2. WHAT’S THE PATH
OF YOUR LIFE?
Although there is a growing emphasis on demonstrating your skills to potential employers in other
ways, such as through online portfolios and social networking tools, the CV still has a key role to play
in getting you the job you want.
There are, however, some differences on how you should present your CV in each market.
Across the world, the way CVs are written and read varies. In Europe, it is literally translated as the
“path of your life”, so it’s important to show detail, responsibilities and progression rather than just
a chronological list of job titles and duties.
There is flexibility in how you create the right CV for yourself, but there are also some pitfalls you
should try to avoid.
Let’s walk through the kind of CV that compels employers to act and how you can create it.
2
3. GET THE FORMAT RIGHT
The role you’re applying for, and the stage of your career, should determine the kind
of CV format you should use. These are the basic CV types to choose from:
1 2 3
Functional CV: If you’re applying for a job Chronological CV: These list every posi- Combination Functional & Chronological
that is a big step upwards, or is outside tion you’ve held and the responsibilities CV: Use elements of both to highlight all
your dominant skill-set or industry, this you’ve had, starting with your most recent aspects of your skill base, particularly if
format can be good. It also works if you’re position. If relevant, include both paid you have qualifications that have not been
returning to work after a break because it and unpaid positions. This CV type is the utilised in specific roles.
emphasises skills and ability rather than most common in Europe. List temporary
employment chronology. State your ca- positions in reverse chronological order,
reer objective first, then, broadly discuss just as you would full-time positions. If 4
your skills and qualifications, detailing all you worked with a temporary staffing Visual CV: These are becoming more com-
the relevant technical skills you have. List company, use its name as your employer, mon and can combine all kinds of visual
your education and qualifications and in grouping all of your assignments together. elements, including photographs, videos,
a separate section, provide your work his- Clearly state that the assignments were infographics, tables and charts. These
tory and what you’ve learned-without pro- temporary. are great for people starting out in their
viding dates/timeframes. Be as detailed as career who may not have a lot to say, but
possible, and provide job titles and names want to show what they’re capable of.
of organisations you’ve worked with if
possible.
3
4. KNOW YOUR MARKET
More people are looking for work across borders and it’s important to get your application just right for the market you’re
applying in. In France, CVs should be written in French and accompanied by a handwritten cover letter. In Germany, it’s
common practice to put your picture onto your CV, yet in the U.S. employers are required to discard these if they receive them.
A little research can go a long way and if uncertain, contact a recruiter or HR consultant to help you out and provide you with
good examples. Targeting effectively means knowing what’s important.
For example:
The length of your CV is often considered less important than the structure to European employers. It’s recommended to avoid
avoid over-used statements in your industry or location. You can find great lists online, which show who uses which buzzwords
in each location and how you can differentiate your descriptions. Often it’s better to show rather than tell an employer you have
skills like creativity, motivation or problem-solving skills. You can do this by using concrete examples, or in the way you design
your CV.
Be specific about your qualifications as these are often difficult to compare across borders. Include important facts about the
schools, colleges and universities you’ve attended that might reinforce their good reputation to someone who doesn’t know
them. Be careful of your wording — English is a second language to most and using complex corporate or technical jargon can
make it difficult for the reader to understand what you can do or have achieved.
Beware of different formatting and printing standards across countries too. If you’re in Europe and sending your CV to the U.S.,
use the correct paper size and vice versa.
4
5. The New Digital CV
The digital or infographic CV format
is becoming ever popular. In a world
where people are increasingly time
poor, tools such as vizualize.me are
allowing job seekers to bring their
plain old paper based CVs to life using
visual images and icons.
This easy to digest CV option can
be created using links to your social
networks and provides a unique
way of presenting your skills and
achievements. Referring to a digital
CV in your job application can ensure
you stand out amongst the crowd,
especially in a highly competitive job
marketplace.
5
6. DO’S & DON’TS
It can be a real challenge understanding all the do’s and don’ts when writing your CV across several countries in EMEA.
We’ve consulted with some recruiting professionals in the local markets to bring you their 3 top tips
France 3. Avoid sharing personal information, 3. Personal details should include:
useless data and make sure the presen- - Last Name, First Name
1. Mention your position at the top of
tation is nothing short of excellent. Do - Date of Birth
your CV to clearly identify the position
not print on both sides, send photo- - Place of birth
you are applying for. You can also
copies or use crinkled paper. Don’t ne- - Citizenship(s).
men ion - at the top - a foreign lan-
t
glect to mention your foreign lan-
guage IF you speak it fluently.
guages or computer skills if the posi- UK
2. Your professional experience: This tion requires them.
1. Aim for 3 pages maximum.
part of your CV is generally the most
important one, unless you are a junior Germany 2. Photos are not advised in the UK -
with no experience. For each job, including one may inadvertently
1. Include a professional headshot pic-
you eed to mention the following
n encourage discrimination. Also there
ture either in the upper left- or right-
information: is no necessity to include, sex, age,
hand corner.
- Dates (beginning/end)/job title/name marital status for the same reasons.
of the company/location 2. You should use up to two pages for
3. Avoid clichés.
- A sales line/accomplishments with your CV. However, these two pages
real figures should not be crammed with small-
- Keywords used in the job ad. print information. It should be reader
friendly. Therefore, choose your word-
ing very carefully and make sure that
your font is a minimum of 11 points.
6
7. DO’S & DON’TS
Switzerland 2. Recruiters in Russia prefer to receive Portugal
a CV with your photo. But make it a
1. Describe the tasks of your most recent 1. Keep it short - A good CV should ide-
professional photo with a clear white
jobs matching them to the job you are ally cover no more than two pages.
background.
applying for.
2. Layout - Keep it clear and accessible.
2. Structure to follow: personal informa- 3. Always write about goals you’ve
3. Have different versions available -
tion and picture, professional experi- achieved, and specify them (#, %).
Keep each one relevant to the job you
ence, educational background, lan
are applying to.
guages, IT knowledge, special recog- The Netherlands
nitions/certificates, hobbies, faculta-
1. Keep the layout to a maximum of 2 to
tive: references (can also be requested
3 pages, make it short and concise.
on demand).
2. Recruiters prefer a chronological, clear
3. A nicely designed cv is always a plus >
structure with the most recent experi
use some colours or background de-
ence listed at the top.
sign, structure the text very well and
make it easily readable. 3. Add your personal interests and hob-
bies to give your CV some added per-
Russia sonality.
1. If you apply to any middle or senior
management position never reference
your unprofessional private e-mail in
your CV like partyanimal@hotmail.com.
7
8. GET THE DETAIL RIGHT
Take a look at tools like the LinkedIn analytics site, which shows what other people are doing with their
job search and CV writing (and what to avoid). Specific elements to pay particular attention to are:
Write a great objective say how much you saved rather than stat-
ing you made ‘significant’ or ‘substantial’
Take some time to think about this. It savings. If you improved a process, say
needs to reflect how you genuinely feel what you did and how it benefited the
about your career. If you’re motivated by company.
customer service, say so. If you’re focused
on promotion and leadership, say so. If
Be aware of your tone/style
your goal is simply to work for one com-
pany because you believe in the culture, Be professional, direct and to-the-point.
purpose and what they do, say so. Be Try to be objective and accurate in every-
specific! thing you say — descriptors like ‘good
communicator’ or ‘results-oriented’ are List all your contact details
Be measurable very common and should only be used if
you have examples to prove you really are It sounds obvious, but triple-check your
and give examples
these things. Find tangible ways to prove phone number, email address and street
When highlighting your achievements, be your ‘team-player’ attitude and all other address is correct. Include your twitter
specific about what you’ve done. If you’ve ‘soft’ skills, and if you don’t have any, con- tag, website address and your LinkedIn
worked with a large team on one project, sider leaving them out. Without examples profile reference if appropriate as this will
use the word “I” instead of “we”— say they make very little impact anyway. provide employers with more material to
what you did in the process and what you assess your suitability for the role.
were responsible for. If you’re going to
give examples of cost or time savings,
8
9. TELL THEM WHAT THEY
REALLY WANT TO KNOW
When reading your CV employers will have these questions at the forefront of their minds.
If you can answer them, you’re on the right track:
“What can you do for me?” “Do you have the skills I need?” “Are your education
and credentials appropriate?”
Ask yourself if your CV captures the Place key words or phrases from the job
reader’s interest, clearly summarises who ad you’re responding to throughout your Use correct terminology and keywords to
you are, your greatest strengths, and the CV. Reorder your skills list to put the most ensure your information isn’t overlooked
main benefit of hiring you. relevant to the role first. by employers or CV scanners.
“Are you a valuable “Do you have “How are you unique?”
employee?” relevant experience?” Distinguish yourself from other candidates
Ensure that your CV demonstrates that A job title might not accurately convey before you meet the prospective em-
you have made successful contributions your relevant job experience. Consider us- ployer. Highlight ways that you work that
elsewhere. This doesn’t all need to be ing bullets to outline interesting informa- is different from others with your skill-set,
about other employers — demonstrate tion that applies to the position. Keep this and highlight extra skills such as foreign
value at your school or university, com- information brief and accurate. languages or technical expertise.
munity organisations and other volunteer
positions too.
9
10. Proofread and get feedback. If you’re not sure
you’ve answered these questions, get a trusted
friend or colleague to proofread and double-
check the detail in your CV. They can also
help you pick up inconsistencies, errors and
unintentional negative comments or tone.
10
11. BE NOTICED BY THE ROBOTS
Don’t assume that a human being will be reading your CV at the first stage. Applicant tracking
systems (ATS) are software tools used by recruiters to sort candidate applications. They are used
often across Europe, so you should assume your CV will be processed by one, particularly if you’re
applying for a role with a large organisation.
These systems can be error-prone and relatively simplistic in how they group information.
So, you need to ensure your CV is ready to meet the robot and make the right impression.
1 3 4
Send the right format: word documents Be clear about role titles and employer Use the job ad as your guide: take note
are still best. PDFs and other formats can names: don’t get too creative here, list of the keywords mentioned in the job
be difficult for the software to import. things clearly and succinctly so the ATS description and mirror these in your CV.
Avoid other graphic elements too — text imports your information correctly — this
is all that will be imported. is very high on the recruiter’s priority list
so if you get one thing right, make it this!
2
Say what you mean: label each section
clearly so that the ATS imports the correct
information into the right fields. Title your
employment history as “employment his-
tory”, “work experience” or anything else
that says what it is.
11
12. ATS can reduce 75% of job seekers’
chances of gaining an interview*
*www.cio.com “5 Insider Secrets for Beating Applicant Tracking Systems”
12
13. BE ACTIVE NOT STATIC
Even if you’re not an active job seeker right now, there are benefits to taking a proactive stance in your career.
Different employers will search for you in different places, so diversify your presence online to increase
the likelihood you’ll be found by the employers you’re targeting.
It’s increasingly important to use everything from social media and networking events to online job boards
in your search—don’t rely solely on your two-page CV to get you noticed.
1 4
Boost your job-seeking Consider creating a digital portfolio with Post your CV in places like Slideshare,
presence by: tools like weebly or about.me. CareerBuilder and anywhere else that
might be relevant to your industry.
•
Networking and connecting with col-
leagues and like-minded individuals
2
Get active in professional social media
(on and off-line). networks, such as LinkedIn.
• Starting discussions on blogs
and industry sites. 3
Consider putting your CV into animated
• Participate in groups and engage with PDF or PowerPoint presentation format
others in your field to broaden your (but don’t send these formats if you’re
networks. going through a recruiter as their ATS will
• Position yourself as the thought leader/ not be able to read it).
subject matter expert within your field
by publishing examples of your work.
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