GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

HUNGARY

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. A photo
2. Marital status
3. Date of Birth
4. Nationality

Education:

1. State if you have studied abroad
2. New graduates: Explain majors during upper secondary school/high school; provide graduation date
3. Keep education brief if you have several years of professional experience
4. Include work experience during college or university years in this section, not professional experience

Professional Experience:

1. Experience held before 1989 should be listed, but NOT described
2. Use bulleted format for job duties

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (Levels of Expertise)
2. Computer Skills
3. Whether you possess a driver’s license

Military Experience: Indicate if you have successfully completed this requirement

Format: Always begin with education, then work experience in a reverse-chronological format

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. What job is being applied for, and how you found out about it (newspaper ad, etc.)
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. State if you are currently unemployed

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

HONG KONG

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Age
2. Marital Status
3. # of Children

Education:

1. Secondary/high school information is optional
2. Specify whether attendance at a university/college was part-time or distance learning
3. Specify any relevant extracurricular activities

Professional Affiliations:

These are important to mention if you’re in the following careers:

- Finance
- Accounting
- Securities & Banking
- Engineering

Professional Experience:

1. Include company descriptors
2. List job duties in bulleted format
3. Early employment can be summarized
4. Explain reason why you want to leave current position
5. Explain all gaps in employment
6. Specify whether employment was part time or contract
7. Explain why a permanent position wasn’t held

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Format: CHRONOLOGICAL, not reverse chronological. NEVER use a functional format.

Length: Tied to years of experience. 10+ years of experience – three pages or less; less than 10 years of experience – no more than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Always use hiring manager’s name in salutation
2. Position you’re applying for
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

GERMANY

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Marital Status
3. # of Children

Education:

1. List junior and secondary schools chronologically, detailing years spent at each
2. Include major course of study at secondary schools and degree attained (i.e. A-levels, high school diploma, leaving certificate, etc.)
3. Include any information about study at foreign universities
4. Extracurricular activities in student/business organizations

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part or full time
2. Include company descriptors detailing company size, # of employees, etc.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (Levels of Expertise)
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience:

1. Specialized training or achievements should be included

Interest/Hobbies (include): So that employer knows what you do outside of work

Format: CHRONOLOGICAL, not reverse chronological. Personal details first, then educational background, then employment history, then extracurricular activities (in that order)

Length: Determined by level of experience. Two pages is generally used for new graduates or young professionals

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Geographical preferences
4. State if you are currently unemployed

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

FRANCE

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (optional, but generally included):

1. Date of birth or age
2. Marital status
3. Number of children

Education:

1. In addition to college/university education, list only that you received high school diploma – no specifics about high school are necessary, not even name of high school.
2. List final ranking in school.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (and level of expertise that includes one of the following):
- basic
- school knowledge
- reading knowledge
- writing knowledge
- fluent
-professional use

2. Computer Skills – specify languages and tools – do NOT be vague

Professional Experience:

1. List data in this order:

Dates of employment, name of firm, activity sector (company descriptor, including sales and number of employees), location, your job title, then accomplishments and duties.

Professional Affiliations: Do NOT include unless you are currently a member and play a significant role in the organization.

Military Experience (optional)

Format: Chronological or reverse chronological, but reverse chronological is preferred. Begin with personal information, then professional experience, followed by education, then everything else (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

FINLAND

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. List focus areas during upper secondary school/senior high, plus year of graduation.
2. Mention if you studied abroad.

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part-time or full-time.
2. Explain all gaps in employment history.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience:

1. Compulsory in Finland, so include dates and all relevant details.

Interest/Hobbies (include): So that employer knows what you do outside of work

Format: Reverse chronological – begin with Education, then move on to Professional Experience and everything else after that (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Current position, responsibilities, organizational level, reporting structure, achievements, employer’s name
4. Ability to relocate, travel for business, future professional goals
5. If you are currently unemployed

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”