Professional Resume Writing Services in Paris France

How to write a French CV: 8 Ultimate professional tips

Your French CV is a marketing tool that presents your best qualities and achievements to target employers. Remember that your qualifications will be compared with those of other job-seekers, so, focus on traits that make you a standout candidate. If you'd like to write a CV on your own, take these tips from our career document writers into account:

• Be detailed about your experience and credentials

  Since a CV means "course of life", be sure to list all jobs you had in a chronological order, and provide other job-related information in detail. On the flip side, remember to adapt the experience to the needs of a particular employer. Thus, you can remove the details irrelevant to your target position. Use a standard reverse chronological format, as other formats are not common.

• Include contact details and personal information

  Include your email, phone number and address under your name as usual. In France, it is also common to specify your marital status, age, and nationality. Adding them will help you create a CV that aligns with French expectations. If the employer asks for any other specific information, be sure to include that too.

• Personalize your career summary

  Your Summary section works as an elevator pitch, giving you an opportunity to make a strong first impression. If you have some notable professional achievements, include them here.

  Mention any degrees, awards, and rare qualifications that are valued in your industry to stand out from the competition. Entry-level specialists can use a career objective instead of a summary.

  If you are moving to France and want to find a job with a local company, you can mention relocation is a summary statement as well.

• Avoid cliches and generic statements

  A job application writer states that it is not enough to list your degrees, job duties and credentials to create a standout CV. Focus on specific experiences, projects and achievements that prove your qualifications and make you look like a perfect candidate for a job. Show why your talents fit perfectly for a target position.

  Avoid buzzwords like a natural leader, go-getter, hard-working, team player, and similar ones. Instead of saying that you're a team player, show that you trained other team members or share results you've achieved while working in a team.

• List relevant education

  Education is one of the biggest assets of your French CV. Even if you only have a high school diploma, the Education section is a must to have. If you have 2+ years of experience, place it at the top of the CV, otherwise it's best to start with education.

  Put your most advanced degree at the top, no matter when you received it, and continue with undergraduate ones. Include any academic achievements, awards, and certifications, as well as coursework if relevant to your target position.

• Indicate language proficiency

  If you apply for jobs in France, our resume writer recommends mentioning that you have a working proficiency in French. Specify your knowledge of the French language, as well as other European languages. Other things equal, an employer is likely to prefer someone who can effectively communicate in a French-speaking work environment.

  In addition to language skills, list other job-related skills and competencies. You can find skills that have to be included in a job description.

• Focus on professional experience

  In this section, you need to present a comprehensive picture of your experience. Remember that the recruiter will look through job titles and company names in the first place, so keep your titles relevant and accurate. To keep this section easy to read, professional profile writers recommend that you use bulleted lists rather than paragraphs.

  When you apply to an overseas company, it is helpful to add 1-2 sentences about your past employers. Mention the industry, turnover, number of employees, and other important details. Keep your job descriptions brief - 6-7 bullets with responsibilities and achievements are enough. List your unique qualifications. For example, if you're a sales manager, specify how your conflict resolution and negotiation skills saved companies time and money.

• Perfect your resume presentation

  Since including a picture is common for local CVs, you might want to add one too. Select a professional-looking photo where you look calm and confident.

  When formatting your CV, choose the appropriate font, size, and layout. Keep the same font type and size throughout the document, using bigger font for headings only, to make your document eye-catching and visually appealing. You may use some color to emphasize the main points, but remember that this is a professional document.

  If you struggle to compose some CV sections, our experts are willing to help. Having created job applications for professionals at all career levels, we have mastered the principles of effective professional profile composition. We can provide you with the best career document services personalized to your needs and your target country - chat with us to discuss your application materials needs!