Resume example and writing guide
Top APS Officer Resume Template for Australia Job Seekers
Applying for the Australian Public Service (APS) is a highly structured, competitive process. Your resume will be assessed against the ILS capabilities, so every bullet point should demonstrate how you achieved results and communicated with influence. A generic private-sector resume will usually fail an APS screening.
APS Officer resume example
Chloe Davies
APS Officer
Professional Summary
Dedicated APS6 Senior Policy Officer with 5 years of experience in federal government. Proven ability to support strategic direction, draft complex ministerial briefs, and manage sensitive stakeholder relationships. Highly capable of delivering at pace and achieving results under tight parliamentary deadlines. Current AGSVA Baseline Security Clearance.
Experience
APS6 Senior Policy Officer
2021 – PresentDepartment of Education
- Drafted 15+ complex ministerial briefs and Senate Estimates packs within tight 24-hour turnaround times, ensuring 100% accuracy of departmental data.
- Coordinated a cross-agency working group of 20+ stakeholders that successfully delivered the revised Early Years strategy three weeks ahead of schedule.
- Acted as EL1 Assistant Director for a 3-month period, managing a team of 4 APS staff and overseeing the branch's $2.5M operational budget.
- Responded to over 50 complex citizen and ministerial correspondence inquiries, communicating with influence and clarity.
APS5 Policy Officer
2019 – 2021Department of Social Services
- Conducted extensive qualitative research and data analysis to support the drafting of the 2020 Regional Grants discussion paper.
- Organised and facilitated 5 nationwide public consultation workshops, synthesizing feedback from over 200 participants into a unified policy report.
- Maintained the division's risk register, identifying 3 key compliance risks and implementing mitigation strategies that were adopted by the branch head.
APS4 Project Support Officer
2018 – 2019Department of Social Services
- Provided high-level administrative and secretariat support to the Deputy Secretary's office, including minute-taking for critical steering committee meetings.
- Streamlined internal document tracking via SharePoint, reducing brief processing time by 15%.
Education
Skills
Regional Formatting Standards
APS resumes are heavily scrutinized and must be perfectly aligned with the Integrated Leadership System (ILS). Keep it to 2-3 pages. Avoid graphics or headshots. Your bullet points must be quantifiable and use the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result). Make sure to mention your security clearance level (e.g., Baseline, NV1) prominently.
Key Selection Criteria (KSC)
When applying for APS roles, your resume is only one part of the application. You will likely be asked to address Key Selection Criteria using the STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) in alignment with the Integrated Leadership System (ILS). Ensure your resume bullet points also follow this format.
Mastering the STAR Method
The STAR method (Situation, Task, Action, Result) is mandatory in government applications. While you'll use it heavily in your Key Selection Criteria responses, your resume bullets should also follow a mini-STAR format.
Instead of 'Managed project stakeholders,' write 'Led a cross-agency working group of 12 stakeholders (Action) to deliver the new policy framework 2 weeks ahead of schedule (Result), overcoming significant budget constraints (Situation/Task).'
Speak the language of the ILS
Review the Integrated Leadership System (ILS) profile for the APS level you are applying for (e.g., APS5 vs EL1). Use the exact phrasing from the framework in your resume.
If applying for APS6, ensure your resume shows evidence of 'Supports strategic direction' and 'Achieves results'. Use these actual words in your professional summary or as the leading verbs in your experience section.
Highlight Security Clearances and Acting Roles
If you hold an AGSVA security clearance (Baseline, NV1, NV2, TSPV), put it at the very top of your resume next to your contact details. This is a massive hiring advantage.
If you have done 'Higher Duties' or 'Acting' roles (e.g., acting EL1 for 3 months), list this clearly as a separate role or a prominent bullet point, as it proves your readiness for promotion.
Key takeaways
Use the STAR method for every major bullet point
Remove all graphics, photos, and columns to ensure PageUp ATS compatibility
Mention your AGSVA security clearance level prominently
Use terminology directly from the ILS Capability Framework
Highlight any Higher Duties or Acting arrangements
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