Expanding Your Job Search Abroad? Read These Resume Tips First!
Save your CV or resume as a PDF file. Sending a Word or Pages file may seem “amateur” to many organizations.
Save As “YOUR NAME.MONTH-YEAR” Do not save the document under the file name “Resume”. Someone may file it away haphazardly and you will never be found again. Ex: Joe Smith CV-March 2017.pdf
If you are sending a cover letter, save the file using the same format as your CV: Joe Smith Cover Letter-March 2017.pdf (Do not send a cover letter in the body of the application email).
Add your country code to your phone number. You are sending your resume overseas, don’t make the future employer search for the country code to use to call you. Ex: +853 000 0000
Be creative with your CV or resume format. Most organizations do not expect to see standard business formatting like in the past, especially international companies. Take the opportunity to highlight your personality and style.
Proof it. Double check it. Get a friend to check it. Do not send a CV with spelling and grammatical errors and mistakes.
Make yourself accessible. Provide multiple ways to communicate with you: Skype, WhatsApp, Email address, Phone number, Voxer. If companies contact you to ask for a time to chat, go to timeanddate.com – world meeting planner. Look up the employers time zone and your time zone and set aside dates and times that work for you, listing both time zones.
Add specific details. Rather than simply listing your past employment, expand on some of the last projects/shows/gigs that you have worked on and include your duties and responsibilities. Keep it short and precise. Overseas employers may not be familiar with the projects/shows/gigs you are referencing so make sure they understand what your role was within them.
Colored Type or No? Many of my colleagues and I have debated about color on a CV. As someone who has scanned through hundreds of CV’s, I like color, I remember color. Don’t be afraid to use it but keep it simple and subtle.
Watch your page length. Many employers prefer to see a CV or resume that is 1-2 pages only.
Tips suggested by Anna Robb: Head of Stage Management – The House of Dancing Water – Macau, China
