The creation of a resume can be sketchy and the requirements are different for each country. Before you start your job search in France, Here are some tips to help you write a resume (or ‘CV‘ in french) for the local work market.

Format and style

Mind the length

Before getting started with your resume, you should know the expected layout. The saying is that recruiters spend just 30 seconds screening your profile. While this might not be true for all careers in France, it means your resume should be concise. Ideally, unless you have 15+ years of experience, it should fit in one page (one-sided).

This means you won’t be able to present all the details of your previous jobs. Instead, you will have to cherry-pick your responsibilities and achievements to present only the most relevant information on your profile. If you absolutely can’t communicate a complete description in one page, add a second one, but make sure every word matters.

Sober vs. creative resume

In most industries, a sober resume is a must. Most of the time, creative layouts and vivid colors will be interpreted as a lack of understanding of corporate communication standards. However, this does not necessarily mean you have to use a plain black and white Word document. Feel free to use a nice set of fonts and one color to highlight your CV with sobriety, but don’t overdo it.

The only situation where it is considered appropriate to use a creative layout is when you are applying for a job with a sizable creative component. In this case, it’s not only okay to go off the beaten course, it’ll count as a highlight during the selective process.

Use a title and an introduction

Your resume should include a title that clearly indicates the position you are applying for as well as a short introduction to your profile in 2-3 sentences. Using a title is increasingly important because, each day, more companies are using keyword analysis tools to select the applications they receive. Besides, the recruiter shouldn’t have to guess which position you are applying for. Think carefully about the terms you will use because they are decisive. It might be worth doing a keyword search for the positions you are trying to get.

Include a picture

While it is increasingly common to find resumes without a picture in France, it remains preferable to include one. The only case in which we would advise not attaching a photo is if you feel at risk of being discriminated. It is a trade-off though: if your name sounds exotic, it might be better to put a face on it!

The content

For young graduates, interns and scholars

If you are applying for an internship or have graduated recently, it’s better to start your resume with your education. Be very descriptive if need be, because not all countries share the same academic system. You can take a look at our description of Higher Education in France to find the equivalence for your degrees in the French system.

When you lack experience, as is the case when you’re a student, it can be tricky to write a good resume. Consider your experiences in their broadest sense. It can be anything related to your professional field as well as to your passions, sports, a summer job or volunteering. All these activities give you qualities or skills that you can highlight in your CV: autonomy, teamwork, taking initiatives, etc. Anything that will make you stand out from the crowd is welcome on your resume.

For junior positions

You’ll want to start your resume with your most recent and/or relevant work experiences before explaining. Be sure to include achievements and results that will corroborate the skills you claim to have. Use action verbs, like uplift and supervise,  for the description of the jobs carried out.

Remember to specify the languages you speak as well as your level, mention any language tests you might have taken as well as your scores. Finally, include all your relevant computer skills, these are essential today.

For senior positions

For senior and management levels, your resume may be longer than one page. Even so, you should include only experiences and jobs related to the position. Recruiters can find the complete overview of your career on Linkedin; your goal here should be to illustrate your achievements and skills.

For finding work at this level in France, focus on giving measurable results of your achievements rather than an extensive list of your responsibilities. When relevant, consider using a ‘References’ section giving contact details of former colleagues who can back up your skills.

Once you have been successfully pre-screened by a recruiter, they will contact you. Here is an explanation of how salary negotiations work in France, as well as how salary and remuneration works.