5 popular questions about CV
In the CV, everyone wants to show their best side, draw out and emphasize their strengths and show that they are the best candidate for a given position. A CV is a bit of an advertisement of yourself. Everyone knows what information should be included in the CV: contact details, education, information about professional experience… but there are still many questions, especially how detailed this information should be. Our recruiters have collected the most frequently asked questions about CV writing and provided short answers to them. We hope you find it helpful!
Should I include information such as marital status, number of children, citizenship?
No, you don’t have to do this. From the recruiter’s point of view, your marital status is not important. The same goes for children. So do not provide this information, let alone their names or dates of birth. Citizenship is only relevant if you need to have the appropriate permits to work in a particular country.
Should I attach my photo?
You don’t have to do this, but it is appreciated nonetheless. A CV with a photo is easier for the recruiter to remember. However, watch out for popular photo selection mistakes such as: bold (or half-naked) photos are absolutely out of the question. So are all “artistic” shots. Selfie with a duck face, reflection in a mirror, or a photo from a party… also not suitable. A photo from 10 years ago from a school ID or a passport photo is not appropriate as well. The best picture is simply a smiling face against a neutral background.
Should I list out all of my jobs so far?
It depends how many of them you had. If you are a person who has been professionally active for 20 years, undertaken various activities and writing them down may take an A4 sheet… then no, do not mention all of them. Select only those that may be relevant for the position you are applying for. If you are young and your work experience is not particularly impressive, you can list them all. However, skip 1- or 2-day jobs and lawn mowing errands.
Should I write information about your interests?
Yes definitely. The recruiter wants to get to know you as a human being, not just an employee. It is good to write specifically what interests you. If the sport is what you like, whether you play it or support it, you can name your favorite team, for example. If you like music or literature, go into details, writing what genre or author you enjoy.
What format should I send my CV in?
PDF. The only correct document that guarantees that your CV will reach the recruiter in the same form as you see it. Word or other programs can crash, and not everyone uses the same programs to open files. So it is safest to send your CV in PDF format.
Good luck!
We hope that our mini guide has cleared your doubts and now writing the CV will be really easy for you. When you finish creating them, send them to us… we have for you a good job in the Netherlands!
