Whether it’s your dream job that’s currently available abroad or a long-held desire to emigrate to another country to gain international work experience, improve your language skills, or travel the world with a work and travel program, before you can start your career abroad, you need to find and secure a suitable position. There are a few important factors to consider when it comes to application documents, as different standards apply in different countries.
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To succeed abroad, your application must not only be well-written, but also culturally appropriate. Understanding local recruiters’ expectations is crucial. This includes understanding document requirements, formatting norms, and what will make your application feel natural and professional in another country.
Language matters
When applying abroad, pay close attention to the language requested in the job posting. Submitting documents in the wrong language can result in immediate rejection. If the posting isn’t clear, reach out to the contact person provided.
Simply translating your existing documents is often not enough. For multinational or local companies where English is the corporate language, your application should follow local English standards. Additionally, foreign applicants may need to provide translated qualifications, visas, or other supporting documents.
Not all résumés are the same: résumé or CV?
If an English résumé is required, there are several options: Curriculum Vitae (CV for short) or résumé. And even here, the definition differs depending on the country.
The résumé is mainly used in North America. It should fit on one A4 page and be tailored to the position in question. It is a reverse chronological resume, which means that your educational, academic, and professional history is listed in reverse order, with the most recent first. Since the résumé should be concise and clear, all irrelevant positions are omitted.
In the US, on the other hand, a curriculum vitae is what we would call an academic CV in this country. This is required when applying for a position in research and in the academic field in general, and provides a detailed overview of all academic and professional achievements (including your own publications). It can therefore be several pages long.
In many European countries, such as the United Kingdom, a CV is more similar to the American résumé.
Applying for a job in the UK
A special feature of applying for a job in the UK is the application form, which is very common there. This can often be found on the company’s website or, if necessary, can be requested directly. If you still want to submit a traditional application, please note that in the United Kingdom, you should not include a photo in your resume, nor should you provide information about your religion, nationality, marital status, or date of birth. In addition, no attachments such as certificates should be included. The HR manager will only want to see these in the next step during the personal interview. Understandably, you should then also bring a certified translation with you. It is also important to use British spelling, as American English tends to appear incorrect.
Applying in France
In France, too, a cover letter (Lettre de Motivation) and a resume (résumé). However, this should be complete and not omit any stages of your career. Qualifications that are particularly relevant to the CV should be presented in detail and highlighted. As in Germany, a photo is not a must, but is definitely desirable. The French are also less hesitant about age, nationality, and marital status. These should be mentioned in the résumé. One special feature is that a handwritten lettre de motivation is not uncommon in France.
Applying in Spain
When applying to a Spanish company, you need a short cover letter, the Carta de Presentación, and a meaningful Curriculum Vitae that covers the points relevant to the position you are applying for. Unlike in the UK, job seekers in Spain can also easily add a photo to their application. In addition, the CV must include an ID and tax number, current marital status, and number of children. Certificates and other proof of qualifications are only necessary if they are expressly requested.
Applying in the USA
To work in the USA, you need a residence and work permit (a work visa or a Green Card). Interested applicants can find out which visa is the right one, which documents are required, and which specific requirements must be met from the US Embassy, among other sources.
Standard applications consist of a cover letter, a letter of motivation, and a résumé. Copies of certificates and other proof of qualifications, on the other hand, only need to be included if they are expressly requested by the company. Since great importance is attached to anonymous applications in the United States, neither the gender nor the age of the applicant, their religion, or their nationality need to be disclosed. You should also refrain from including a photo. References are extremely important. Accordingly, the application should list several references, including their contact details, who can confirm the applicant’s skills and qualifications. However, these references should also be aware that they are being mentioned.
What happens after the application?
If the written application was successful, the company will most likely want to conduct a telephone or video interview with the applicant before moving on to the next step, which is a face-to-face meeting on site. You should prepare thoroughly for this interview and have all relevant information at hand.
For an on-site interview, you must not only have all the necessary documents ready, but also the corresponding (certified) translations. Some of the typical questions are also country-specific. A quick internet search certainly won’t hurt here. You should also find out in advance which questions or statements are considered faux pas in the respective country. In the US, for example, the number of vacation days or salary are only discussed in separate negotiations after the interview.
