Work & Business

How to write a CV in English

You want to work abroad or integrate a large company? In order to apply in an English business, the first step is your CV or resume! A CV in English is not built the same way that a CV in another language, it is not enough to translate!

To put the odds on your side, we offer some tips to help you write a killer resume in English with utlimate goal: to get you the interview.

In this article we will see how to organize your English resume:

Content

• English CV may contain 2 pages (and sometimes more) with details depending on experience (hint: number your pages: putting down page 1 of 2 for example)
• Photo ID is not mandatory
• Layout should be classic (English recruiters are not fans of colors)
• Make it easy to read (hint: you can play on line spacing)

Background

The first question that comes to mind is knowing which paragraph is better to start with. For your English CV, it is recommended to enhance the experience if it is significant. A young graduate will have more interest to value their schooling in contrast to an experienced professional who will highlight his experiences.

The structure of an English CV

Personal Details

• First Name and Last Name
• Address
• Telephone number (in international format +33, +44)
• E-mail
• Date of birth / age (asked in the UK, not the US)
• Nationality (asked in the UK, not the US)
• Marital status (asked in the UK, not the US)

Title = Professional Objective

In an English CV, this part is to present briefly your professional project and / or the type of position sought. Eg "Professional objective: A position in marketing in the automotive industry That Provides Opportunity for growth." or "Sales director".

TO AVOID: the words "Looking / seeking for a job in ...".

Work Experience

It is important to distinguish between jobs, internships (internship) and seasonal jobs (summer jobs).

Describe your work experience chronologically (or group them by job function): write the position held, the company with the industry, date of entry and exit and the main tasks performed (achievements).

The description of the tasks must be done using action verbs in -ING for current experience and -ED for past experiences without personal pronoun (eg. Established new partnerships with several companies).

If you have periods of inactivity it must explain why in your English CV (eg. Redundancy).

Certification

English-speaking recruiters like certifications, it is recommended to clearly indicate them in the resume. For example: PRINCE2® Foundation & Practitioner (Project Management)

Education

It may be that certain diplomas obtained in France are not recognized in the UK, we recommend that you leave the name of the French degree and describe the outline of the training.

You can add some relevant materials ("relevant courses"), distinctions on essay and thesis, and semester abroad.

Ex: 2012 - 2015 Master in Finance (expected 2015) at ICN Business School (top French Business School, 5-years program)

Language and IT skills

• Languages: native, fluent, proficient / advanced, good understanding. Feel free to add your score to English exams (TOEIC / TOEFL) and your university holidays / travel. As a foreign candidate your language skills are fundamental.
• IT skills

Personal Interests (Interests and activities)

We recommend that you select a few and describe them shortly in order to highlight what differentiates you from other candidates.

References

Apart from the CV, it is frequent to communicate the coordinates of one or more people who wish to recommend your professional work and being available to answer questions about you. This practice adds credit to your CV.

In the video below, you can follow a summary of the main points to build a killer resume.

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 Author: EasyExpat |  2015-04-20 09:24:09

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