NZ CV guide

How to write a CV in New Zealand

A New Zealand CV is a plain, well-organised document of two to three A4 pages that shows an employer you can do the job, you can legally work here, and other people will vouch for you. This guide walks through each part.

The usual order for a NZ CV

Name and contact details: your name, mobile, email, and suburb or town. You don’t need your full street address.
Work rights and location: one line, for example “NZ resident, based in Hamilton, full Class 1 licence”.
Profile: three or four sentences on who you are, what you offer and what you are looking for.
Key skills: a short list that matches the job advert.
Work history: most recent first, with job title, employer, location and dates (month and year).
Education and qualifications: degrees, diplomas, NZQA qualifications and certificates. School leavers include NCEA.
Referees: two or three people who can speak about your work.

How long should a CV be in NZ?

Two to three pages is standard. New Zealand employers are comfortable with a little more detail than in the US, but every line should earn its place. If you have a long career, give full detail for the last ten years and summarise earlier roles in a line each.

Writing your profile

Keep it short and grounded. New Zealand readers are wary of hype, so swap adjectives for facts.

Example

Experienced office manager with eight years running busy medical and professional practices in Christchurch. I look after rosters, accounts in Xero, suppliers and health and safety, and I am the person the team comes to when something needs fixing. Looking for a practice or operations manager role.

Describing your work history

For each role, write three to six bullet points that start with an action and end with a result. Numbers help: team size, budgets, customers, sales, time saved.

Instead of

Responsible for stock control.

Write

Took over stock control for a three-store chain and cut stock write-offs by 40% in a year by introducing weekly counts and a simple reorder sheet.

Referees

Most New Zealand employers expect to contact referees before making an offer. List two or three with their name, job title, organisation, relationship to you, phone and email. Choose recent managers where you can, and always ask first.

Read our full guide to referees on a NZ CV

What to leave off

Photo, date of birth, age, marital status, religion and health details.
Your IRD number, bank details or passport number. Employers ask for these after you are hired.
Salary history: discuss pay at interview.
Reasons for leaving each job: be ready to explain at interview instead.

Things that help in New Zealand

Te reo Māori and Te Tiriti: if you speak te reo or understand Te Tiriti o Waitangi, mention it, especially for public-sector, health and education roles.
Safety checks: for roles with children, say if you hold a current police vet or are happy to be vetted.
Licences and tickets: list them with expiry dates, such as Site Safe, first aid, forklift (F endorsement) or a practising certificate.
Volunteering and community: sports clubs, marae, school boards and community groups are valued here and show local connections.

Applying through Seek and Trade Me Jobs

Most NZ jobs are advertised on Seek and Trade Me Jobs, and many employers use software to sort applications. Upload a PDF unless asked for Word, use standard headings, and use the same words as the job advert for key skills and qualifications. Always add a short cover letter. Many employers won’t read a CV without one.