.
A good bullet point usually includes:
What you did
Who you supported
How you did it safely or respectfully
What process, standard or outcome was involved
Weak Example
Helped residents every day.
Good Example
Provided daily personal care to residents, including showering, dressing, grooming, toileting and continence support while maintaining privacy, dignity and comfort.
Weak Example
Worked with dementia patients.
Good Example
Supported residents living with dementia by using calm communication, reassurance, routine-based care and redirection during periods of confusion or distress.
Weak Example
Did notes.
Good Example
Completed accurate progress notes and reported changes in mobility, appetite, mood, skin condition or behaviour to nursing staff.
Weak Example
Helped with transfers.
Good Example
Assisted residents with mobility, transfers and hoist use according to manual handling procedures and individual care plans.
The better examples work because they show judgement. They do not just say the candidate performed tasks. They show the candidate understands safety, dignity and escalation.
Most aged care resume mistakes are not huge disasters. They are small trust problems. The employer reads the resume and thinks, I am not sure. That is enough to move on.
Common mistakes include:
Writing a generic resume summary that could suit any job
Hiding qualifications and checks near the bottom
Listing soft skills without aged care examples
Forgetting to mention availability
Not stating whether checks are current
Using overseas job titles without explaining the equivalent Australian context
Writing duties too vaguely
Ignoring documentation and reporting responsibilities
Leaving out manual handling, infection control or care plan experience
Using emotional language instead of practical evidence
Making the resume too long and unfocused
Using templates that are difficult for ATS systems to read
One mistake I see from internationally experienced candidates is assuming the employer will understand overseas healthcare titles. They often will not. If your previous role was similar to an aged care worker, personal care assistant, healthcare assistant or support worker, make the tasks clear in Australian terms.
For example, instead of relying only on a title like Caregiver, explain the duties:
Good Example
Provided personal care, mobility assistance, feeding support, companionship, hygiene support and basic observation reporting for older clients in a residential care setting.
That helps Australian recruiters understand your experience without guessing.
Another mistake is overclaiming clinical responsibility. Be careful. Aged care employers are very alert to scope of practice. If you assisted with medication under supervision, do not write like you independently administered medication unless that was accurate and allowed in your role.
Trust matters more than trying to sound senior.
Not all aged care jobs are the same. A generic aged care resume may get some attention, but a tailored resume performs better because each setting values slightly different evidence.
For residential aged care, emphasise:
Personal care routines
High-care or low-care resident support
Manual handling
Hoist transfers
Dementia support
Meal assistance
Progress notes
Shift handovers
Infection control
Working with nurses and care teams
For home care, emphasise:
Working independently
Time management
Client visits
Domestic assistance
Meal preparation
Transport and appointments
Medication prompts
Companionship
Reporting concerns to coordinators
For community care, emphasise:
Social support
Community access
Client independence
Communication with families or coordinators
Cultural sensitivity
Boundaries
Flexible travel
Person-centred support
For dementia care roles, emphasise:
Redirection
Routine-based support
Behaviour observation
Calm communication
Emotional reassurance
Safety awareness
Family communication where relevant
This is where candidates can become much more competitive. Employers are not just hiring an aged care worker. They are hiring someone for a specific service model, roster, resident group and risk environment. Your resume should reflect that.
Use this as a practical structure, not a rigid script.
Name
Phone
Suburb and state
LinkedIn, if relevant
Driver licence, if relevant
Professional Summary
Two to four lines summarising your aged care experience, qualifications, care strengths and availability.
Qualifications, Checks and Certifications
Certificate III in Individual Support
Current National Police Check
Current First Aid and CPR
NDIS Worker Screening Check, if applicable
Manual Handling
Infection Control
Other relevant training
Key Skills
Personal care
Mobility assistance
Manual handling
Dementia support
Meal assistance
Progress notes
Care plan support
Infection control
Resident dignity and privacy
Shift reliability
Employment History
Job title
Employer
Location
Dates
Brief description of care setting
Bullet points showing practical care duties, documentation, communication and safety
Placement or Volunteer Experience
Include this if you are new to aged care or recently qualified.
Education and Training
List relevant qualifications and providers.
Availability
Mention shift availability, weekends, public holidays, sleepovers, transport or travel areas where relevant.
References
Available on request, or include referees if the employer specifically asks.
Keep formatting simple. Use clear headings, consistent dates and readable spacing. Recruiters are usually reading quickly. Do not make them work to find the basics.
Before applying, check your resume against the job ad. Not vaguely. Properly.
Ask yourself:
Have I clearly shown my aged care qualification or training?
Are my checks and certificates easy to find?
Have I included practical personal care experience?
Have I mentioned care plans, documentation or reporting?
Have I shown reliability and availability?
Have I tailored the resume to residential care, home care or community care?
Have I used Australian aged care terminology?
Have I avoided vague phrases like helped residents without detail?
Have I shown dignity, privacy and safety in my examples?
Can I explain every skill I listed if asked in an interview?
A good aged care resume does not need to be fancy. It needs to be clear, credible and grounded in the work. The best resumes make the hiring manager feel less risk, not more curiosity.
That is the real point. You are not trying to impress with big language. You are trying to make it easy for the employer to see that you can care for older people safely, respectfully and reliably.
Written by Simar Malhi, a recruiter and headhunter with international recruitment experience. I write about CVs, job applications, hiring decisions, and the reality behind recruitment processes. My goal is to help candidates understand more honestly how employers, recruiters, and hiring managers actually select candidates.
Adaptability across resident needs
Dependability across shifts
Driver licence and reliable vehicle
Upload Resume
Import from Linkedin