In the UK there are many European people applying to jobs. At Marton Recruitment we regularly come across CVs with impractical details which should be disregarded. When you are applying to jobs in the UK, we suggest to research and learn a few aspects prior your job application.
There are elements of the European CVs we would NOT recommend you to keep when you are looking for a new job in the UK. This is true among all recruiters, recruitment companies, employers, and HR managers.
Profile photo in your CV
First of all, if you are used to add a profile photo in your CV, you should know that’s the first thing you need to exclude. The British employers don’t want to see any pictures in your CV. At Marton Recruitment we don’t encourage people to use a photo, but we don’t disregard them for it either. Second, if you are still determined to use a picture, make sure it’s small and smart, like the passport one. Or the same picture you have on LinkedIn.
Personal details
When it comes to your personal details, always go with the basics. And if you are in doubt just leave it out. Many European candidates choose to specify their marital status in their CV. Please do not include your marital status. Even if an employer would be interested, if it’s absolutely relevant for the role you are applying, they could ask you during your job interview.
At Marton Recruitment we don’t discourage people from writing their address as it is actually very useful for us to have so we can check distances. You can include your town and / or postcode, and that’s enough.
Maintain clear points of contact: one mobile phone number (British number), and one serious email address. Double-check they are correct.
Ditch the private facts
The best decision for your CV is to discard any details like:
– age (including the date of birth)
– marital status
– religious preference
– sex or sexual orientation
Small-scale details
Font & colours – use Calibri or Arial, and give up Times New Roman. Do not exaggerate with bold words or underline a lot of text. Choose a black font or something classic. Make the reading of your CV effortless.
Some words and details are not required in a CV. You can clearly avoid the word “CV”, and make sure you don’t use it as a title inside the document. Add hobbies if they are relevant for your future job, otherwise refrain from cluttering your CV.
If you have a lot of experience, more than 10 years, you can just list your jobs’ titles rather than a whole section about them.
And one last elemental thing: don’t date your CV. It doesn’t matter when you wrote it, any recruiter will expect your CV to be up-to-date. Make sure your skills and experience are relevant to the position you are applying for – do not send an admin CV for a manufacturing position for example.
Let your results and experience be in the spotlight, this will bring you closer to your job interview.