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Resume tips
Cover Letters
A cover letter can make or break your application. It is your opportunity to directly respond to
the advertised position and explain why you are suitable / perfect for the role.
A cover letter should contain the following and be no longer than 3 to 4 paragraphs.
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Address it to the person who advertised the position if you know their name.
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State the position you're applying for and reference number if applicable.
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Also state how you heard about the position (eg Courier Mail, Seek) or state
who you
were referred by.
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Mention your industry experience and skills relevant to the position.
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A cover letter is also a good place to explain your employment needs. E.g. If a
role is in
Brisbane but you live in Canada it is wise to explain your circumstances
'I am currently
living and working in Canada but am moving to Brisbane in March
as my wife has
accepted a position in inner city Brisbane.'
Before You Apply
Before applying be sure that you fulfil the criteria outlined in the job advertisement. Applying for
roles where you do not meet the essential criteria can lead to unnecessary disappointment. If you
are uncertain, phone the consultant to check if it is worthwhile applying.
When emailing your resume include your contact details in the email body in case the receiver can’t
open your attachments.
Always spell check your cover letter and resume and get someone else to read over it and check for
grammatical errors.
Use headings eg Employment History, Personal Details, Referees etc
Use plain A4 size and page numbers
Don’t get carried away with using fancy fonts and formats. Keep it simple.
Personal Details
 Always include your contact details
Always include your Visa / Residency status as this can confirm or deny our right
to work in Australia
You do not have to include any of the following but they can be helpful: -
- Age / Date of birth
- Gender
- Marital Status
- Health
N.B. These details will not be considered in determining your suitability for the role.
Qualifications
 Sequential order (most recent studies first)
Include the date you started and completed the course, the name of the course, the
institution where you studied and the qualification gained.
Remember to keep it relevant. You don’t have to include the Bar Tending course you
completed while you were a Uni Student if you are now applying for Civil Engineering Role.
Employment History
Sequential order (most recent position first). Be sure to specify the dates of
employment as much as possible eg July 1985 – August 2002
Keep the information recent. There is no need to detail your experience from 15 years
ago if it does not relate to the role you are applying for now
Include key achievements, not a detailed history of your every working day
Referees
We will never contact your referees without your prior consent. It is up to you to
include them on your resume or not but at some point you will be asked to supply
referee contact details so please have these ready.
Include at least two work referees and state their Name, Company, Position / Title and
current contact number. Nothing looks worse than contacting a referee whose phone number
is disconnected or ends up being the number for Joe’s Fish & Chip shop.
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