How To Write A Resume For International Jobs

Let’s make this easy to understand. The concept of writing a resume is the same but different countries have different formats and it is important that we understand this to ensure that the resumes we write cater to that specific market and gets us employed there. There sure is a vast difference in the expectations of international employers from the Indian ones. To name a few, a Korean resume or a Portuguese resume or an Italian resume for that matter is way different from an Indian resume.

While most employers in India give priority to the skills required for the job, employers in western countries look for aspects beyond just the skills. They give importance to your personality. They are keen on knowing more about you as a person. So how do you get this out to them through your resume?

These are the few aspects that you can pay attention to while drafting a resume for international employment:

1. Be a Roman in Rome: You cannot strike a chord with the employer when you are not able to communicate in the same tone as them. Understand the language and the nuances of the country you are going to be applying to and draft your resume in the same style.
2. Understand the employer: Recruiters are your first gatekeepers and they have a natural mind block about interacting with a foreigner. In this scenario, you are the foreigner to them and unless your resume gives them the feeling of ease that you can be one of them, they hesitate to get in touch with you.
3. Understanding the process: As you know, keywords are the key to getting your resume selected and it varies from region to region. Do a good amount of research in finding out the keywords used in those markets and match it with the job description you are applying to. Ensure that you tweak your resume to accommodate these keywords.
4. Understanding the culture: What is acceptable in one country may not be accepted in another. For instance, the employers in the US region are more interested in what you do outside of work and if you are going to be applying into one of those companies, ensure that you make a strong mention of your activities outside of work, it could be a sport or a hobby. Make sure you have that on your resume.
5. And finally, if you have an exposure to those markets of either studying there or being employed there in the past, ensure that you highlight it. Or if you have prior experience working in international markets, ensure that it is noticed. You could place it under the section called geographic exposure. This gives them the confidence that you are adaptable.

We’ve over the years created thousands of resumes across geographies and an IRC resume is accepted globally because it works on almost all ATS engines across the world. So, if international employment is on your mind, you can trust on www.ircresume.com