Photo, Age, Address and Work Rights: What to Put on an Executive Resume in Australia and NZ
Most executives put a lot of thought into their achievements and very little into the top few lines of their resume. Yet those lines are where some of the most common mistakes sit.
A photo in the corner. A date of birth. A full street address. A note about marital status copied from a template used overseas. None of these help in Australia or New Zealand, and some can quietly work against you.
The reverse problem is just as common. Executives moving across the Tasman or from overseas often leave out the one personal detail a recruiter needs most, which is whether they can legally work in the country. Here is what to include, what to leave out and why.
Why personal details matter more than you think
The personal details section is short, but readers notice it. A recruiter or search consultant uses it to check a few practical things. Where are you based? How do they reach you? Can you take the role?
Anything beyond that is usually noise. Worse, some details invite judgements that have nothing to do with your ability to do the job. Employers and recruiters in both countries are generally careful about this, and many would rather not see information that could be seen as a basis for discrimination.
From my years in executive recruitment, I can tell you that a resume with the wrong personal details rarely gets rejected outright. But it can look out of step with local norms, and at senior level, looking out of step is a risk you do not need.
Photos: not expected in Australia or New Zealand
Resume photos are common in some parts of the world. In Australia and New Zealand, they are not expected, and most recruiters would advise against them.
A photo takes up space you could use for your value. It can also invite snap judgements about age, appearance and background that you cannot control.
If a reader wants to see you, they will look at your LinkedIn profile. That is the right place for a professional photo. Keep your resume focused on what you have done and what you can do.
Age and date of birth: leave them out
Do not include your date of birth or your age. Neither is needed to assess you for a role, and both can lead to assumptions.
This matters most for experienced executives. Leaders over 50 sometimes worry about age bias, and a date of birth at the top of the page puts the issue front and centre before anyone has read your results.
The same applies to other clues. You do not need to list the year you finished school, and you may choose to leave the dates off older qualifications. Our guide to the executive job search over 55 covers how to present a long career without drawing attention to age.
Marital status, health and other personal information
A few other details still appear on resumes, usually because of an old template or advice from another country. Leave them out.
Marital status or relationship details
Number or ages of children
Health information
Religion
Nationality, unless it relates to work rights
Gender
Driver licence details, unless the role requires one
Hobbies that say nothing about how you work
Interests can have a place if they add something, such as a board role in a sporting body or community work that shows leadership. Otherwise, the space is better used for results.
Address: city, not street
A full street address is no longer needed. Nobody posts letters to candidates now, and your address is personal information you should not share widely.
Instead, list your city and state or region. For example:
Brisbane, QLD
Christchurch, New Zealand
Hobart, Tasmania
This tells a reader where you are based, which matters for location-specific roles. If you are open to moving, you can add a short line such as “Open to relocation within Australia and New Zealand”.
Contact details that should be there
Your contact details should be simple and complete.
Phone. One mobile number. Include the country code if you are applying across borders, for example a +61 or +64 prefix.
Email. A personal, professional address. Avoid your work email, and avoid old addresses built on nicknames or birth years.
LinkedIn URL. A custom LinkedIn URL shows that you keep your profile current, and readers will check it anyway.
That is usually all you need. A personal website is worth adding only if it supports your professional positioning.
Work rights for people moving between countries
This is the personal detail executives most often leave out, and it can matter a great deal.
If you are applying in a country where you are not a citizen, a recruiter will want to know quickly whether you can work there. If it is unclear, they may move on to a candidate who does not raise the question.
Keep it to one short line near your contact details. For example:
“Australian citizen, living in Auckland”
“New Zealand citizen with full rights to work in Australia”
“Australian permanent resident”
“Hold a current work visa for New Zealand”
Australian and New Zealand citizens have long-standing arrangements to live and work in each other’s country, but the details differ depending on your status. Permanent residents, visa holders and people moving from further afield face different rules. Immigration requirements change, so check the current position with official government sources or a licensed adviser before you state anything on your resume.
If you already live and work in the country as a citizen, you do not need to state your work rights. It only earns its place when there is a question to answer. Our guide to moving between the Australian and New Zealand executive markets covers the wider shift.
Before and after: an illustrative example
Here is an illustrative example of the top of a resume for a finance leader moving from Sydney to Wellington.
Before: “Jane Citizen. Born 14 March 1968. Married, two children. 22 Example Street, Mosman NSW 2088. Home phone and mobile. Email: [email protected]. References attached.”
After:
Jane Citizen, CA
Sydney, NSW. Relocating to Wellington, New Zealand
Australian citizen with rights to live and work in New Zealand
+61 400 000 000 | [email protected] | linkedin.com/in/janecitizen
The second version gives a recruiter everything they need in four lines. It removes age, family and address details that serve no purpose. The name, numbers and details are illustrative only. Confirm your own work rights before you state them.
Referees: usually available on request
In both countries, referees are usually provided later in the process, once you are on a shortlist. You do not need to list them on your resume, and you should not share their details widely without asking them first.
Most executives simply leave referees off. If you want to address them, a short line at the end such as “Referees available on request” is enough. Save the space for your results.
When the time comes, choose referees carefully and brief them on the role. They are a key part of the final decision.
How norms differ overseas
If you have worked in other countries, you may have learned different habits.
In parts of Europe and Asia, photos, dates of birth and nationality are often expected. In the United States, personal details are usually kept to a minimum, much like here. A CV in the United Kingdom has its own conventions too.
When you apply in Australia or New Zealand, follow local norms, even if your last resume was built for another market. If you apply overseas, check the norms there before you send anything. Our guide to the New Zealand executive CV covers the small differences on this side of the Tasman.
Common mistakes
Using an old template. Many templates still include a photo box, a date of birth field and a full address. Delete them.
Leaving out work rights. If you are moving countries, say where you stand. A recruiter will not guess.
A work email or phone number. It looks careless and can create problems with your current employer.
Too much personal detail. Family, health and religion have no place on an executive resume.
Stating visa details you have not checked. If you are unsure of your status, confirm it before it goes on the page.
Listing referees without asking. Always check first, and brief them when the time comes.
A checklist for your personal details
Name, with key post-nominals such as CA, CPA or GAICD
City and state or region, not a street address
One mobile number, with a country code if applying across borders
A personal, professional email address
Your LinkedIn URL
A work rights line, if you are applying in a country where you are not a citizen
No photo, date of birth, marital status or health information
Referees left off, or noted as available on request
It also helps to make sure your resume can be read cleanly by the systems many employers use. Our piece on applicant tracking systems and executive resumes explains why simple formatting of this section matters.
Keep the top of the page clean
The personal details section should take a few seconds to read. It should answer the practical questions and then get out of the way, so the reader can move on to your value. Include what a recruiter needs, leave out what they do not, and confirm your work rights if you are crossing borders.
If you want an executive resume that follows local norms and leads with your value, see how I approach executive resume writing.
If you are an executive preparing to apply in Australia or New Zealand, book a complimentary Clarity Session and we will review how the top of your resume reads to a local recruiter.
