A resume formats as the first line of defense for any candidate in the venture of hunting down a job. It should be according to the requirements of an employer. If you are looking to work abroad, you need to make sure that you are familiar with the resume formats used there.
For instance, if your potential employer is established in Canada and you want to be a part of their organization, you need to make sure that your resume has the right format that is used in Canada. Doing this will put you in the same place where other applicants will stand.
Generally, there are three resume formats, namely Chronological, Functional, and Combination resume formats. In addition to these three formats, there is another format that is getting popular amongst recruiters and applicants alike; this format is known as the infographic resume format.
An online resume maker can help you create a resume based on your preferred formats. Since we are talking about resume formats used in different countries, it is necessary to discuss some resume formats or structures followed in various countries. Further details are given below:
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Resume Formats Used in Various Countries
Every country has its own work culture, and it is quite visible when it comes to articulating a resume or CV. Take the example of the US and Britain; both these countries are known for generating a substantial amount of jobs for foreigners. You may see the use of varied names for the same document in these countries as well. Here we will discuss the resume or CV formats used in these countries. Read on to learn more.
United States of America
The first thing you need to know before applying for a job in the US is that the American resume is equivalent to a European or British CV. Simply put, it is a short document that can go up to a maximum of 3 A4-sized pages.
A fresher or a person with less than five years of experience should keep the length of the resume restricted to a single page. A seasoned professional, on the other hand, can create a resume that goes up to 3 pages; however, it shouldn’t include irrelevant information that is not required.
While making a US resume, try to make sure you are using American English instead of any other accent of the English Language. There is no need to include your personal information like religion, birthday, country of origin, and other relevant things that can become a criterion of discrimination.
The list of references or the legendary phrase “References are available on request” are not required in an American resume as well. Moreover, you don’t have to list any kinds of scores like IELTS, GPA, or TOEFL.
It should be noted that the chronological resume format is the most popular format in the US, and employers are more interested to see the work history of an applicant. However, if you have a discontinuous work record, then you can go with functional or combination resume formats as well.
Ensure clear and defined sections on your resume with 1 to 1.15 spacing between lines. A professional resume format would do the trick for you. However, it should be easy to read and understand. An online resume maker can help you do that easily. The resume format used in Canada is quite similar as well.
Britain
One thing you need to keep in mind while applying for a job in Britain is that the document you will be submitting to reflect your professional profile is termed a CV there; words like resume or curriculum vitae are not used there.
It should be noted that there is no need to write ‘CV’ at the top of the document. Moreover, in most cases, your picture is not required on the document as well, so it will be better if you don’t put your picture on the CV while building it unless said otherwise.
The British format for CV has a length that goes up to two A4-sized pages at max. It can either be a reverse chronological or functional format, as employers in Britain show more flexibility as compared to the ones in US or Canada.
They either want to see your work record or transferable skills you can bring to their organization. When it comes to the formatting of British CVs, fonts hold a key position. You need to make sure that you use commonly used fonts like Times New Roman, Ariel, or Calibri.
Now coming to the sections on a CV, start with personal information that simply includes your name, contact details, and address. After that is your ‘Personal statement’ or summary, which should take no more than five lines, the personal statement will be followed by work experience and education in reverse chronological order.
After these sections, you can list your skills, languages you are fluent in, and volunteer work experience (if any). You can also list your achievements if they are somehow relevant to the job you are applying for.
Final Thoughts
The format of a resume is not a thing to be overlooked, especially if you are applying for a job abroad. You need to make sure that you tick all the boxes while articulating a resume to apply for the job in countries like the US and Britain. We have discussed the salient features of resume formats used in both countries briefly.
If you try to format your resume or CV accordingly using a word processor, then the entire process is going to be a pain for you. We suggest the use of professional yet easy-to-read formats offered by a reliable resume builder online for this purpose. We hope this information will be helpful for you in the venture of applying for a job abroad. We wish you luck with the process.