Searching for the perfect workplace might not be easy. Now, when the world is open and friendly towards any qualified specialist, no matter what gender, race, or cultural background they are, you might wish to try and follow your professional dreams in another country. But how to create a catching and appropriate resume if you’ve decided to find an out-of-homeland employer? We’ll look into some common advice here in this article.
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Naming the Paper
The world is divided into those who accept «CVs» and those who require «resumes». And even though your future boss won’t probably get offended in case you misname the document, it is better to be completely aware of how to properly call it in a particular country.
«CV» or «Curriculum Vitae» is a common name for the job application paper in the United Kingdom, Sweden, Spain, and other European countries, and it means «course of someone’s life» in Latin.
On the contrary, Canada, the USA, Australia, and eastern countries use the term «resume». However, you might meet a North American work provider that is asking for your CV — it will most likely mean that they are interested to know more about your academic (scientific) experience, degree, publications, etc.
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Personal Data
There is some certain controversy here. American, British, and Australian headhunters will never ask for information more specific than your place of residency, contact number, email address, and a link to your LinkedIn profile. Other data, according to HR specialists of western countries, may result in some sort of discrimination.
Otherwise, a number of European employees want to see more details in your CV, which includes birthdate, gender, civil status, marital status, number of children, and maiden name, if applicable.
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Photo on an application
The US, UK, India, Mexico, African countries, and some other places in the world do not require their candidates to attach a photo to a CV because it might also lead to unwanted discrimination. This apparently does not work for actors, dancers, models, and persons of similar professions — they need to provide a shot as well as the other CV parts.
Other countries, like Canada, Singapore, UAE, and most EU members, view your image as a reflection of your personality and attitude, which is as important for jobs as your hard skills. Get ready to present your best ID-size color picture if you intend to find a work provider in these parts of the world. Make sure that the headshot is of high quality, better taken by a professional headshot photographer in a studio.
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Personal Statement
This is something all employers, no matter where they are, wish to see. A strong personal statement will contain overall information about you as a specialist, along with your current professional interests and objectives. You may prefer to divide this info into separate statements and list them with numbers or write a whole clear and informative paragraph. Opting for the latter is probably more advantageous because sharing your thoughts about career planning in writing will serve as an illustration of your mindset for your potential boss.
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Languages used
It is pretty obvious that in the world of today, the ability to speak more than one language is nearly a must. This is especially true if you are applying for an international company, and especially if this company is located in a country of another first language being officially established.
Be ready to provide proof that you are educated enough to speak a foreign language in the case of a different language work provider. For example, if you are Canadian, and you seek an opportunity to work in Germany, it will be required to show that you can communicate in German as well as they expect (unless language skills are stated to be unimportant).
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Appropriate Page Length
A standard resume will be two pages long, containing info about your education, work experience, soft and hard skills, and other required content. If you do scientific research and want to work in academic institutions, your resume might be more lengthy — three pages or even longer.
More Facts About Different Countries
- It is quite ordinary to use a ready-made Europass application form if you want to work for an EU employer;
- American work providers will find a one-page resume sufficient. You also do not need to input details about your education, apart from your college degree;
- Unlike in the US, in Germany, it is recommended to describe your educational experience as vividly as possible;
- Make sure to avoid spelling mistakes when you create a resume for an Australian employer;
- If you are about to enter a Chinese company, provide a professional photo in the top right corner of your CV. Read more about how to create a catchy resume for a Chinese organization here;
- A number of Japanese employers encourage their candidates to create handwritten resumes — they are viewed as more personal.
Final Thoughts
Changing jobs might become very stressful for those who assume that their personal and professional qualities are more important than resume representation. Never underestimate the significance of making a structured, clear, and visually appealing CV — this is your first connecting tool with an ideal work provider you are looking for.
When we talk about searching for a job in an international arena, it is advised to make a separate unique resume for each potential boss, depending on in what country the company is located, what cultural peculiarities should be taken into account, what visual content will be appropriate, etc. And never miss an opportunity to gain a new perspective, even if the change seems too radical and scary. Best of luck!