To look for work abroad or to apply to companies or organisations that require CVs in another language, it is essential to know the difference between how Curriculum Vitae are presented in Italy and in other countries. There are numerous significant differences in how CVs are presented in Italy and France, the UK, Ireland, Holland and many other European countries, and they are explored in-depth in PFL’s seminars dedicated to this topic: it is however possible to identify certain distinctive elements and principal differences.

Beginning with the choice of format for the CV, abroad it is recommended not to use the Europass format unless it is clearly requested in the description of the job offer, instead using the personalised one, also called a resumé, and ensuring that it fits on a single page.

A one-page CV will be sufficient because it can and should always be accompanied by a cover letter (or lettre de motivation). It is useful to include elements in the cover letter that are not present in the CV, so as not to repeat information.

In any case, when writing a CV it is always good to remember that you are introducing yourself through a written document, which must serve its purpose: the aim will not be to bore the assessor, nor simply to present who you are in a generic way, but to present yourself as a resource fit for a specific role; therefore, it is good to carefully choose the information you include. Often, the job offer already tells you what is necessary and useful to include in your response so that you can create a good CV.

Continuing on with the important differences compared to Italy, we find the inclusion of references, in other words information about a candidate’s professional skills and moral qualities that are shared by a previous employer.

There are two ways to insert them in the CV, but they should be included only if clearly indicated in the description of the job offer: you can always write "references available upon request" in a dedicated section, making sure that first you obtain a letter from your former employer to use if requested; or indicate (with the authorization of the person/company) the first and last name and contact details of the person that the new, potential employer, can call if necessary.

As a final difference, we would like to highlight the waiver for processing personal data: in England, France and Holland it does not need to be included. In Spain, however, it will be essential, as in Italy.

Porta Futuro Lazio, in addition to offering training activities through which job-seekers can improve their skills in various areas relating to empowerment and work, as well as learn how to submit applications in a European context and internationalise their CV, provides support for translating CVs into English, French and Spanish (even remotely) upon request to the local office.