Applying for jobs abroad: adapting your CV

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Applying for jobs abroad? Your CV 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 nowhere. The reason is often more mundane than you'd think: your CV is perfectly fine, just not in the language and format the local employer expects. A CV isn't a universal document — it varies from country to country just as much as coffee-drinking habits do.

Why "just translating" isn't enough

Simply translating your Dutch CV into English feels logical, but it doesn't solve the problem. Every country has its own conventions regarding length, formatting, and which personal information is appropriate to include. A recruiter used to a certain format scans your CV within seconds for a recognisable structure. If it deviates from that, it takes extra effort to assess 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 'resume' of no more than one page, without a photo, age or marital status. Achievement-focused wording: figures and results, not flowing narratives.
• United Kingdom: a 'CV' of no more than two pages, also without a photo — personal characteristics are deliberately left out to avoid unconscious bias.
• Germany, France, many Asian countries: here a professional headshot is often actually 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 strongly on completed education and qualifications than on work experience — exactly the opposite of what you're used to in a Dutch CV.
• Belgium: stays close to the Dutch format, two A4 pages, free-form layout, neat and clear.

Language, tone and terminology

As a rule, write your CV and cover letter in the same language as the job advert. Also pay attention to communication style: in Germany you phrase results directly ("I successfully led the project"), while in parts of Asia a more indirect, modest tone is appreciated. And don't forget: the Dutch hbo/wo education system is unique. "HBO" means nothing to an American recruiter — translate it into an equivalent that's recognised locally.

An honest note: a good CV isn't everything

We don't want to mislead you: research shows that candidates with a migration background in the Dutch labour market demonstrably have less chance of being invited for an interview, regardless of their CV. A perfectly adapted CV doesn't solve that underlying problem — that's a bigger societal issue than any single tool can fix. What a well-adapted CV 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 tackle it

1. Create a separate version of your CV for each country — not one document for the whole world.
2. Check the local norm for photos and personal details. What's standard in one country can be a red flag in another.
3. Translate qualifications 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 made CV-Refresher available in more than just Dutch. With the CV-Refresher tool, you upload your current CV and select the country or language you're applying to — the tool adapts not just the language, but also the layout and tone to the local standard. Seven languages, seven opportunities, one CV that counts everywhere.

Refresh your CV for international applications →

In short

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