Why is a good CV important?
When you apply for a job, both in Denmark and abroad, your CV is the first thing you submit. Your CV is often the first impression you give to the place where you want to work, and therefore it can have a significant impact on how it is presented.
A neat, well-written CV can be the difference between being considered for the position and giving you an edge over other applicants. Conversely, an unappealing CV can create an unfortunate impression.
Therefore, it’s a very good idea to spend some time making your CV presentable and thoroughly check it for any spelling errors.
Where should I write my CV?
There are a number of different options when it comes to writing a CV. Some solutions are free, while others cost money, and our experience is that the paid solutions are often the best option.
However, it doesn’t need to cost anything, and many CV tools offer a free trial period – so just get it done and downloaded, then you can go from there with a great CV completely free.
Use our free CV tool
First and foremost we recommend you to use our free online CV maker tool. It is made for applying for jobs abroad and will help you make a professional CV in minutes.
It is the easiest way to make your English CV and is free to use. We won’t ask for your e-mail address, nor will we save any of your personal details. The CV tool is made for you to use for free and we recommend you to have a look as your first option.
Make a CV on resume.com
Among the many tools you can find online, we recommend the website www.resume.com because it is very simple to use. Whether you already have experience with CVs, or are writing your very first professional CV.
Here, you are guided through their process and you just need to choose a layout and fill in the boxes with your information. It doesn’t get easier than this – remember to choose that the CV should be in English layout.
At resume.com, you get a free trial period of 7 days and you can both write and download your free CV during the entire period. If you do not want to pay for the solution, just remember to cancel it after you have downloaded your final CV.
Write your CV in Word
If you already have Word on your computer, it is also recommended to use their ready-made CV template. In the Word application, there are a number of ready-made templates and for example the template in the Danish version of Word called “CV in blue and gray” is highly recommended.
The advantage of writing a CV in Word is that it’s readily available if you already have the program installed. And you also automatically get spell check included. This way, it’s easier to avoid typos, just as you are used to in other Word documents.
An important thing to remember when writing an English CV in Word is that it does not by default suggest writing language competencies in the CV. This is a must when applying for a Danish job abroad, so make sure to include it in your CV.
How should my CV look?
Your CV is your chance to stand out and add your personal touch. However, there’s no need to reinvent the wheel and therefore we recommend using one of the templates that you can find ready in the CV program you choose to use.
This way, you know you are using a layout that works and you can instead spend the time writing a good CV and checking it through, so there are no spelling or typing errors to be found.
We strongly recommend that you use a template that includes space for a picture of you. You choose which picture your future employer will see of you first and therefore we recommend using a picture that shows you in a professional way – for example, no drinks in the picture, and avoid pictures with filters or similar.
What MUST my CV include?
When writing a CV for a job abroad, there are some things that are absolutely necessary to mention. The things that should be mentioned are as follows:
- Your full name
- Phone number
- Education
- Work experience
- Languages (e.g. level from 1-5)
What SHOULD my CV include?
In addition to the essentials, there are also a number of things that are a very good idea to mention on your CV. It’s good to get these on there, so you show your strengths and some of the things that set you apart.
Some of the things are also fine to mention so the employer can get an idea of who you are as a person. We recommend that you include:
- A picture of you (highly recommended!)
- Links to social media profiles, e.g., LinkedIn, Instagram, or Pinterest
- Hobbies (3-5 things you like to do in your free time)
- Any volunteer work you have done
- Any books or public articles you have published
- Special achievements – e.g., admission to a talent team or special performance
Which skills should I highlight?
When presenting yourself on a CV, it’s important to mention strengths and skills so you appear in the best possible way. There are 2 types of skills that should be mentioned on a good CV. These are personal skills (soft skills) and technical skills.
When I write an English CV, I usually divide them into “Soft skills” and “Technical skills” (there will typically be most “soft skills” mentioned). Below you will find 8 examples of each type of skill.
Examples of “Soft skills”:
- Problem-solving
- Customer service
- Communication
- Teamwork
- Leadership
- Fast learner
- Social media
- Copywriting
Examples of ”Technical skills”:
- Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, Powerpoint)
- Adobe Photoshop
- Gimp photo editor
- Microsoft Windows
- Apple macOS
- Amazon Web Services
- Python programming language
- Jira Work Management
What else is good to mention in a CV?
When writing your CV, you should make it short and precise, so the reader can easily find the most important information. Of course, it’s important to write enough to understand your experience and why your skills are suitable for the position.
Your CV should always be 1-2 pages, so be careful not to make it too long!
When writing your work experience, it’s a good idea to mention 3-5 examples of work tasks and/or things you have achieved in the job. For example, if you have worked behind the counter in a kiosk or at a gas station, it might look like this:
- Direct customer contact behind the counter
- Providing direct B2C customer service to customers in the store
- Helping with various tasks when needed
- Responsible for opening/closing the store
- Gaining the ability to handle stressful situations
A final important tip for your CV is to tailor your CV to the job position you are applying for. It will make you the obvious candidate for the job if your skills match those required for the role and the work tasks described in the job posting.
For example, if you are applying for a job in a customer service department somewhere, it’s a very good idea to include previous experience with customer service (or customer contact), problem-solving, teamwork, conflict handling, educational skills – and also IT experience from school or work.
Enjoy writing your CV!
We wish you great enjoyment with your CV writing! If there is anything you are still unsure about when you want to apply for a job abroad at Next Job Abroad, we are happy to have an initial conversation and talk it through with you.
If you already have a great CV ready, you can see our jobs abroad here.
