InnoBlog: Writing a CV fit for a career in Europe

Nowadays, a CV is an indispensable document for every person in the workforce. It shows your background, your education, your experiences, your skills and abilities. But depending on where you are applying - to which company and in which country - what you include and how you present this information can vary drastically.

When I moved to Europe to begin my EIT InnoEnergy Master’s programme in Smart Electrical Networks and Systems, someone pointed something out to me when looking at my resume. In U.S.A., it is more common to list your school and university first in the education section, in Europe, it is more common to list the degree you obtained. This took me aback: what other differences was I missing?

In general, order can matter. Whether education information or work experience comes first can depend on the job description, such as if the job the candidate is applying for is relevant to previous work or current position. For CVs that are two pages or more, it is also preferred to have work experience and education on the first page.

Another major difference is that it is much more common to include a photo and/or date of birth on a European CV. This is especially true in Sweden, Germany, Spain, the Netherlands and France, but not necessarily everywhere.

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Each individual country’s cultural differences also show up in their CV preferences.

For example, Dutch recruiters are said to value motivation more than experience; they like to see candidates represent themselves in a neutral, down to earth way. Mentioning personal hobbies and extracurriculars is normal. Unsolicited applications show initiative and are appreciated; same goes for France.

Finnish recruiters also value personality in a CV, as they want to see if a candidate would be a good fit for the team. However, in this Nordic country, another important factor is clear and flawless communication. Networking through hobbies, volunteering, or side jobs is also common. Meanwhile, the Swedes value authenticity; proving to recruiters that you are a reliable and honest person goes a long way.

Meanwhile, in Spain, Germany, and Poland, politeness and formality are important. In fact, the Germans often require “Die Mappe” - a special application folder - of which the CV is just one part of. In general, in German-speaking countries, it is common to also list your certifications. In Poland, it is normal to list grades or awards in order to impress your prospective employer and the same goes for Italy.

Of course, it is normal to list your linguistic abilities on your CV. But given the number of different languages spoken around the continent, you may now be wondering: what language should I write my CV in?

Many jobs in Europe, especially those related to tech, are mostly performed in English. But the role or the country you are applying to may have additional requirements.

For example, in France - a country well known for preferring its own language over English - French is a common working language; in fact, it is not uncommon for applicants to translate their CV into French to apply. In Belgium, which has 3 national languages – Dutch/Flemish, French, and German - the general rule of thumb is to write your CV in the same language as the job posting.

Most universities have their own in-house career centre that can help you, particularly if you are applying to roles within the same country. Having personally used them, I can certainly vouch for their aid and assistance in helping me perfect my CV.

Additionally, EIT InnoEnergy students can benefit from EIT InnoEnergy Career Centre that not only offers free CV checks, helping you to tailor it to your preferred position but also run a dedicated job portal with job offers from its network!

The experts from Career Centre will also hold mock interviews as well as career focused events and webinars throughout the year. As these activities are supported by industry experts and coaches make sure to utilise these resources for the smoothest job hunt! Would you like to know more about this? Check out my previous blog about the Career Impact Programme.

Although the job hunt can be stressful, following these tips to writing a European CV will surely help you out. My friend from Master School, Arunava Acharya, offers some final advice: "Your CV should look like a meaningful professional journey and not a conglomeration of courses and achievements."

All the best of luck!

By Emilia Chojkiewicz, EIT InnoEnergy Master School student

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