Stemp back view of person in home office writing cover letter

Preparing your job application

For most jobs, you’ll need to prepare a formal written job application which usually includes a cover letter and resume (sometimes called a CV). It’s always a good idea to do some research on the company (e.g. by looking at their website) and the role (e.g. by looking at the Position Description) before preparing your application.

Your cover letter

A cover letter is a business-format letter that responds to the specific job advertisement. In the cover letter you’ll introduce yourself and respond to each of the selection criteria in the position description or job advert. Make sure you address each of the criteria and be specific around how your experience relates to their requirements.

For example, in response to ‘demonstrated ability to use a coffee machine’, you would say ‘I have experience in using both manual coffee machines such as the Pavoni Professional LP and electronic machines such as the Wego Pegaso’

For templates that can help you write a compelling cover letter for your job application, click here or click here (current students only).

Your resume (or CV)

Your resume, or CV, should outline your experience, skills and qualifications. You should adjust your resume for each job application to highlight the most relevant experience. It’s important to keep your resume clear, concise and easy to read.

A resume should at least include:

Your contact details
A profile, objective or summary with an overview of your skills, achievements and goals
Your experience, including companies you have worked for, your job title and the specific duties of your position
Your education, including the names of the educational institutions and any qualifications
Your skills, keeping them specific to the job you’re applying for

For templates that can help you write a compelling resume for your job application, click here or click here (current students only).

Additional checks and training

Some roles in Australia may require additional legal checks or specialised health and safety training. These are generally fairly easy to access with many providers offering what’s required. Some common checks and training are:

Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) for people working in a place that sells alcohol.

Responsible Service of Gaming (RSG) for people working in gaming (gambling) venues.

DoFoodSafely Certificate is a free, non-accredited, online learning program designed to enable you to understand how to safely work with, and handle, food in commercial settings.

First Aid Certificate for people who may be required to administer first aid.

Working with Children Check for people who work with or care for children.

Police checks to help determine suitability for certain roles.