Writing a Resume for Australian Government Jobs

Government resumes are different

If you're coming from the private sector, your resume probably needs significant changes for government applications. Private sector resumes emphasise personal branding and career highlights. Government resumes emphasise evidence, classification-level alignment, and structured detail.

APS panels use your resume to verify claims made in your cover letter and to understand your career trajectory. They're not looking for creative design or personality. They're looking for evidence that you have the experience to do the job.

Length and format

• APS 1-4: Two to three pages
• APS 5-6: Three to four pages
• EL1-2: Four to five pages
• SES: Five to six pages, plus a separate career summary

Government resumes are longer than private sector because panels need more detail. This doesn't mean padding. It means providing substantive information about each role.

Use a clean, professional format. No columns, graphics, or unusual fonts. Panels often print resumes in black and white. If your formatting relies on colour or complex layouts, it won't translate well.

Structure

### Personal details

Name, phone, email, location (city and state only, no full address needed). You don't need to include date of birth, nationality, or a photo.

### Professional summary (optional, 3-4 sentences)

A brief overview of your experience, specialisation, and what you're looking for. This is optional but useful for career changers or candidates moving between sectors.

### Employment history (reverse chronological)

For each role, include:

• Job title, classification level (if APS), organisation, dates (month/year to month/year)
• Key responsibilities (3-5 bullet points describing the scope of the role)
• Key achievements (2-4 bullet points with quantified outcomes)

Example:

*Policy Officer, APS6, Department of Social Services (March 2023 to present)*

Key responsibilities:

• Lead the development of policy advice on family support payments for the Social Policy Branch
• Coordinate consultation with 11 state and territory agencies on legislative amendments
• Prepare ministerial briefs, Senate estimates materials, and cabinet submissions

Key achievements:

• Led the cross-agency consultation on the revised family payments framework, achieving consensus across all jurisdictions within a four-month timeline
• Drafted the regulatory impact statement for the Family Support Amendment Bill, which passed the Senate without amendment
• Reduced brief turnaround time from 15 days to 7 days by introducing a peer review checklist adopted branch-wide

### Education

Degrees, institutions, and graduation years. Include relevant coursework or honours only if recent (last five years). Include current study if relevant.

### Professional development

Relevant courses, certifications, and training. Include APS-specific programs (such as APSC leadership programs) and technical certifications relevant to the role.

### Referees

Two to three referees with name, title, organisation, phone, and email. Always ask permission before listing someone as a referee. At least one referee should be a current or recent direct supervisor.

Keywords matter

APS recruitment increasingly uses screening software and structured assessment. Include keywords from the job advertisement in your resume. If the ad mentions "stakeholder engagement", use that exact phrase, not "client relationship management".

This doesn't mean keyword stuffing. It means using the language of the role naturally in your descriptions.

Common mistakes

1. Using a private sector format. Functional resumes, infographic resumes, and one-page resumes don't work for government applications. Use reverse chronological format with detailed role descriptions.
2. Missing classification levels. If you've worked in government before, include the classification level for each role. This immediately tells the panel the scope of your experience.
3. Listing responsibilities without achievements. Every role should include both what you were responsible for and what you achieved. Responsibilities show scope; achievements show impact.
4. Gaps without explanation. Career gaps are fine. Parental leave, study, travel, career change. But unexplained gaps raise questions. A brief note ("Career break, parental leave, 2024") is enough.
5. Outdated referees. If your referee left the agency two years ago and you haven't spoken since, they're not a strong referee. Choose people who can speak to your recent work with enthusiasm and specificity.