The Europass resume: Tips for drafting a winning European CV

In the European Union, one curriculum vitae template has been the choice of more than 10 million people since 2005. In fact, even non-Europeans use it when seeking jobs in the regional bloc. Europass, said Philippe Tissot, project manager of the Europass portal within the European Center for the Development of Vocational Training in Brussels, is continually attracting new users. About 10,000 people complete Europass CVs each day. Among the millions who use Europass is Devex member Francesco Calazzo, an Italian communications professional who would like to work in public affairs for either a nongovernmental organization or an international or government agency. Europass, Calazzo told Devex, “should, at least in theory, make all the back stories of candidates coherent and would allow for a better, unbiased analysis by hiring authorities.” According to the joint decision by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union that created Europass, the form serves as a single framework to transparently present qualifications and competences for those wanting to attend education or training programs, or applying for jobs anywhere in Europe. Creating a Europass CV The process of creating a Europass CV is fairly straightforward: Visitors to the Europass website can either click on “Create your Europass,” which will guide them through the stages online, or download the CV template in the language of their choice. The Europass website likewise provides examples of completed CVs, which Devex member Aiste Lehmann said are must-reads for those planning to build their own Europass CVs. “My best advice is that you should read the provided instructions and examples of Europass CVs [on the Europass website] before starting to fill in the CV,” said Lehmann, a international development project management expert from Bosnia-Herzegovina. “And plan to spend some time on it, because you will need to find exact data on your previous placements.” The Europass CV includes personal information such as name, birth date, contact information, gender and nationality; a description of work experience, starting with the most recent job held; educational details; language abilities; and personal skills and competences. Common pitfalls and how to overcome them The template’s format presents a key concern for Europass users. “My main concern about the Europass CV is that it does not provide an option to describe briefly your strong points or create a short professional profile,” Lehmann told Devex. “The space for describing skills is provided at the end of the template, where it loses its importance.” If filled in thoroughly, the Europass CV can become quite lengthy, according to some of its users. “Only international agencies and/or governments seem to like the Europass approach to the CV,” Calazzo said. “Corporations say it is too long and never gets to the point.” Ideally, a Europass CV should be brief — no more than two pages long — if catered to a staff position. Applicants with extensive work experiences may have CVs that are three pages in length. Contractors often have longer CVs as they typically list their publications and describe completed projects. Recent graduates, meanwhile, can include volunteer work or internships in the work experience section. Tips for building a Europass CV - Be concise and clear. If you wish to include contact information of references under the additional information section, consider saying, “References supplied on request.” - Remove optional headings. If you choose to create your CV online, note that the Europass website automatically takes out any fields left blank. - Emphasize specific skills and competencies, and indicate where they were acquired. If stating “a good ability to adapt to multicultural environments,” follow this with, for instance, “gained through experience working overseas.” - Keep the suggested layout and font for the CV. Europass advises against underlining, using bold fonts, or writing whole sentences in capital letters, which will have a negative impact on the document’s readability. If language skills are essential for the job you seek, fill out the Europass Language Passport and attach it to your CV. - Tailor your Europass CV to the company or organization offering the job, and focus on career experiences that are relevant to that job. - Create a CV according to the job application traditions of the country where the position is located. For example, in the United Kingdom, applicants would not attach a photograph, but in Germany, candidates would include a photo in their resumes. If you decide to use a photo for your online CV, attach an image file with a JPG extension, the preferred picture format for Europass. - Write your Europass CV in the language used where the job you are aiming for is located. - As is the case with any CV, carefully proofread the document to make sure it is free of typos and other errors. Print it out on white paper to ensure that it looks good, and ask a friend to read it over before submitting it to potential employers. - Because documents created on the Europass website are not permanently stored on the site’s servers, be sure to email them to yourself or save them elsewhere, such as your personal computer. You can save your Europass CV in the following formats: Adobe PDF + Europass XML, Microsoft Word, Open Document, HTML, or Europass XML. Saving your CV in an XML or Adobe PDF + Europass XML format will enable you to upload it to employers’ websites and also update your CV through the Europass portal later on.