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Message: [QUOTE="Ruby, post: 15, member: 2"] I sent out 87 applications before I got my first interview for an international tech role. Looking back now, I cringe at those early CVs. I was making every mistake possible, and nobody had told me that what works in Lagos doesn't work in London or Toronto. Then I connected with a recruiter in Berlin who gave me honest feedback. She spent 20 minutes tearing apart my CV, and honestly, it hurt. But within two weeks of implementing her advice, I started getting interview requests. Within two months, I had three job offers. Today, I want to share exactly what I learned about crafting CVs that actually get you hired internationally. [HEADING=2]The Fundamental Difference[/HEADING] Here's what nobody tells you: European and North American employers scan your CV for 6-10 seconds initially. That's it. If they don't immediately see what they're looking for, you're out. Your Nigerian CV that lists every responsibility you've ever had? It gets ignored. Your two-page CV with a photo, full address, and personal details? It raises red flags in North America. The game is completely different, and you need to know the rules. [HEADING=2]What Europeans Want to See[/HEADING] I'll start with Europe since that's where I eventually landed a job. [B]Format and Length[/B] Europeans prefer a clean, structured CV that's 1-2 pages maximum. They actually use something called the Europass format in many countries, though it's not mandatory. I personally don't use Europass because it's too rigid, but understanding the structure helps. Use clear section headers: Personal Information, Professional Experience, Education, Skills, and Languages. Europeans care about language skills more than North Americans, so always include a languages section. [B]Personal Information[/B] This surprised me: Europeans expect some personal details that North Americans consider inappropriate. Include your full name, city (not full address), phone number with country code (+234), email, and LinkedIn profile. You can include your nationality and date of birth, though this is becoming less common due to discrimination concerns. Never include your photo unless specifically requested—though some German and Austrian companies still expect it. [B]Professional Experience[/B] This is where I was making my biggest mistakes. I was listing responsibilities instead of achievements. Here's the difference: [B]Wrong:[/B] "Responsible for managing social media accounts and creating content" [B]Right:[/B] "Grew Instagram following from 5,000 to 45,000 in 8 months through data-driven content strategy, resulting in 200% increase in website traffic" See the difference? Numbers, results, impact. Every bullet point should answer "so what?" Use reverse chronological order (most recent first). For each role, include: job title, company name, location (city, country), dates (month/year to month/year), and 3-5 achievement-focused bullet points. [B]Education[/B] Europeans care about education credentials. List your degree, institution, location, and graduation year. If you have a strong GPA (above 3.5/4.0 or equivalent), include it. If you graduated with honors or distinctions, definitely mention that. Include relevant coursework only if you're entry-level and it directly relates to the job. [B]Skills Section[/B] Be specific and honest. Don't just write "Microsoft Office"—everyone has that. Instead: [LIST] [*][B]Technical Skills:[/B] Python, JavaScript, React, AWS, SQL, Docker [*][B]Languages:[/B] English (Native), German (B2), French (A2) [*][B]Certifications:[/B] AWS Solutions Architect Associate, Google Analytics Certified [/LIST] [HEADING=2]What North Americans Want to See[/HEADING] North American CVs (they call them resumes) are different in important ways. [B]Format and Length[/B] One page is ideal if you have less than 10 years of experience. Two pages maximum if you're senior. North Americans are even more ruthless about scanning quickly—you have about 6 seconds to make an impression. Use a simple, ATS-friendly format. Many companies use Applicant Tracking Systems that scan your resume before a human sees it. Fancy designs, tables, and graphics break these systems. [B]Personal Information[/B] Here's where it gets strict: Include only your name, phone number, email, LinkedIn profile, and GitHub (if relevant). That's it. No photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no nationality, no full address (just city and state is fine). Including these things actually hurts your chances because companies worry about discrimination lawsuits. [B]Professional Experience[/B] North Americans love the "action verb + achievement + metric" format even more than Europeans. Every bullet should start with a strong verb: [LIST] [*]Developed, Created, Implemented, Managed, Led, Increased, Reduced, Improved, Launched [/LIST] Examples that worked for me: [LIST] [*]"Reduced customer support tickets by 40% by implementing automated FAQ chatbot" [*]"Led team of 5 developers to deliver e-commerce platform 2 weeks ahead of schedule" [*]"Increased user retention by 25% through redesigned onboarding flow based on user research" [/LIST] [B]The Summary Section[/B] North Americans often include a 2-3 line professional summary at the top. Europeans rarely do this. Your summary should be a punchy statement of who you are and what value you bring: "Full-stack developer with 4 years of experience building scalable web applications. Specialized in React and Node.js with proven track record of delivering projects that increased user engagement by 30%+. Seeking software engineering role in fintech." [HEADING=2]Common Mistakes That Kill Your Chances[/HEADING] Let me share the mistakes I made and see constantly: [B]Using "I" or "me"[/B] Never write "I managed a team" or "I was responsible for..." Just write "Managed team of 8" or "Responsible for..." Resumes are implied to be about you. [B]Including irrelevant experience[/B] If you're applying for a software role, your 2015 internship at a retail store doesn't belong on your CV unless you have zero tech experience. Be ruthless about relevance. [B]Listing duties instead of achievements[/B] Your job description is on the company website. Recruiters want to know what you accomplished, not what you were supposed to do. [B]Typos and grammatical errors[/B] This is instant rejection. Use Grammarly, have two people proofread, read it backwards. One typo can cost you the job. [B]Using unprofessional email addresses[/B] [EMAIL]sweetboy123@yahoo.com[/EMAIL] or [EMAIL]sexygirl@gmail.com[/EMAIL] won't get you hired. Use [EMAIL]firstname.lastname@gmail.com[/EMAIL] or similar. [HEADING=2]The ATS Problem You Need to Solve[/HEADING] Here's something critical: 75% of resumes never reach human eyes. They're filtered by Applicant Tracking Systems first. To beat the ATS: Use standard section headers like "Work Experience" not creative ones like "My Professional Journey" Include keywords from the job description naturally in your experience. If they want "project management," use that exact phrase. Avoid tables, text boxes, headers/footers, and columns. Use simple formatting with standard fonts (Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman). Save as .docx or PDF (check which the application requests). Never use .pages or obscure formats. [HEADING=2]Tailoring Your CV for Each Application[/HEADING] This is tedious but essential. I don't send the same CV twice. For each application, I: Read the job description carefully and highlight 5-7 key requirements. Adjust my professional summary to mirror the role's focus. Reorder and rewrite experience bullet points to emphasize relevant skills. Include 3-5 keywords from the job description naturally. This takes 15-20 minutes per application, but my response rate went from 5% to nearly 30%. [HEADING=2]Real Examples That Worked[/HEADING] Let me show you before and after versions: [B]Before (weak):[/B] "Worked on the company website and made improvements to make it better" [B]After (strong):[/B] "Redesigned company website using React and modern UX principles, resulting in 45% increase in mobile conversions and 60% faster page load times" [B]Before (weak):[/B] "Responsible for social media marketing" [B]After (strong):[/B] "Managed social media strategy across 4 platforms, growing combined audience from 12K to 89K followers in 14 months and generating $50K in attributed revenue" See how the second version tells a complete story with numbers? [HEADING=2]The Cover Letter Question[/HEADING] Europeans sometimes expect cover letters; North Americans rarely read them unless specifically requested. My rule: if it's optional, skip it and spend that time tailoring your CV instead. If it's required, keep it to 3-4 short paragraphs maximum. [HEADING=2]Tools That Actually Help[/HEADING] I use these tools for every CV I send: [B]Canva or Novoresume[/B] for clean templates that are ATS-friendly [B]Grammarly[/B] to catch errors and improve clarity [B]Jobscan[/B] to compare my CV against job descriptions and optimize keywords [B]LinkedIn[/B] to research people with similar roles and see how they present their experience [HEADING=2]Your Action Steps Right Now[/HEADING] Stop sending out that generic CV. Seriously, stop. Here's what to do instead: Spend two hours this weekend rewriting your CV using the principles I've shared. Focus on achievements with numbers, not responsibilities. Create two versions: one optimized for Europe (with language skills, slightly more personal info) and one for North America (strictly professional, no personal details). Tailor each application. Yes, it's time-consuming. No, there's no shortcut. The difference between 5% and 30% response rates is worth the effort. Have someone in your target country review your CV if possible. Cultural context matters, and what sounds impressive here might sound strange there. Your CV isn't just a document—it's your marketing tool. It's the difference between getting ignored and getting that first interview. I learned this the hard way through 87 rejections. You don't have to. The international opportunities are real, but you need a CV that speaks the language of the market you're targeting. Now you know how to create one. [/QUOTE]

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