When it comes to applying for jobs in Australia, your nursing resume could be working against you without you even realising. Most internationally qualified nurses are still using a UK-style or American-style CV—and while it may look impressive to you, it might be making recruiters in Australia scroll right past.

Let’s fix that. In this blog, we’ll walk through:

• What Australian employers want to see in a nursing resume
  

• The top 3 mistakes internationally qualified nurses make
  

• What to do before you apply for jobs
  

• How SOLVi Recruitment can help (and why AHPRA registration is step one!)
  

What Employers Want to See in a Nursing Resume

In Australia, nurse resumes are short, sharp, and clear. They aren’t storytelling documents—they’re factual summaries of your clinical experience. Employers and recruiters are looking to quickly assess whether you meet registration requirements, have relevant experience, and are ready to hit the ground running.

Here’s what should be included:

• Contact details: Full name, phone, email, address (in Australia or overseas)
  

• AHPRA registration status: Registered, in progress, or not yet started
  

• Clinical experience: List by role, hospital/facility, unit type, and date
  

• Key skills: Such as wound care, triage, medication administration
  

• Education: Nursing qualification, school, country, and year
  

• Certifications: CPR, manual handling, IV medication (if relevant)
  

• References: Include two professional referees or a note that they’re available
  

Australian resumes are usually 2–3 pages. If yours is 6–8 pages with paragraphs of description, it’s time for a rewrite!

Top 3 Mistakes Nurses Make With Their Resume

1. Including irrelevant details (like marital status, religion, height, or passport number)
   

2. Using long paragraphs instead of bullet-point summaries
   

3. Failing to highlight AHPRA status or relevant Aussie certifications
   

What to Do Before You Apply for Jobs

It doesn’t matter how great your resume is if you haven’t got AHPRA registration. No employer can legally hire you as a nurse in Australia until that step is complete. SOLVi Recruitment is here to help connect AHPRA-registered nurses with healthcare employers across Australia—but we can only assist if you’ve completed registration.

If you haven’t started yet, don’t worry. Our Nurse Registration Course at www.nurseregistration.com is a step-by-step guide through the process—and it’s just $199 AUD for a limited time. Once you finish your AHPRA registration, you can create your candidate profile with SOLVi Recruitment and start being matched with real job opportunities.

Final Tip: Check Before You Send!

If you’re not sure your resume is Australian-ready, we recommend:

• Asking someone local to review it
  

• Removing personal details that aren’t relevant
  

• Being clear about your registration and visa status
  

Ready to get started? Your dream job in Australia starts with the right registration.

✅ Enrol in our Nurse Registration Course today at www.nurseregistration.com