Infantry Soldier Resume Guide (With an Example and Template)

Updated 28 March 2023

An infantry soldier is a member of a national defence organisation who scouts enemy ground forces and defends strategic positions. Infantry soldiers operate in a team of expert specialists, comprising other infantry soldiers, heavy weapon specialists, snipers and infantry officers. By reviewing a resume for this combat role, you can determine effective credentials to include on your resume. In this article, we define an infantry soldier resume, discuss how to write one, list tips for writing one, provide a resume template and share a resume example.

What's an infantry soldier resume?

Please note that none of the companies, institutions or organisations mentioned in this article are affiliated with Indeed.

An infantry soldier resume is a formal document that you can include as part of your job application. When applying for an infantry role, you typically provide a cover letter along with your resume. The resume details your relevant credentials, such as skills, experience and education. The cover letter usually discusses your motives, goals and general personality traits. If you submit a resume and cover letter, you can highlight your suitability as an infantry soldier.

It can be beneficial to understand that becoming a soldier for the Australian Defence Force (ADF) usually involves unique employment requirements and recruitment processes. Civilian careers might rely on resumes to gain the attention of a hiring manager, but as a soldier, you typically prove your suitability during a Your Opportunities Unlimited (YOU) Session. This session tests your general aptitude, which highlights the ADF careers that might be available to you. While it's beneficial to have a resume with extensive credentials, the only formal requirements to include on your resume are your age and the completion of Year 10.

How to write a resume for an infantry soldier

Below, you can find a detailed guide on how to write a resume for an infantry soldier position:

1. Include contact details

The first step in creating a good resume is to write your contact details. These details typically include your full name, phone number, email address, home address, city, state and postcode. Other careers rarely require a home address, but the ADF typically sends successful candidates a range of recruitment documents by mail. When you detail your contact information, you can include each piece of information on a separate line. This can ensure recruiters can easily identify your contact details.

2. Write a professional summary

A professional summary can be an important part of your resume because it's usually where recruiters gain their first impression of you as a candidate. Your professional summary typically highlights your primary credentials and motives for applying for the infantry position. There aren't many qualifications related to infantry operations, so you can focus your professional summary on your skills and motives. Recruiters typically value candidates with interpersonal qualities, such as communication and teamwork, so including these on your resume can be a great idea.

3. Detail your certifications

Certifications are usually unnecessary when applying for an infantry position because the ADF often provides their members with advanced training during their employment. For example, a first-aid certificate can be very relevant for an infantry soldier, but the ADF typically prefers to train defence personnel with their own techniques and processes. Even though certifications aren't necessary, you can still include them on your resume because they can highlight your commitment to self-development and a desire to become more professional. Recruiters may value these traits highly.

4. Highlight your skills

Your skills are usually the most important credentials to include on your resume. Recruiters typically value candidates with interpersonal qualities and soft skills. The purpose of including your skills is usually to prove your suitability to operate in a team environment. Skills you can include might be communication, teamwork, awareness, integrity, selflessness, leadership, attention to detail and time management. Because there aren't many formal requirements to become an infantry soldier, your skills are usually your primary credentials for gaining the attention of the recruiter.

5. Discuss your work experience

Unless you've served in the ADF before, there's only limited work experience that relates to an infantry role. Some work experience relating to infantry might include security, emergency services and law enforcement. These jobs involve fast-paced and occasionally high-stress environments that can require specific character qualities that recruiters may search for in candidates. The ADF typically understands that candidates rarely have related experience, so it can still be beneficial to include non-related work experience. This experience might highlight your ability to work collaboratively in a professional setting.

6. Mention your qualifications

Qualifications are usually unnecessary for an infantry soldier, but there are some diplomas and bachelor's degrees that might improve your suitability. A Diploma in Leadership and Management can be a great qualification to include on your resume, as the ADF typically values candidates with these skills. Including qualifications on your resume can also highlight your dedication, commitment and learning capabilities. Another qualification that recruiters may appreciate is a language qualification. The ADF typically considers multilingual candidates as operational assets. If you speak another language but have no formal qualification, you can include your language in your skills section.

7. Include your education

Detailing your education can be an important part of your resume, as it's typically the only formal requirement. To be eligible for an infantry position, you require the completion of Year 10 and competency in English and mathematics. It can be important to understand that there's usually an abundance of documentation to provide alongside your resume. These documents include your birth certificate, passport, driver's licence and education certificate. The ADF usually requires documents that prove the credentials you've listed on your resume, including education credentials.

Resume template for an infantry soldier

Below, you can find a resume template for an infantry soldier:

[Full name]
[Postal address]
[Email address]
[Phone number]

Professional summary
[In this section, you can write your professional summary. Your summary is typically three to five sentences long. It might be a good idea to focus this section on your interpersonal qualities and motives for applying for an infantry role.]

Certifications
[You can list your certificates in this section using bullet-point formatting. If you have no certifications, you can skip this section. Including certifications can be helpful, but it's not usually necessary.]

Technical skills
[There usually aren't many technical skills to include, as the ADF typically prefers training candidates with no existing habits. The ADF might not consider specific technical skills such as using weaponry as valuable as the more general technical skills such as mechanical knowledge and survival skills. So it might be worth including these more general skills. If you have no technical skills, it's usually okay to skip this section and focus on your interpersonal qualities and soft skills.]

Soft skills
[You can list your skills in this section using bullet-point formatting. There's an abundance of skills you can list here, from interpersonal qualities to soft skills. These skills are typically what recruiters focus on when reviewing your suitability as an infantry soldier.]

Work experience
[Job title]
[Organisation's name]
[Organisation's location]
[Employment duration]

[Job responsibilities in bullet point format]

[job title]
[Organisation's name]
[Organisation's location]
[Employment duration]

[Job responsibilities in bullet point format]

Qualifications
[Name of your qualification]
[Institute name and date of completion.]

Resume example for an infantry soldier

Below, you can review a resume example for a candidate applying to the ADF for an infantry position:

Darren Walker
397 Bend Blvd
Motivation Street, WA 6024
+61 7 1825 5638
Walker@email.com.au

Professional summary
Motivated individual with a passion for the outdoors and physical fitness. Developed advanced leadership and communication skills during employment as a team leader for Western Cattle Co. Conditioned to work long hours in harsh conditions while maintaining professionalism and awareness. Hoping to join the ADF as an infantry soldier with the intention of advancing to a non-commissioned officer rank. Excited to be a part of a professional team environment and contribute to Australia's defence interests.

Certificates:

Certificate of First Aid
Forklift Ticket
HR Driver's Licence
High-Risk Work Ticket.

Technical skills:

maintaining diesel vehicle components
knowledge of local flora and fauna
fundamental survival skills
exceptional physical fitness
knowledge of trauma first response
ability to operate basic communications equipment.

Soft skills:

communication
awareness
teamwork
attention to detail
discipline
collaboration
confidence
leadership.

Work experience:
Muster, Team leader
Western Cattle Co.
Pilbara, WA
January 2019-2022

coordinated team members to herd cattle
maintained communications equipment
performed vehicle maintenance
studied local maps and landmarks
implemented effective communication strategies.

Hiking guide
Hike Central
Loyd River, QLD
January 2018-2019

supervised clients during multi-day hikes
administered basic first aid
identified weather patterns and assessed risk levels.

Qualifications
Diploma in Leadership and Management
Picton University, 2019

Education
Year 10 (English and Mathematics)
Hilltop High School, 2017