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New Zealand CV Format: What NZ Employers Expect
A New Zealand CV is short, factual and tailored to the job advertisement. The New Zealand Government’s careers service, Tahatū, gives this practical guidance, which the samples on this page follow.
Recommended CV sections (in order)
- Name and contact details
- Personal statement
- Key skills and experience
- Work history
- Education and qualifications
- Interests
- Referees
Source: Tahatū. For regulated roles, move registration and practising-certificate details to the top, as the samples do.
Key NZ CV rules
- Length: keep it to 2 pages if you can.
- No images: do not add a photo.
- Tailor it: use information and keywords from the job ad and put the most relevant skills first.
- Plain, simple formatting: a plain black font such as Calibri 11, bullet points, bold headings and white space help applicant tracking systems read your CV.
- File: send a PDF unless Word is requested, named like first-last-CV.pdf.
- Proofread: check it carefully and ask someone else to check it too.
What to leave off
- Photo, date of birth, age and marital status.
- Religion, political views, family status and other details protected by the Human Rights Act 1993.
- Salary history and full home address (suburb and city are enough).
Employment New Zealand notes that employers should not ask applicants about prohibited grounds such as age, sexual orientation, religion or political beliefs.
Using New Zealand English spelling (for example “organisation”, “programme”, “centre”), showing your work rights in one line, and writing “Referees available on request” are all standard on NZ CVs, and each sample does so. Where relevant, show te reo Māori ability, cultural safety and Te Tiriti o Waitangi experience, which are valued in health, education and public-sector roles.
29 New Zealand Resume & CV Samples by Industry
Click any preview to open the full 300 dpi JPG. Use Download PDF for a text-based version you can edit or copy from. Names, employers and figures in the samples are fictional placeholders, so replace them with your own verified details. Each sample is designed to be visually different, so you can choose the layout that suits your profession.
Healthcare Resume & CV Samples NZ: Nurses, Midwives, GPs, Specialists & Support Workers
Health and disability roles are among the most heavily regulated in New Zealand. Registered nurses register with the Nursing Council of New Zealand, midwives with the Midwifery Council, and doctors with the Medical Council of New Zealand, and each holds an Annual Practising Certificate. These samples lead with registration and scope of practice, then show clinical experience, Te Tiriti o Waitangi and cultural safety, and the standards used in Te Whatu Ora – Health New Zealand and aged residential care.
9 samples in this category
Engineering, Project Management & Operations Resume Samples NZ
New Zealand engineering CVs are judged on the standards you design to (such as NZS 1170, NZS 3101, NZS 3404 and NZS 4404), your seismic and Building Code experience, and your progress towards Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status through Engineering New Zealand. The project and operations samples show budgets, safety leadership under the Health and Safety at Work Act 2015, and measurable results.
8 samples in this category
IT, Software Developer, Cyber Security & Data Analyst Resume Samples NZ
Technology employers in New Zealand look for named tools, frameworks and measurable delivery. These samples show how to present software, cyber security, service desk and data skills with NZ context: the New Zealand Information Security Manual (NZISM), the Protective Security Requirements (PSR), the Privacy Act 2020 and Māori Data Sovereignty principles.
6 samples in this category
Teacher Resume Samples NZ: Secondary & Early Childhood (Kaiako)
Teachers in New Zealand hold a Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand practising certificate. These samples show how to present NCEA, The New Zealand Curriculum, Te Whāriki, culturally responsive practice, Te Tiriti o Waitangi commitments and whānau partnership.
2 samples in this category
Trades Resume Samples NZ: Electrician, Builder, Diesel Mechanic & Heavy Vehicle Technician
Trade employers want to see your licence or registration first (for example EWRB registration for electricians or a Licensed Building Practitioner licence for builders), then your tickets, the standards you work to, and what you have built or fixed. These samples put credentials, Site Safe and driver licence information where hiring managers look first.
4 samples in this category
Registration & Licences to Show on Your NZ CV
Employers and regulators expect your professional status to be clear and current. Put these details in a Registration or Licences section near the top of your CV, as the healthcare, engineering and trades samples do.
| Profession | Regulator or register | What to show on your CV |
|---|---|---|
| Nurses (RN, Nurse Practitioner) | Nursing Council of New Zealand | Registration scope and Annual Practising Certificate |
| Midwives | Midwifery Council of New Zealand | Registration and Annual Practising Certificate |
| Doctors (GPs and specialists) | Medical Council of New Zealand | Scope of practice (general or vocational) and Annual Practising Certificate |
| Teachers (secondary and early childhood) | Teaching Council of Aotearoa New Zealand | Registration and practising certificate |
| Electricians | Electrical Workers Registration Board (EWRB) | Registration class and practising licence |
| Engineers | Engineering New Zealand | Membership grade and CPEng status where held |
| Builders | Licensed Building Practitioners (MBIE) | LBP licence classes held |
How to Use These NZ Resume Samples
Pick the closest sample
Choose the role and industry that match yours. Compare the layouts, because each design is different.
Download the PDF and edit
The PDFs contain selectable text, so you can copy headings and phrasing into Word or Google Docs.
Swap in your real details
Replace placeholder names, employers and figures with your own accurate dates, registration details and measurable results.
Tailor to each job ad
Mirror the job title and key skills from the advertisement, then save as first-last-CV.pdf.
New Zealand CV & Resume FAQ
How long should a New Zealand CV be?
New Zealand Government careers guidance (Tahatū) advises keeping your CV to 2 pages if you can, using short sentences and short paragraphs. Each sample on this page is a single page for 3–4 years of experience, which suits most early-career and mid-career applications.
Should I put a photo on my New Zealand CV?
No. Tahatū advises against using images on a CV. The samples on this page contain no photo, so reviewers focus on your skills, registration and results.
Should I include date of birth, age or marital status?
No. Employment New Zealand says employers should not ask applicants about prohibited grounds of discrimination under the Human Rights Act 1993, giving examples such as age, sexual orientation, religion and political beliefs. Those grounds also include sex, marital status, ethnic or national origins, disability and family status. Leave these details off your CV; instead state your work rights (for example “NZ Citizen – full work rights”).
Should I send my New Zealand CV as a PDF or Word file?
Tahatū recommends sending a PDF unless the employer asks for Word, and naming the file with your first and last name, for example sam-henderson-CV.pdf. Every sample here is available as a PDF with selectable text as well as a high-resolution JPG.
Are these CV samples ATS-friendly?
The PDFs contain real, selectable text with standard headings such as Profile, Experience, Education and Registration, and they use role keywords that match New Zealand job ads. Tahatū notes that applicant tracking systems rank CVs by matching terms and advises keeping formatting simple and consistent. For online application portals, choose the simplest layout and adapt the keywords to each job advertisement; use the more designed layouts when emailing recruiters or sharing on LinkedIn.
Do I need a cover letter in New Zealand?
Tahatū advises sending a cover letter with your CV. Keep it to one page, address it to the named contact person where possible, explain why you want the role and the organisation, and show how your skills match the job without repeating your CV.
Do I need to be registered to work in my profession in New Zealand?
For many roles, yes. Nurses, midwives, doctors and teachers must be registered with their regulator and hold a current practising certificate, electricians register with the Electrical Workers Registration Board, and builders who carry out restricted building work need a Licensed Building Practitioner licence. Chartered Professional Engineer (CPEng) status is awarded through Engineering New Zealand’s Registration Authority. Always show your registration status near the top of your CV.
What is the median wage used for New Zealand work visas in 2026?
Immigration New Zealand’s Amendment Circular 2026-01 (dated 19 February 2026) sets the median wage at $35.00 per hour, with most changes taking effect on 9 March 2026. Figures can change, so confirm the current rate on immigration.govt.nz before you apply.
More Resume & CV Samples and Writing Services
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