How to Create a Professional CV/Resume for International Jobs

Can we all just admit something right now? Writing a resume is the worst. It's a truly awful experience. It feels fake. It feels like you're trying to cram your entire professional soul onto a single piece of paper, just so a robot can judge you in six seconds. I hate it. And if you're reading this, you probably hate it too.

The internet is filled with terrible, outdated advice. "Use a creative font!" "Add an objective statement!" It's junk. All of it.

So, let's try something different. Let's forget the "rules" you think you know and talk about what actually works in the real world, especially when you're trying to get a job in a different country. This is the no-nonsense guide I wish I had when I was starting out.

First Off, Let's Burn the Old Rulebook

Seriously. Before we build, we have to demolish. There are a few things you might be doing right now that are getting your application thrown in the trash before a human even sees it.

That "Objective" line at the top of your resume? "To obtain a challenging position at a dynamic company..." Delete it. Right now. It's a waste of space. The company knows your objective is to get the job you applied for. Instead, you'll use a "Professional Summary," but we'll get to that.

And the picture? Unless you are 100% certain you're applying for a job in a country like Germany where it's still traditional—just don't. In the US, UK, Canada, and Australia, putting a photo on your resume is a huge red flag. It opens the door to bias, and companies hate that. No photo. No age. No marital status. Period.

So, What Actually Matters? The Stuff That Gets You Called.

Alright, now for the good stuff. Your resume only needs to do one thing: convince a tired, overworked recruiter to talk to you. That's it. It’s a marketing document, not your life story. Here’s how you build it.

That Little Paragraph at the Top? It's Everything.

Your Professional Summary. This is your 30-second commercial. It’s 3-4 lines of pure power that explains who you are and why you're awesome. It should be packed with keywords from the job description.

Example:

"An experienced Project Manager with 8+ years in the tech industry, specializing in Agile methodologies and cross-functional team leadership. I've successfully delivered multi-million dollar projects on time and 15% under budget. I'm passionate about building great products and I'm currently seeking a senior role in a fast-paced European tech firm."

Boom. Short. Powerful. To the point.

Your Experience Section: Stop Listing, Start Selling.

This is where everyone messes up. They just list their duties. "Responsible for reports." "Managed a team." Snooze. No one cares what you were *responsible for*. They care what you *achieved*.

You need to use numbers. Numbers are your best friend. They prove your value.

Don't do this: "Managed social media marketing campaigns."

Do this instead: "Grew organic social media traffic by 300% in one year by launching a targeted video content strategy on Instagram and TikTok, resulting in a 25% increase in online sales."

See that? It's a mini-story of success. It's got action and it's got a result. Do this for every bullet point. Every single one.

And Then There's the Robot Bouncer... (The ATS Problem)

Okay, so most big companies use something called an Applicant Tracking System (ATS). Think of it as a dumb robot bouncer at the door of a club. It scans your resume for keywords and the right format. If it can't read your resume, you don't get in. Simple as that.

So how do you get past the robot? You make its job easy.

• Use a boring font. Yes, you heard me. Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman. That's it.
• No fancy graphics. No columns. No text boxes. No logos of your skills. Just clean, black text on a white background. I know, it's ugly. Do it anyway.
• Use keywords. Look at the job description. If it says they want "stakeholder management," you better have the words "stakeholder management" in your resume.

The USA vs. Europe Thing—The Final Word

People stress about this way too much. Here's the simple version.

USA/Canada: They call it a "Resume." Keep it to one page unless you have 15+ years of super relevant experience. Be concise.

UK/Europe/Australia: They call it a "CV." Two pages is totally normal and often expected. You can add a little more detail.

That’s pretty much it. Don’t overthink it.

Look, Here's the Bottom Line.

Writing your international resume is still going to be a pain. I can't change that. There is no magic wand.

But now you know the real rules. You're not writing a historical document. You're writing a sales pitch. It’s a tool designed for one purpose and one purpose only: to get a real human being to want to talk to you.

So stop trying to make it perfect. Stop trying to cram everything in. Just make it clean, make it powerful, and make it human. Now go get that interview.