Applying for Jobs Abroad: Why Your Dutch Resume Doesn't Work

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Applying for jobs abroad? Your resume might be speaking the wrong language

You're highly educated, have relevant experience, and speak fluent English. Yet your job applications in Germany, the US, or the UK go unanswered. The reason is often more mundane than you think: your resume is perfectly fine, just not in the language and format the local employer expects. A resume isn't a universal document — it varies by country just as much as coffee-drinking customs do.

Why "just translating" isn't enough

Simply translating your Dutch resume into English feels logical, but it doesn't solve the problem. Every country has its own conventions for length, formatting, and which personal information is appropriate to include. A recruiter used to a certain format scans your resume in a few seconds for a recognizable structure. If it deviates, it takes extra effort to evaluate you — and extra effort is exactly what a recruiter with a hundred applications doesn't have.

The differences at a glance

• United States & Canada: a one-page 'resume' maximum, no photo, no age or marital status. Achievement-oriented phrasing: numbers and results, not running narratives.
• United Kingdom: a 'CV' of no more than two pages, also without a photo — personal characteristics are deliberately left out to prevent unconscious bias.
• Germany, France, many Asian countries: here a professional headshot is often expected, along with more personal details. In parts of Asia, this even includes information about marital status or age, which is uncommon in Europe and North America.
• China: the emphasis is more on completed education and degrees than on work experience — the exact opposite of what you're used to on a Dutch resume.
• Belgium: stays close to the Dutch format, two A4 pages, free-form layout, neat and clear.

Language, tone, and terminology

Write your resume and cover letter in the same language as the job posting, as a rule. Pay attention to communication style too: in Germany you phrase results directly ("I successfully led the project"), while in parts of Asia a more indirect, modest tone is valued more. And don't forget: the Dutch "hbo/wo" education system is unique. "HBO" means nothing to an American recruiter — translate it into a locally recognized equivalent.

An honest note: a good resume isn't everything

We don't want to mislead you: research shows that candidates with a migration background in the Dutch job market are demonstrably less likely to be invited for an interview, regardless of their resume. A perfectly tailored resume doesn't solve that underlying problem — that's a bigger societal issue than any single tool can fix. What a well-adapted resume does do: it at least removes the format itself as a reason for rejection. That's not everything, but it is the part you can fully control yourself.

How to approach it

1. Create a separate version of your resume for each country — not one document for the whole world.
2. Check the local norm for photos and personal information. What's standard in one country can be a red flag in another.
3. Translate degrees and job titles into local equivalents, not literally.
4. Adjust your tone to match the country's communication culture.
5. Ideally, have it checked by someone familiar with the local job market.

Why we built this in 7 languages

This is exactly why we didn't make CV Refresher available only in Dutch. With the CV Refresher tool, you upload your current resume and select the country or language you're applying for — the tool adjusts not just the language, but also the formatting and tone to match the local standard. Seven languages, seven opportunities, one resume that counts everywhere.

Refresh your resume for international job applications →

In short

• A resume format that works in the Netherlands doesn't always work abroad.
• Photos, length, and personal information vary widely by country — check this for every application.
• Translate degrees and job titles into local equivalents, not literally.
• A tailored resume reduces the chance of rejection for the wrong reason — it's no guarantee, but it is the part you can control yourself.