Canberra Resume Writing Services — APS, Executive and Selection Criteria Specialists
Resume writing services for Canberra professionals — winning roles across the APS, Defence, Home Affairs, DFAT, Treasury, the ATO, ANU and beyond. Expert human writers. No AI. No offshore. No templates.
Everything you need to land the role.
Australia's leading resume specialists. Doing what AI can't.
Resume writing
Professionally written resumes tailored to your role and industry — designed to highlight your strengths, align with recruiter expectations, and secure more interviews.
Cover letter writing
Cover letters that bridge your resume to the role — speaking directly to the job, surfacing your most relevant strengths, and addressing what employers actually want to see.
Selection criteria writing
STAR-structured responses that align with government and public sector expectations. Each statement evidences your experience, demonstrates impact, and meets the panel's key criteria.
LinkedIn writing
SEO-optimised LinkedIn profiles with persuasive, professional copy that strengthens your personal brand and lifts your visibility with recruiters and hiring managers.
Interview training
One-on-one sessions that build confidence, sharpen your responses, and give you proven strategies to articulate your value — whether it's a behavioural panel or an informal chat.
Meet our leadership team
A small, expert-led team based in Hobart, supporting clients across Australia. Real employees — not contractors, not AI, not offshore.
Jacquie Liversidge
Managing Director
Founder and lead strategist. Background spans classical music, copywriting and employment services. Specialises in executive resumes and high-impact career documents at every level.
Chat with Jacquie → Marc Cayzer
Operations Manager
Specialises in bespoke selection criteria, resumes and cover letters across government and private sector roles. Skilled at interpreting government frameworks.
Chat with Marc →No overseas, no outsourcing. Every writer is on our team and based in Australia.
Most clients land a role within 90 days — backed by our rewrite guarantee.
Every resume starts with a one-hour Teams call so we capture the detail others miss.
Make your resume work for you.
A resume that doesn't lead with your value, control the narrative, or earn its place on the first page isn't a tool — it's a list. We write the tool.
For the Canberra market
Canberra hiring panels and delegates don't want generic. They want applications written to the Integrated Leadership System, pitched at the right APS classification — and that means understanding capabilities, work-level standards, and one-page pitches.
Whether you're applying for an APS5 in Defence, an EL1 in Home Affairs, an SES role in Treasury, or a position with the ACT Government, we write to that audience.
How we work
No templates. No AI. No outsourcing. Every document starts with a one-hour Teams call to draw out the achievements you'd never think to mention.
Then we write — outcome-driven, level-appropriate and contemporary, with a 90-day employment guarantee behind every word.
Ready to start?
Get a custom quote in 2 business hours, or book a free 15-minute call.
Selection criteria, written by people who actually understand them.
APS applications aren't a writing test. They're a structured assessment against the Integrated Leadership System and the Work Level Standards. We write to both — not around them.
Integrated Leadership System
We write to the ILS capabilities at the right APS, EL or SES level, mapping your evidence to the behaviours the panel scores against.
Work Level Standards
We pitch your examples at the complexity, autonomy and accountability the WLS specifies for the classification — APS5 evidence won't get you over the line for an EL1.
One-page pitch & STAR
Whether the role wants a 500–1000 word pitch, a two-page statement, or STAR responses to capabilities, we write to the format the delegate expects.
What we know about APS hiring
Departments hire differently. Defence, Home Affairs, DFAT, Treasury, Services Australia and the ATO each apply the ILS with their own emphasis — and security-cleared roles add a layer most providers don't understand.
Delegates score against ILS, not prose. Your evidence needs to demonstrate the ILS capabilities at the right level, with the complexity and scope the Work Level Standards specify for that classification.
A one-page pitch isn't a shorter cover letter. It's a structured argument — usually 500–1000 words — addressing the capabilities the panel is weighting most heavily, with one strong example per capability.
The resume is part of the assessment. APS panels read it. Most expect 2–3 pages, ATS-clean, with achievement-led content — not a duty list. SES applications are different again.
APS3 → SES
Every level we've written for, from APS3 through to SES Band 2.
Departments we've written for
Department of Defence, Home Affairs, DFAT, Treasury, Services Australia, ATO, AGD, PM&C, Finance, plus a long list of agencies in between.
Got an APS or SES role you're applying for?
Send us the role description. We'll come back with a strategy — not a sales pitch.
Graduate to executive. Policy to defence.
What changes at each level isn't the formatting — it's the evidence. A graduate's strongest example isn't an SES officer's, and an EL2 policy adviser's isn't a defence contractor's. We write to the level and the sector you're actually applying for.
By level
Entry & graduate
APS1–APS3 / Graduate Programs
Drawing on study, internships and casual work to evidence transferable capability — and writing to APS Graduate Program selection criteria, not duty lists from part-time jobs.
Mid-career
APS4–APS6
Translating delivery and team work into measurable outcomes against the APS Work Level Standards — projects scoped, problems solved, stakeholders managed, results owned.
Senior & leadership
EL1–EL2
Showing breadth — change initiatives, team leadership, budget oversight, ministerial briefing, cross-agency stakeholder work and the judgement to operate without close supervision.
Executive
SES Band 1–3
Strategic outcomes, organisational influence, board and ministerial engagement, departmental leadership and the gravitas SES recruitment processes demand.
By industry
Defence & cleared roles
ADF transitions, defence civilian roles, contractor positions and cleared roles requiring NV1, NV2 or PV framing — including AUKUS, ASD, ASIO and Defence Group roles.
Executive & senior leadership
SES Band 1–3 resumes built for departmental, ministerial and board audiences — strategic outcomes, gravitas, and the policy-to-delivery range SES selection demands.
IT & technology
Software engineers, data, cyber, product and digital transformation — written for DTA, ASD, Services Australia and broader APS digital roles.
Legal
Solicitors, barristers, in-house counsel and partners — AGS, Office of Parliamentary Counsel, Commonwealth DPP, regulators and government legal practice.
Accounting & audit
Accountants, auditors, finance managers and CFOs — including ANAO, Department of Finance, Treasury and APS-wide finance roles.
Banking & finance
Investment banking, asset management, financial services, fintech and the corporate finance side of ASX-listed and global firms.
Engineering
Civil, mechanical, electrical, structural and software engineers — chartered status, project portfolios and technical depth that survives panel scrutiny.
Healthcare & allied health
Allied health, hospital administration, health services and AHPRA-registered professions across Department of Health, ACT Health and Calvary.
Nursing & medical
Nurses, allied health and medical professionals — including AHPRA registration framing and clinical governance evidence panels look for.
Higher education & academia
Academics, researchers and university professional staff — ANU, UC, ADFA — research outputs, teaching portfolios, ARC and NHMRC track record.
Teaching & education
Teachers, lecturers and education leaders across schools, TAFE, universities and education department selection processes.
Construction
Project managers, construction managers and site managers — Tier-1 builder framing, contract literacy and public-sector moves.
Marketing & communications
Marketing managers, brand and growth leads, content and digital — including APS communications and ministerial media roles.
Sales & business development
BDMs, account directors and sales leaders — pipeline, quota attainment and territory expansion framed for hiring managers.
Media & creative
Journalists, communications professionals, PR, content strategists and creative leadership across publishing, broadcasting and digital.
Hospitality & tourism
Hotel managers, F&B leaders, events and tourism professionals — written for global hotel groups and Australian hospitality operators.
Mining & resources
FIFO operations, processing, exploration, HSE and corporate roles across iron ore, coal, oil and gas, and renewables.
Trades & services
Electricians, plumbers, mechanics and skilled trades — written for what hiring managers actually look for, not corporate fluff.
Customer service
Frontline, contact centre and customer experience roles — service philosophy, complaint handling, and the value you've actually delivered.
Administration
EAs, office managers, coordinators and administration leads — translating "support work" into measurable operational impact.
Graduate & early career
APS Graduate Programs, internships and first-job applications — drawing on study and experience to evidence transferable capability.
Middle East & international
Moves to Australia, within the Gulf, or home from the region — UAE, Saudi, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman applications.
Don't see your level or industry?
Send us the role description. If we haven't written for it, we'll tell you.
Two approaches. Same candidate. Different outcomes.
Anna Kowalski's career, written two ways. AI generates plausible content from a job title in seconds. We extract what's actually noteworthy from a one-hour conversation, then write to the framework, level and decision-makers the role is being scored against.
- ✗No quantification — no dollar figures, team sizes, or measurable outcomes anywhere
- ✗No level calibration — could be VPS3 or SES, panels can't tell which
- ✗Generic stakeholders — "senior leadership" rather than Secretaries, Ministers, Cabinet
- ✗No framework anchoring — VPS Capabilities, ILS, named legislation invisible
- ✗Duties and achievements muddled together — panels can't see what was delivered above the role baseline
- ✓Quantified outcomes — $38M, 9 commitments, 38% reduction, scores 64→82
- ✓Calibrated to VPS6 — scope, complexity and stakeholder level all match the role
- ✓Named decision-makers — Secretaries, Ministers, Cabinet, named departments
- ✓Framework-anchored — VPS Capabilities, Cabinet submissions, Parliamentary timeframes
- ✓Duties separate from achievements — panels see exactly what was delivered above the role baseline
Working with us in Canberra, answered.
Common questions from Canberra clients about state government applications, local sectors, and how engagements work with a Hobart-based service.
Are you actually based in Canberra?
No — we're Hobart-based, and we deliver every Canberra engagement remotely via Microsoft Teams, phone or email. There's no functional difference between meeting us in person and meeting via Teams; the one-hour information call covers the same ground either way, and you save the commute. We've supported Canberra-based APS clients at every level for years using this model, including for security-cleared roles, Department of Defence positions, DFAT and PM&C applications. The work is the work, regardless of postcode — and working remotely lets us serve a much broader cross-section of the Australian market than any single-city Canberra operator could, which means we've seen more departments, frameworks and assessment processes than the local generalist would have.
Are you familiar with the APS Integrated Leadership System?
Yes — the APS Integrated Leadership System (ILS) is the framework we write to most often. We're familiar with how the ILS operates across APS1 through APS6, EL1 and EL2, and the SES Bands, and how each Department applies the framework with its own emphasis. The Department of Defence, Foreign Affairs and Trade, Treasury, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet, Home Affairs and Health all run their own emphasis within the ILS — and we calibrate selection criteria responses to the department your role sits in, not just the generic ILS descriptors.
Can you write applications for APS roles across the Australian Public Service?
Yes. We've written for clients applying across virtually every APS department and agency — including the Department of Defence, the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Treasury, the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet (PM&C), Home Affairs, the Department of Health, Services Australia, the Australian Taxation Office, and across the broader APS ecosystem. Whether you're applying for an APS5 entry-level role, stepping up to EL2, or moving into the SES, we write to the ILS and the level the role demands.
Do you write applications for security-cleared roles (NV1, NV2, Positive Vetting)?
Yes. A substantial portion of Canberra-based APS roles require security clearances — Negative Vetting Level 1 (NV1), Negative Vetting Level 2 (NV2), or Positive Vetting (PV) at the highest end. We write applications for clients across the Department of Defence, ASIO, the Australian Signals Directorate, the Australian Federal Police, and broader cleared environments — including framing around suitability, integrity, and the specific capability indicators panels score for in cleared roles.
Have you written for the Department of Defence and the broader defence portfolio?
Yes. The Department of Defence is one of the largest APS employers, and we've written for clients applying across Defence civilian roles in Canberra and across Australia. We're familiar with the defence-specific application of the ILS, the role of the Defence Capability Framework, the contractor-to-APS pathway, and the structural conventions of Defence applications. We've also written for clients in the broader defence portfolio including Defence Housing Australia, the Australian Submarine Agency, and AUKUS-related roles.
Can you write Cabinet submissions, Ministerial briefs and policy documents in resumes?
Yes — and this is one of the things that distinguishes APS resumes from private sector resumes. Senior APS resumes need to surface specific instrument types: Cabinet submissions endorsed without amendment, Ministerial briefs delivered to deadline, Senate Estimates Brief preparation, and Ministerial correspondence. We write APS resumes that name these instruments clearly and quantify the outcomes they achieved — because that's what panels at EL2 and SES are actually scoring.
Are you familiar with the ACT Public Service?
Yes. The ACT Government runs its own capability framework distinct from the APS ILS, with different classification structures (ASO levels), different department configurations, and different focus areas. We've written for clients applying to the ACT Health Directorate, the Education Directorate, Treasury, the Justice and Community Safety Directorate, and across the broader ACT Public Service. ACT applications need calibration to the ACTPS framework, not the federal one.
Do you write for Canberra's research institutions and universities?
Yes. Canberra concentrates a high proportion of Australia's research institutions — the Australian National University, the University of Canberra, CSIRO, the National Library, the National Gallery, and the broader research and cultural sector. Academic and research resumes have specific conventions — research outputs, grant histories, teaching contributions, citation metrics — and we calibrate to the institution and the level of the role.
Are you familiar with Canberra's diplomatic and international roles?
Yes. The diplomatic posting cycle, DFAT's specific assessment processes, and the structural requirements of applications for international postings all need particular calibration. We've written for clients applying to DFAT positions, AusAID/DFAT development roles, embassy and consulate positions, and broader international policy work. International resumes need careful framing around language capabilities, cross-cultural experience, and the diplomatic competency framework.
Are your salary positioning frames accurate for the Canberra market?
Yes. Canberra's compensation profile is dominated by APS pay structures, which are nationally consistent (APS5 in Canberra pays the same as APS5 in Brisbane). The premium in Canberra is on cleared roles, defence-related positions, and senior ELx and SES roles where the APS-equivalent classification commands an absolute premium over private sector mid-career bands. We calibrate scope and complexity language to APS classification expectations rather than private sector compensation references.
How long does the engagement take from start to finish?
Standard turnaround is three business days from payment to first drafts, with a 14-day unlimited-revisions window after that. Most engagements settle in two or three review rounds, so a typical end-to-end runs about three weeks from payment to final sign-off. Urgent turnaround at 24 or 48 hours is available for an additional fee.
Who actually writes my resume?
One of our two senior writers — Jacquie Liversidge (Managing Director) or Marc Cayzer (Operations Manager). Whoever runs your information call is the same person who writes your resume, the same person who handles every revision, and the same person you contact if anything changes. No handoffs to junior writers, no offshore staff, no AI-generated drafts.
What format do I receive my documents in, and what's included?
Editable Word and PDF formats, delivered by email. The Word document is fully editable so you can update it yourself in future without breaking the formatting. We also include our 25-page Get Job Ready guide before your information call, and our 20-page Managing Your Documents and Your Next Career Steps guide with your final drafts — both at no additional charge.
From quote form to signed-off documents.
Twelve defined steps. No "we'll be in touch when it's ready." As fast as 4 days from first contact to drafts in your inbox.
Get our 60-page Get Job Ready guide.
Submit the quote form and we'll send our complete Get Job Ready guide before your free 15-minute call. Sixty pages on the 2026 Australian job market — government applications, selection criteria, ATS, LinkedIn, position descriptions, the free training that actually counts, and the ten career quizzes we built on our site. Written in-house by senior writers. Not for sale.
