Field guide
Resumes for your first job in Australia
With no paid work history, your resume is about availability, attitude and what you have actually done — school, sport, volunteering, helping in a family business. None of it needs inflating.
What this work looks like
Employers hiring first-job applicants expect no experience. They are looking for reliability.
Availability is often the deciding factor, especially in retail and hospitality.
School subjects, results and any certificates are relevant while they are recent.
Volunteering, sport and community involvement all count as genuine experience.
Roles people commonly apply for
- Retail assistants
- Kitchen hands and café staff
- Trades assistants and apprentices
- Warehouse and stock work
- Cleaning and grounds work
What to put in your resume
- One page. A short, honest page beats a padded two.
- Lead with availability and how you will get to work.
- Include school, any certificates, work experience placements, volunteering, sport and clubs.
- Name two referees who have agreed — a teacher, coach or someone you volunteered with is fine.
- Never invent a job. An employer who checks will end your application there.
Confirm these for yourself
We never add a ticket, clearance or qualification to your resume unless you have entered it yourself. These are the ones worth checking before you apply.
- Whether you have a tax file number and a bank account ready
- Whether you need a working with children check for a role
- Whether you hold a food handling or RSA certificate where required
- Your right to work and any conditions attached to it
Skills that carry across
- Turning up on time, consistently
- Teamwork from sport or group projects
- Handling money at a fundraiser or stall
- Looking after younger siblings or family
- Following instructions carefully
Other guides
FIFO and roster work
Fly-in fly-out and drive-in drive-out applications: tickets, medicals and roster fit.
Mining and resources
Operations, trades, support and administration on and around resource sites.
Trades
Qualified tradespeople, apprentices and trades assistants.
Construction
Site-based work from labouring to supervision.