Tips to create the perfect resume if you have a disability, injury, or health condition

A well-written resume can help you catch an employer's attention and increase your chances of getting a job interview.

It's usually your first chance to impress the hiring manager and show them why you're right for the job.

In this blog, we talk about what to include in your resume, the best ways to structure it, and how to make sure you stand out.

What is a resume?

A resume (sometimes called a curriculum vitae, or CV) is a document that job seekers create to outline their work history, skills, experience, education, and any other factors that support their job application.

Employers will then use the information on your resume to decide if they should invite you to interview for the job they are hiring for.

What is a cover letter?

Most employers will ask applicants to write a cover letter to go with their resume.

A cover letter is a document that a job seeker creates where they can explain why they would be a good fit for a role.

Cover letters can include highlights from experience that may complement the advertised job, or expand on skills that are mentioned in the resume.

Why is your resume important?

Your resume and cover letter are often the first encounter an employer has with you. It's your chance to sell yourself and show the employer why you'd be a great fit for the job.

If you can create a resume that stands out in a good way, you're more likely to get called in for a job interview.

What should you include in your resume?

Your resume should only include truthful information that is relevant to the role you are applying for.

If you don’t have any previous experience in a similar role, don’t worry. Instead, focus on transferrable skills from other jobs, volunteer positions, or general life experience that may be relevant to the job you are applying for.

When writing your resume, you’ll need to include the following information:

Skills

You should try to include at least five skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for. To find relevant skills that the employer values, take a look at the desired skills and other topics they talk about in the job description.

Work experience

You should include your most recent work experience, especially any jobs that are relevant to the role you are applying for.

You can also include non-standard work such as freelancing, internships, volunteering, contracting or part-time jobs.

For each job, you should include:

• Company name
• Your position title
• When you were employed there
• Key duties and responsibilities
• Key achievements

Education and qualifications

If you have any special educational achievements or qualifications, you should include these in your resume starting with the most recent ones. If one of your qualifications is especially relevant to the job, you can put this first.

Examples of things you can include are:

• University degrees
• TAFE qualifications
• Online courses
• Current licences
• Blue Card
• Languages you're fluent in
• First Aid Certificate
• Working With Children Check

Volunteer work

If you have done volunteer work that is relevant to the job you're applying for, you can include it on your resume.

Volunteer work shows the employer that you are involved in your community and actively seeking new job skills. Including volunteer work can help support various soft skills like interpersonal communication, critical thinking, leadership, and multi-tasking.

Other relevant experience

If you have had life experiences that are relevant to the job, you can include them in this section.

For example, if you are applying to be a disability support worker, you could talk about your own lived experience with disability and how that has prepared you for the work.

Contact information

Make sure that your contact information is clear and easy to find on your resume. You should leave multiple ways for the employer to contact you, including your email, phone number, or relevant social media like LinkedIn.

You should make sure your email address is professional and appropriate to make the best impression.

References

Before deciding to hire you, employers may ask for one to three references so they can ensure that your personality and work ethic are a good fit for their company.

You can include past employers, colleagues, supervisors, mentors, or personal references such as friends and family on your resume.

For each reference, make sure that you have the person's permission and that you include their name and phone number on your resume.

What should you leave out of your resume?

When you’re writing your resume, you should leave out any personal information like your age, height and marital status unless they are relevant to the position.

In general, there’s no need to mention your disability on your resume, unless it is relevant to the position. For example, if you are applying for a position as a disability support worker, your experience living with a disability, injury, or health condition may be relevant.

How do you write a resume if you are living with a disability, injury, or health condition?

If you’re living with a disability, injury, or health condition, remember that there is no need for you to write your resume in any different way to anyone else.

The important thing is that your resume is written well, and tells your employer about you, your past experiences, and why you think you’d be right for the job.

For some people living with a disability, injury or health condition, writing a resume can be challenging, which is why we’ve put together our top tips to help you out, and get you on your way to finding a job that works for you.

Use keywords from the job description

Nowadays, many employers run the resumes they receive through software that looks for particular keywords.

Using keywords and synonyms from the actual job description can show the employer that you're right for the role.

Use facts and figures

You should back up your job performance statements with real statistics about your achievements to better show the level of experience you have.

Try to use numbers where possible.

For example, instead of saying you 'planned events' for your previous company, talk about how much money your events made, how many people attended or how many tickets were sold. Some other examples of strong performance statements include:

• Raised $10,000 through ticket sales to charity events
• Served over x of people at [event name]
• Greeted over x people on a daily basis as they entered [venue]
• Increased customer satisfaction survey scores by 20%

Talk about direct benefits

Instead of simply listing your past job duties, you should try to talk about how well you did them by listing the direct benefits your work had for the company you worked for.

For example, instead of saying you created 20 client reports per month, try saying something like:

• Created 20 client reports per month to improve client relations and communications

Use a variety of action words

Starting your statements with action words such as improved, reduced, planned, facilitated and collaborated with can help your resume sound more engaging.

You should use a variety of words, rather than repeating the same words over again to maintain your reader's interest.

Avoid overused phrases

Try to stay away from overused sentences that don't give much information such as 'attention to detail' and 'strong communication skills'.

Instead, try to show how you demonstrated soft skills like communication, teamwork and reliability. Some examples of stronger phrases include:

• Performed administrative duties including phone calls, project reports and client relations
• Assisted with training new employees
• Collaborated with a team of five to reduce material waste by 10%

Check for spelling and grammar mistakes

Submitting your resume with spelling or grammar mistakes can give an employer a bad first impression.

To avoid this, use a spell checker to check your resume for spelling and grammar errors. You can also ask a friend to read over your resume for any mistakes you might have missed.

Get professional help

It's natural to feel overwhelmed when writing a resume, especially if you don't have anyone to give you helpful feedback. Don't be afraid to ask for professional help or take a resume writing workshop. Writing the perfect resume is a skill you have to learn over time.

If you are having trouble finding work or keeping a job and would like some help creating your resume, you could be eligible for Disability Employment Services.

As a Disability Employment Services provider, we can help you with every step of the job-seeking process, including writing your resume.

Customise your resume for every job

Every time you apply for a new job, you should customise your resume to the particular role and company. 

Doing so shows the employer that you have an eye for detail and are serious about the opportunity. You should also do this for your cover letter to connect to the employer on a more personal note.

You should save a copy of your 'base' resume so that you can easily make changes for each new job opportunity.

How to structure a resume

Structuring your resume in a way that is logical and easy to understand can help guide the reader through the information in an engaging way.

Here are some tips on how to best structure your resume:

Put your best information at the top

Potential employers will skim the top third of your resume first, so make sure your most relevant and important information is up there. This will help grab their attention and keep them reading.

Critical information includes contact information, critical skills, and your career achievements and experience.

Keep it concise

Resumes should typically be one page long. To keep readers engaged, make sure you keep your information concise and to the point. You should include what is relevant to the specific job and try to leave out unnecessary details. Remember, less is more.

Use reverse chronological order

In most cases, the best way to order your experience is to place your most recent work experience first and work backwards. The same goes for your education and qualifications. This will ensure that the employer can see the most relevant information before anything else.

What does a good resume look like?

The appearance of your resume is important. It can help capture an employer's attention or put them off immediately.

Follow these tips for an eye-catching resume:

Use a simple format

You should use a simple format when writing your resume so that it will be easy to read. Keep the format simple, with plenty of white space between the different elements. Using a resume template can help keep things neat and presentable.

Use readable fonts

You should choose a font that is easy to read and clearly stands out from the background. The best fonts to use are sans serif fonts (fonts without the tails).

Some good font options to use for your resume include:

• Arial
• Calibri
• Helvetica

Use size 10-12 to ensure your text is easy to read at a glance.

Keep the layout consistent

You should aim to keep the design choices consistent throughout your resume.  Make sure that you keep the style, size, and fonts of the different headings and sections the same to keep it looking balanced.

For example, if you make your ‘Work history’ section title bold and size 14 font, you should do the same for your other section headings.

Use a PDF format

To avoid any layout issues once your document is downloaded, it's recommended that you save your resume as a PDF. This will make sure that everyone seeing your resume will see it in the style and format that you intend.

How do you explain gaps in employment due to disability, injury, or health condition?

If you have any gaps in your employment history, you may need to prepare to give reasons as to why if the employer chooses to ask. 

If you have any employment gaps due to a disability, injury, or health condition, here are some tips on how to address it to a potential employer:

• Focus on the positives of what you did during your employment gaps. If you did any study or volunteering, focus on the skills you learnt from those experiences and that you’re ready to apply them to your next opportunity.
• Show that you’re ready and eager to get back into the workforce. Showing off your enthusiasm in your resume and cover letter will reassure employers that you are job ready.
• Be honest, but keep it simple. You can tell the employer that the time was for health reasons, but don’t feel like you need to go into any personal details unless you feel comfortable to do so.
• Back up your readiness to work with documentation if necessary. This could include medical clearances from a health professional.

Should you mention your disability, injury, or health condition in your resume?

Unless it happens to be relevant to the job you are applying for, you don’t need to mention your disability, injury or health condition in your resume.

For example, if you are applying to work in a job where your experience living with disability, injury, or health condition is relevant, such as a disability centre or charity, mentioning it in your resume or cover letter might be a good idea.

In some cases, you may need to mention your disability, injury, or health condition and any accommodations you might need to a potential employer.

Doing so during a job interview can help you and your employer start your relationship on the right foot, and help you feel supported as you start your new role.

Australian employers are required to provide reasonable adjustments so you can do your job well and safely. They may be eligible for funding for some workplace adjustments.

Deciding if and how to disclose your disability can be a difficult decision. Talking to a professional, or your employment consultant can help you weigh up your options when choosing what’s right for you.

If you’re eligible for Disability Employment Services, our team at APM would love to help you on your job hunt, including helping you write your resume and prepare for interviews.

How do you tell the hiring manager that you are living with a disability, injury, or health condition? 

Unless your disability, injury, or health condition affects your ability to perform essential tasks of a job, you don’t need to mention it to the hiring manager.

Some people decide not to disclose their disability, injury or health condition to the hiring manager, preferring to focus on what they can offer to the role.

Employers are not legally allowed to discriminate based on disability. Unfortunately, many people living with a disability, injury or health condition still experience discrimination and unfair treatment during the job application process.

Others decide to disclose so that they can be upfront and honest with their employer from the start.

This may give them an opportunity to request accommodations and ask questions about the company’s attitudes towards disability.

If you feel that you have been unfairly treated during the recruitment process because of your disability, you can appeal to the Australian Human Rights Commission.

Is it harder to get a job if you have a disability, injury, or health condition?

According to the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare, 48% of working-age people with disability are employed, compared with 80% without disability.

People with disability may face a range of barriers when looking for work. If you are finding it difficult to find a job or stay employed, there is support is available.

More and more employers are realising the benefits of diversity in the workplace. There are employers out there who want to hire you for the unique skills and experience you have.

Get job-ready with APM Employment Services

At APM, we help thousands of job seekers every week who are living with disability, injury, or health conditions to prepare for, find and thrive in work through Disability Employment Services.

If you’re ready to explore your path to better work and achieve your employment goals, contact our friendly team to see if you’re eligible for support.

About this article

APM supports people with disability, injury, or a health condition through various programs and services across its businesses, including Disability Employment Services in Australia.

The information contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and is not intended as health or medical advice. Always consult a physician or other qualified health provider regarding any questions you may have about a medical condition or health objectives.

When discussing disability, APM’s copy style is to use person-first language and the social model of disability in the first instance. Some articles may use identity-first language or refer to the medical model of disability for clarity or to better suit a specific audience.

If you have any questions or feedback about the content of this article, visit our Feedback page to get in touch or email support@apm.net.au