International resume: adapting your CV for each country

Your current CV may not travel well

A strong CV in your home country can look unprofessional, outdated or culturally out of place in another. The length, the photo, the personal details, the tone, the structure — all of these are country-specific conventions. Getting them wrong signals poor cultural awareness before a recruiter has read a single line of your experience.

This guide covers the most significant differences between major job markets so you can adapt your application before you send it.

UK vs US: a common source of confusion for English speakers

If you speak English and are used to one format, it is easy to assume the other will work. It will not.

United Kingdom:

• The document is called a CV — "resume" is used occasionally but "CV" is universal
• Standard length: 2 pages for experienced professionals, 1 page for graduates or early-career candidates
• No photo, no date of birth, no marital status (the Equality Act 2010 discourages these)
• A tailored cover letter is expected and read seriously
• Reverse chronological structure is standard; functional CVs are uncommon and sometimes viewed as evasive

United States:

• The document is called a resume — "CV" is reserved for academic and research contexts where the document can run 6–10 pages
• Maximum 1 page for candidates with under 10 years of experience; 2 pages for senior profiles
• No photo, no age, no nationality, no marital status (EEOC guidelines make these inappropriate and potentially counterproductive)
• Opens with a 2–3 line "summary" in implied third person: "Operations manager with 9 years of experience..."
• Every experience bullet point must include measurable outcomes: "Reduced processing time by 34%", "managed a $380K budget"

Canada:

• Anglophone Canada follows US conventions closely
• Quebec applications follow French conventions — use a French-format CV and write in French

These are not minor differences. A US resume sent to a British employer reads as too thin and over-formatted. A UK CV sent to a US recruiter reads as vague and padded.

France: photo, profile summary, and structured formality

If you are applying to a French company, the format is closer to the German one than to the Anglo-Saxon one:

• Photo: not legally required, but commonly included — a professional headshot, not a casual photo
• Personal details: first name, last name, phone, email and city are standard; nationality is sometimes added, especially for international roles
• Length: 1–2 dense pages; French CVs tend to pack more information per page than UK or US versions
• Profile summary (accroche): a 3–4 line professional introduction is expected on most CVs
• Formal tone: third person is avoided; the style is implicitly first-person without using "I"

Academic qualifications carry significant weight in France, particularly for management, engineering and legal roles. If you hold a degree from a Grande École (HEC, Polytechnique, Sciences Po, CentraleSupélec), name it explicitly — these institutions are well known in French recruitment.

Germany and Austria: formal, detailed and photo-forward

Germany has some of the most codified CV conventions in any major economy:

• Photo is expected: a professional Bewerbungsfoto in the top-right corner is still standard in most German companies. Its absence can be unusual enough to raise questions, though this is gradually changing in tech startups
• Personal details are included: date and place of birth, nationality, marital status — this contrasts sharply with UK and US norms
• Length: two pages with strict reverse chronological structure
• Signature: a digital or handwritten signature at the bottom of the document is still common in traditional German companies
• Covering letter (Anschreiben): considered essential, and expected to be detailed and formal

Applying without a photo in Germany is uncommon enough that its absence can be misconstrued. However, if you are applying to an international startup or a company with strong US influence, photo-free applications are increasingly accepted.

The question of photos on a CV is one of the clearest examples of how country norms diverge: compulsory in one market, actively discouraged in another.

Nordic countries and the Netherlands: brief and direct

Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Finland and the Netherlands share a professional culture that values efficiency and directness over formality:

• CVs are short — typically 1 to 1.5 pages even for senior professionals with 20+ years of experience
• No photo expected in most cases, particularly the Netherlands and Denmark
• Tone is more informal and direct than German or French equivalents
• Technical skills, certifications and tools are weighted very highly
• Cover letters are shorter and more conversational

Weak opening for a Nordic application:

A highly motivated and results-oriented professional with extensive experience in a fast-paced environment...

Better:

Six years in supply chain management, primarily in automotive (Tier 1 suppliers). Strong in ERP (SAP S/4HANA), inventory optimisation and cross-border logistics.

For a Nordic tech company or public sector role, a lean one-page document with specific tools and outcomes will consistently outperform a longer, more formal equivalent.

Other markets worth knowing

Australia and New Zealand: follow a hybrid between UK and US conventions. "Resume" and "CV" are used interchangeably. 2–3 pages are acceptable. No photo expected. Cover letters are common. Australian employers are notably direct — your summary should be specific and concrete rather than polished.

Japan: a highly formalised market. The traditional document is the rirekisho (履歴書), a structured handwritten or typed form available in standard formats from stationery shops or official templates. For international companies operating in Japan, a Western-style resume in English is acceptable. For Japanese employers, learning the rirekisho format is important.

Gulf region (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar): Western CVs are generally accepted, particularly in multinational environments. Photos are common and expected. Noting nationality and visa status is important. For public sector or government-adjacent roles, more formal documentation is often requested.

What always needs to be localised, without exception

Whatever your destination, three elements require deliberate adaptation:

1. Language: applying in the local language is one of the clearest signals of commitment. For roles in Belgium or Switzerland, research the working language (French, Dutch or German depending on location) and write accordingly. Submitting an English CV to a Belgian company that works in Dutch is an instant disadvantage.

2. Qualification equivalences: your degree title means little to a recruiter who does not know your country's system. Add equivalence notes where necessary. "UK 2:1 Bachelor's in Economics" needs no explanation in the US, but may need clarification in France or Germany. "Grande École Diploma (Bac+5, top-3 French engineering school)" is far more useful than the French name alone.

3. File format: PDF is universally safer than Word for layout preservation. Some US and UK application systems parse Word files more reliably for ATS processing — check the platform before deciding. Keep multiple versions ready.

Tailoring still matters more than formatting

Adapting your CV to local norms is necessary but not sufficient. A correctly formatted German Lebenslauf that contains no evidence of why you want this specific role, at this specific company, will still be passed over.

Tailoring your CV for each application is the single most impactful thing you can do — before you even think about format. Get the content right, then adapt the container to local standards.

Build your CV with CV Creator

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To go further:

• How to write your CV in English: the real differences
• Photo on a CV: when to include it and when not to
• PDF or Word: which format should you send?