In recent years, the interest of managers and professionals in developing international careers has skyrocketed. And, as expected, Human Resources departments and headhunters are on the lookout, especially when this interest coincides with staff shortages in domestic markets, pushing organizations to look for talent abroad.
Well, the first contact your potential international employer has with you, and the first impression they receive of you, is precisely your curriculum vitae (CV). It's crucial that this document clearly outlines your education, experience, and professional know-how. So far, nothing new. The first novelty, however, lies in the fact that when we talk about an "international" CV, it must also demonstrate your cultural, or rather, intercultural knowledge and know-how, since the CV will serve as a bridge between two different cultures: yours and that of your potential employer. And this is the minimum requirement, because it's possible that the company hiring you could be American, your recruiter German, and your future job could be in the Dominican Republic, Indonesia, or Brussels, to give just a few examples.
Let's look at some points to consider when creating an intercultural CV.
• Length. The internationally accepted average length is two pages, or even just one. However, as we will see later, it is very likely that you will need to include additional supporting documents.
• Structure. Some countries prefer direct chronological order—starting with the first job and proceeding to the current or most recent one—while others prefer reverse chronological order. It's a matter of finding out before writing your CV. However, if there are no specific instructions, reverse chronological order is usually the most accepted. Regarding photos, in many European countries, including Spain, they are often attached to the CV, either at the express request or spontaneously. However, in other countries, such as the USA, for example, this is not customary. Including one in this case would only demonstrate a lack of cultural awareness.
• Education/Training. This is a particularly important point in international CVs. Content and knowledge, duration, qualifications, and the social and professional standing derived from those qualifications, etc., are factors that differ significantly from one culture to another, to the point that in almost all cases of international job hunting, simply listing your academic qualifications is insufficient and inadequate. Therefore, it is important to provide the recruiter with as many details as necessary to clarify your education. This is one of the things I referred to earlier when discussing supporting documents. Naturally, it is wise to find out when, if at all, you need to provide such documentation. But have it ready and, if necessary, translated. Finally, your language skills are always important, but when it comes to an international CV, they are vital. Dedicate a special section to them and describe in detail your level of speaking, writing, comprehension, and reading in each of the languages you speak.
Languages. For most international jobs, a minimum level of English proficiency is required, as it is internationally accepted as the lingua franca of business. However, in many other cases, you will also be required to know the language of the parent company and the language of the destination country. Therefore, it is advisable to have a copy of your CV in each of the languages they will request and to be prepared for a multilingual interview. Many companies want to see and hear your language skills at very early stages of the selection process. One detail to keep in mind if your CV is in English is to find out whether the recipient uses British English (BE) or American English (AE), as there are some differences between them that can be interpreted as a spelling mistake (behavior in BE and behavior in AE, for example), or even as a sign of disinterest in the culture to which the CV is directed. In either case, this is not good for a professional aspiring to an international job. As a general rule, although not an exact one, European companies tend to use British English and North American companies use American English.
In the second part of the article, we will look at other aspects to consider in international CVs.
Gabinete Intercultural, slu, Consulting and Training in Management and Intercultural Communication
Tel./Fax: 964 39 25 46 – E-mail: gabinter@terra.es – http://www.parquempresarial.com/gabinter
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