Evantaa Institute Editorial Team | Career Advice | Wednesday 28 October 2026 | 7 min read
Information checked on 28 October 2026. Employers differ, so use this as general guidance and always follow the instructions in the job ad. Evantaa Institute does not guarantee employment outcomes and does not provide personalised legal, visa or workplace advice.
A site manager has 40 applications open and about 20 seconds for each one. What does she look for first? Usually: can this person start, are they safe, and have they done something like this before?
Your resume has to answer those questions quickly, even if you have never had a job in Australia. This guide shows trade and business students in Melbourne and Brisbane how to build a clear, honest resume, section by section.
What Australian employers expect from a resume
Australian guides agree on a few basics:
Keep it short. The Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) advises two pages or fewer, in a plain font such as Calibri or Arial at size 11. Live in Melbourne, a Victorian Government site, says two to four pages for experienced applicants. As a student, aim for one to two pages.
Tailor it to each job. DEWR suggests using words from the job ad to describe your duties.
List the most recent thing first. This is called reverse-chronological order.
Use Australian English spelling, such as “organisation” and “licence” (the noun).
Proofread. Ask a trainer, classmate or friend to check spelling and layout.
The sections to include, in order
1. Your contact details
Put your name, mobile number and a professional email address at the top. DEWR recommends repeating them on every page. Live in Melbourne advises leaving out your age, date of birth, marital status, religion and gender. You do not need a photo unless the employer asks for one.
2. A short summary (2 to 4 lines)
Say who you are, what you are studying and what you are looking for. Study Australia suggests two or three sentences, or three or four bullet points.
Certificate III in Carpentry student at Evantaa’s Melbourne campus. Reliable, safety-focused and keen to learn on site. Looking for an apprenticeship or entry-level role with a residential builder.
Diploma of Business student in Brisbane with strong organisation and communication skills. Confident with spreadsheets and email. Looking for a part-time administration role.
3. Tickets, licences and training (trade roles)
Programmed, an industrial staffing company, advises trade applicants to put current tickets, licences and checks near the top, with expiry dates where known. Make a short list such as:
White Card (general construction induction card), if you hold one
First aid certificate, if you hold one
Driver licence, if the job involves driving
Only list what you actually hold. If you are still working towards a ticket, write “in progress” and the expected date.
Note: Live in Melbourne suggests leaving a driver licence off a general resume, while trade employers often want to know. For site jobs, listing it is usually sensible. Check the job ad.
4. Education and training
List your current course first, then earlier study. Include the qualification name and your campus. For example: “Certificate III in Carpentry, Evantaa Institute, North Melbourne (in progress).” Add practical units or workshop tasks that match the job ad, such as reading plans, measuring and cutting, or using hand and power tools safely.
5. Experience (paid, unpaid and practical)
DEWR advises listing paid and unpaid work. Study Australia says to include internships, volunteering, academic projects, group assignments and club involvement if you have no paid work. The myfuture apprentice sample uses a part-time retail job and training in the same way: customer service shows communication and reliability.
For each item, write three or four short bullets. Start each with a strong verb and say what you did, how you did it safely or carefully, and what the result was.
| Weak | Stronger |
|---|---|
| “Helped in workshop” | “Measured, marked and cut timber for a wall frame, checking each cut against the plan.” |
| “Did admin tasks” | “Updated a class group budget spreadsheet and sent weekly progress emails to four team members.” |
| “Worked in a team” | “Worked with three classmates to complete a group assessment two days early.” |
Only claim what is true. An interviewer may ask you to explain any line.
6. Key skills
Pick six to ten skills that match the job ad and that you can prove.
Trade examples: reading plans, using hand and power tools safely, working at a steady pace, following instructions, keeping a tidy work area.
Business examples: email and phone communication, spreadsheets, scheduling, customer service, teamwork, record keeping.
Programmed notes that employers in industrial roles often look first for a safety mindset. If you have learned about hazards, pre-start checks or safe work procedures in class, say so.
7. Availability
For part-time or casual jobs, state the days and hours you can work. Study Australia recommends this. Some guides also suggest stating your work rights. Evantaa cannot give visa advice, so check the official conditions of your visa with the Department of Home Affairs and speak to a registered migration agent for personal advice.
8. Referees
List two or three people who are not family. DEWR and Live in Melbourne both say to ask their permission first and to tell them about the job. If the ad does not request referees, you can write “Available on request.” Our guide to asking for a reference explains who to ask and what to say.
A simple layout to copy
Name and contact details
Summary
Tickets and training (trades) or Key skills (business)
Education
Experience
Key skills or tools
Availability
Referees
Keep headings bold and consistent. Use bullets, not long paragraphs, so your resume is easy to read on a phone.
Seven common mistakes
Sending the same resume to every job. Change the summary and the top three skills each time.
Listing duties only. Add what you achieved or learned.
Leaving out unpaid experience. Volunteering and class projects count.
Using an unprofessional email address. Create a simple one with your name.
Adding extra documents. Live in Melbourne advises bringing certificates and letters to the interview rather than attaching them to your resume.
Spelling and formatting errors. Read it aloud, then ask someone else to check it.
Exaggerating. If it is not true, leave it out.
Your 60-minute resume plan
Minutes 0–10: Open a blank document. Add your contact details and summary.
Minutes 10–20: List your tickets, education and current course.
Minutes 20–40: Write three bullets each for your best three experiences. Use class, volunteering, sport or work.
Minutes 40–50: Add skills that match one job ad.
Minutes 50–60: Check spelling, save as a PDF named “FirstName-LastName-Resume” and send it to a trainer for feedback.
Frequently asked questions
Should I include a cover letter?
Live in Melbourne suggests a one-page cover letter that names the job, explains your interest and matches your skills to the role. Include one when the ad asks for it, or when you are applying to a business or office role.
Can I use a template?
Yes. Study Australia suggests a template for a professional layout. Choose a simple one and remove anything that does not fit on two pages.
What if I have no experience in Australia?
List class projects, workshop tasks, volunteering and activities from your home country. Explain them in plain English and focus on skills such as safety, teamwork and reliability.
Where can I get help?
Ask your trainer, classmates or Student Services. Once your resume is ready, build your online profile with our LinkedIn guide for trade and business students and prepare with our job interview guide.
Start with one page
You do not need years of experience to write a strong resume. You need a clear layout, true examples and a few well-chosen skills. Open a blank document today and spend 60 minutes on the first draft.
If you are preparing for placement, our work placement checklist is a useful next read. To build the skills employers ask about, explore the current Evantaa courses, including the Certificate III in Carpentry, the Certificate IV in Building and Construction and the Diploma of Business.
Sources
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations – Résumé tips and example résumé
Live in Melbourne (Victorian Government) – How to apply for a job in Melbourne (issued 21 November 2017, last modified 11 August 2021)
Study Australia – The international student’s guide to writing a great resume (20 March 2024)
myfuture – Apprentice résumé sample
Programmed – Resume template for trades and industrial roles (5 February 2026)
Department of Home Affairs
Evantaa Institute – Our courses
Production notes
SEO title: How to Write a Resume for Trade & Business Jobs in Australia
Featured image prompt: Realistic, high-resolution 16:9 photo, natural morning light: a young woman and a young man, diverse students in clean work boots and smart-casual clothes, sitting at a bright workshop-side table in a Melbourne trade training centre, reviewing a printed one-page resume together on a laptop and clipboard, timber frames and tools softly blurred behind. Warm ivory, navy and emerald tones. No text, no logos, no watermarks.
Image placement: Featured image at top; optional inline image beside the “simple layout” section.
Suggested internal links: Reference guide; LinkedIn guide; Job interview guide; Work placement checklist; Student Services; Our courses; Carpentry, Cert IV Building & Construction, Diploma of Business pages
Suggested external links: DEWR resume tips; Live in Melbourne; Study Australia; myfuture; Home Affairs
Internal link and source references
Department of Employment and Workplace Relations – Résumé tips and example résumé
Live in Melbourne (Victorian Government) – How to apply for a job in Melbourne (issued 21 November 2017, last modified 11 August 2021)
Study Australia – The international student’s guide to writing a great resume (20 March 2024)
myfuture – Apprentice résumé sample
Programmed – Resume template for trades and industrial roles (5 February 2026)
Department of Home Affairs
Evantaa Institute – Our courses