How to Create a European CV If You’re Wanting to Move Abroad

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If you ever have the chance to move abroad I highly recommend it.

As someone who grew up abroad and lived the expat lifestyle on and off for 15 years, I can’t emphasize enough how important it is to see the world and get a different viewpoint. We live in a global world so why not take the opportunity to experience something new.

One way you can move abroad is to find a job, which is no easy task.

After working and living abroad myself, I wanted to share tips I’ve learned on how to create a European CV that will help you get your foot in the door if living abroad is a dream you want to turn into a reality.

When living in Switzerland I took a class that helped foreigners structure their CV to find employment in Switzerland so my experience might be more skewed towards that area of Europe.

Be sure to check how to specifically structure your CV for the country you are wanting to move to as there might be slight differences.

However:

There is a general European CV format that I’ll show you how to do in this post.

If you don’t have the option to take a class you can search online for a freelancer who specializes in perfecting CVs. Find someone from the country you’re wanting to move to or someone who understands how to structure a CV for that country if you want to be safe.

Content is always more important than format so don’t stress trying to get it exactly right.

It will be easy to see that you are a foreigner but trying to structure your CV as closely as you can shows your willingness to assimilate. Americans tend to get a bad reputation abroad for not understanding that the rest of the world does not operate the same. Avoid that mentality and you will be a more appealing candidate.

If you want to learn how to create a European CV from someone who has worked abroad and spent much of their life living in Europe keep reading!

How to Create a European CV

PERSONAL INFORMATION

This is where a European CV will really differ from an American resume as much of this information is a big no-no in the U.S. In Europe, there is a lot of information that is not off-limits as they want to know more about the person they hire outside of work too.

Include: 

– A professional-looking headshot (no #selfies here)

– Your address with the country

– Contact details – phone number with country code and email address

– Date of Birth in dd/mm/yyyy format

– Citizenship and/or visas you hold

– Marital status (depends on the country)

– Gender (depends on the country)

OBJECTIVE

I didn’t include this in my CV as it’s slowly becoming obsolete. I included the title of the position I was applying for in my header before my contact details (you need to have this on your CV) and spoke more about goals in my motivational letter – in the States called the cover letter.

This section briefly goes over your background and what you are looking for.

WORK EXPERIENCE

This part is the same as the U.S. when it comes to a resume. Make sure your language isn’t too colloquial as you might have a non-native English speaker reading your CV.

When listing your experience be sure to include location information. The city, state, and country should suffice. It might be obvious to you where the location is, but not to someone from another country.

EDUCATION OR CERTIFICATES

This will be similar to an American resume except you go in reverse. Start at your High School degree  – yes, this is expected to be included even if you an advanced degree.

Always remember you might have a non-native English speaker looking over your CV so write out the full titles of your degrees or certificates. Include the years you started and finished and location.

If you have any relevant certifications like you’re Google Analytics certified, this is the place to include it.

PERSONAL SKILLS + COMPETENCIES

This should always be on the second page of a European CV and will go into more detail about what you can offer the company and relevant hobbies that make you the perfect fit for the position.

Include: 

– Language skills always go first (your native language + any others you speak)

– Relevant hobbies – If you’re applying for a Copywriter position and you write in your free time that shows you already have a natural interest

– Try to include a few for each area – technical skills (specific to your industry), computer skills, organizational skills, and other skills.

Extra Helpful European CV Tips 

– MUST set to A4 size

– Include the languages you speak according to CEFR levels from A1 (beginner) to C2 (fluent)

– Highlight any international experience you’ve had (Study abroad? Travelled to 36 countries?)

– Use British English spelling as Europeans learn British English

– Try to keep to no more than 2 pages unless you have a long career

– Write out acronymous as they may not translate abroad

– If you have a friend or family member who lives in the country you are applying to use their address so it looks like you are more local, and could help you get your foot in the door

I hope you found this helpful. If there is anything else you would like to know about how to move abroad or my experience living abroad for many years leave it in the comment section below!

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