When looking for a job, showing off your skills is almost as important as having them. Yes, we know, it is kind of sad, but that is the way it is. So, knowing that your CV will be the first thing a company knows about you, you have to make sure all the important things are there. Since we see lots of CVs every day, today we bring you a few tips on how to improve your CV, especially if you have lived abroad before.
What is a CV?
A CV—short for the Latin “curriculum vitae,” meaning “course of life”—is a detailed document highlighting your professional and academic history. It is used when applying for jobs and can include information such as your work experience, education, achievements, awards…. Alongside your CV, employers may also ask for a cover letter.
This term (CV) is used in many countries. However, in other countries, such as the USA and Canada, CVs are known as résumés. In this blog, we will be talking about European CVs (aka American résumés).
How to improve your CV: What it should look like
Your CV should not be longer than two pages. That said, one size doesn’t fit all. A recent graduate might not have as much to say as someone who has been working for 20 years. Make sure you stick to relevant information and try to keep it as short as you can. However, while it’s important to keep your CV concise, you should also avoid selling your experience short. As Aristotle said: “Virtue stands in the middle”.
Besides, make sure to check these guidelines:
- use a clear font like Arial, Times New Roman or Calibri in size 11 or bigger
- always use the same style throughout
- use headings and bullet points to make it easier to read
- be clear and to the point
- get someone else to read it to double check your spelling and grammar
Sections you should include to improve your CV
1- Contact Details
Include your full name, home address, mobile number and email address. If you have a professional networking profile, website or online portfolio, link it within your contact details (i.e. your LinkedIn profile).
In some countries, like Spain, most people include a small photo on the top center/corners of the first page. However, other countries like the UK don’t usually include one.
2- Introduction/Profile
It’s placed at the beginning of a CV and includes a few short lines that sum up who you are and what you hope to do. A good CV profile focuses on the sector you’re applying to.
Be careful! If you write an introduction for a specific job (i.e. “I have always wanted to work in the Marketing industry”), make sure to change it when applying for a different role. Show them you’re the right person for the job. You should not send the same résumé to every job you apply to; tailor your objective or skills to the specific requirements and expectations of the employer.
3- Education History
List and date all previous education*, including professional qualifications. Place the most recent (and relevant) first. Include:
- names of your qualifications
- name of the school, college or university where you studied
- dates you attended
*You can add this after the introduction if you’re early in your career or do not have much work experience. If you have a lot of work experience, you might want to change the order and show off your work history and experience first. Therefore, point 3 and 4 could be switched depending on the profile.
4- Work History
As well as your Education History, it should be listed in reverse date order. If you have many experiences, you should mention the ones that are relevant to the job. When listing your experience, include:
- the employer’s name/name of the company
- the job title
- the dates you worked there
- what you did (key responsibilities), usually 2 to 3 lines
5- Volunteering
Including volunteer experience on a CV could be important for people with limited work experience. For those who have recently graduated from university or have a gap in their employment, volunteer experience shows that they have real-world experience and continue to enhance and improve their skills.
This can be listed the same way as your work experience (name of organization, title, dates, responsibilities…).
6- Skills and Achievements
The first thing you should include here is the foreign languages you speak (and your level). Besides, you should add the software you work with or know how to use (competently). Be careful if you exaggerate your abilities. You’ll need to back up your claims at the interview! You can also add soft skills such as creativity, team work, collaboration, etc. Same as with the hard skills, though: do not lie!
Regarding achievements, mention the relevant ones. No one wants to read how you won a poetry contest when you were thirteen.
7- Interests
Relevant interests can provide a more complete picture of who you are, as well as giving you something to talk about at an interview. However, if your interests are: “cooking, reading, music, and sports”, leave this section out.
8- References
You don’t need to provide the names of references at this stage. In fact, you should not put someone else’s contact details on your CV. However, if there is someone who has agreed to give you references (employer, teacher, etc.) you can say ‘references available upon request’.
Most employers would assume this to be the case, though, so if you have limited space, you can leave it out.
How to improve your CV including experiences abroad
If you have international experience, whether from working, studying, or volunteering abroad, make sure to feature it prominently on your résumé. This shows potential employers that you are adaptable, culturally aware, and capable of thriving in diverse environments. If you don’t have international experience, consider how your existing skills could be applicable in a global context and articulate this clearly.
Now that we have gone through the different sections, here is where and how to improve your CV including experiences abroad:
- Introduction/Profile: If living abroad is what you are applying to or something that really defines you, you can include it here. Otherwise, save it for other areas on your CV.
- Education: Here you can note if you have studied abroad. Make sure to mention where, when and for how long: recruiters value abroad experiences.
- Work History: Just as with Education, make sure to mention the country you have worked in if abroad, not just the name of the company.
- Skills: Living abroad helps you develop hard skills like languages and soft skills like adaptability. Mention those and be ready to talk about your time abroad if asked about them!
- Interests: As we mentioned, you should only write down relevant interests. Don’t write “travel, meeting people, knowing different cultures”… but, if there is an interesting one related to your experience abroad, go for it!
You can combine a couple, but do not note more than that related to your experience abroad, as it can become a bit too much.
Cover Letter: Another option to highlight experiences abroad
Remember that you can also write a cover letter in which you can go deeper into your abroad experience (or anything that we stated before) and how it made you who you are. You have more freedom than in other sections.
In fact, even though each CV should be a little different depending on the job you apply to, you can also use a generic CV and focus on writing a tailored cover letter that includes how you can contribute to the company’s goals and vision.
