A good CV can be key to landing that perfect job at a great company. It’s the first impression you make on potential employers and can make or break your chances of getting an interview. As seasoned recruiters of foreign talent, we thought it was time to share our knowledge with you as we explore the power of a good international CV. In this blog we will provide you with some tips and tricks for creating a strong international CV that showcases your skills, experience and personality, and that can resonate across borders.
The basics of a good international CV
Before diving into the tips and tricks, it’s important to understand the basics of a good CV. A CV is a document that provides an overview of your education, work experience, skills, achievements, and qualifications. When writing an international resume, it’s important to customize your domestic CV to an international one in order to meet the standards and practices that are customary for that region. A good international CV shows employers in other countries that you are qualified and can adapt easily to a different culture.
A well-structured and organized CV is easy to read and highlights your strengths. Some common mistakes to avoid include grammatical errors, spelling mistakes, and irrelevant information. You can find out more on ‘5 things to avoid in your CV’ near the end of this blog.
It’s also crucial to tailor your CV to the specific job and employer you’re applying for. If you are applying for multiple job openings, make sure you save each version of your cv as your name + the company you are applying for. And very importantly, don’t mix them up when you are ready to send them out!
Tips and tricks for creating a strong international CV
Here are some tips and tricks to make your international CV stand out:
- Use keywords and phrases relevant to the job: read the job description carefully and identify the keywords and phrases used. Incorporate them into your CV to demonstrate that you have the skills and experience the employer is looking for.
- Highlight achievements and skills: Instead of just listing your responsibilities, showcase your achievements and skills. Got numbers and statistics to demonstrate your impact? Even better!
- Emphasize relevant experience and education: Tailor your CV to the specific job and employer by highlighting your relevant experience and education. Provide detailed descriptions of accomplishments in previous roles.
- Showcase personality and character: A CV doesn’t have to be dull and robotic. Showcasing your personality and character can help you stand out from other applicants. Add personal touches like hobbies or volunteer experience to make your CV more engaging. If you are a funny person by nature, let that shine through.
- Make it international proof: Add the international dialing code to your phone number, mention your visa status (if applicable) and group your international experiences together in a defined section to make them stand out.
5 things to include in your CV
Contact Information. Nothing about your application matters if the HR manager can’t contact you.
Resume Summary or Resume Objective. Knock them dead with a great headline and continue with a powerful 2 sentence summary of who you are and what the recruiter can expect.
Work Experience. Emphasize results rather than responsibilities.
Skills. Only include the ones that are actually relevant to the role you’re applying for. Don’t forget to include languages!
Education. Start with the most advanced degree and work backward listing other degrees. Also, include information about any ongoing education courses.
5 things to avoid in your CV
Lie. With the extent of social media proof these days, we will find out! And you really don’t want to be moving to another country, only to lose face after arrival and get sent back home.
Go on and on. A good CV is no more than 2 pages of A4. Don’t make it longer than it needs to be.
Big chunks of text. A good CV is easily scannable. Recruiters might get 100 CV’s a day, they won’t read every single word you write.
Negativity. Keep it positive to appear more charismatic. Don’t talk about your horrible boss and why you might want to leave.
Bad formatting. This means no typos or jarring font changes halfway through. These days most CV’s won’t even get printed so stick to easy-to-read-on-a-screen fonts.
In conclusion, a good CV is a powerful tool that can make or break your chances of getting that job. By following these tips and tricks, you can create a strong international CV that highlights your strengths and stands out to potential employers. If you’re interested in working in Belgium, consider contacting Link2Europe for exciting job opportunities and personalized support in your job search. Link2Europe is specialized in finding international talent to fulfil Belgian temp and long-term job vacancies. By working with Link2Europe, you can benefit from our extensive network, expertise and knowledge of the job market. Our multilingual team of professionals can assist you in finding job opportunities that match your skills and experience.
