Use strong action verbs
Start each bullet point with a verb, not "Responsible for…".
| Instead of | Try |
|---|---|
| Responsible for the team roster | Managed rosters for a team of 12 |
| Helped customers | Resolved 40+ customer enquiries a day |
| Did stock checks | Reduced stock errors by 15% through weekly audits |
| Was part of a project | Coordinated a store refit with three contractors |
More verbs: achieved, built, delivered, improved, led, organised, supported, trained.
Tense rules
- Current job: present tense (Manage, Support).
- Past jobs: past tense (Managed, Supported).
- No "I" at the start of bullet points.
Use Australian spelling
Australian employers expect organise, colour, centre, licence (noun), programme (for events) or program (software and most uses). Check your resume with our spelling consistency checker.
Common language mistakes
- Mixing tenses in one job.
- Very long sentences. Keep bullets to one line where possible.
- Unexplained abbreviations from your home country.
- Overused phrases like "hard-working team player". Show it with an example instead.