Has it been ages since you have updated your resume? Is it one of those tasks that you dread doing, but know you’ll need to do because you are considering that next career step? It isn’t much fun getting your resume up-to-date. And yet, we all know how important a job this is; the resume is an important piece of your job-seeking toolbox. It has to be ready as you begin the process of marketing yourself through networking. That’s because it is your resume that is truly the entrance card into the next career opportunity.
You know why your company needs an excellent receptionist…it’s that first voice you hear which creates an immediate opinion of the firm. That voice often reflects what you will find as you work deeper into the organization. Most people believe that your resume offers the same type of importance, for many of the same reasons. It is your first foot forward into an opportunity.
The Bio/Pharma Job Market is InternationalMany biotechnologists are considering jobs on the “other side of the pond.” Whether you are in the USA considering a stint with a hot European startup, or a Euro scientist considering a move to an established US biotech firm, you realize that your skills are in demand on either side of the Atlantic. But what differences there are in the way that applicants present themselves to companies in these markets! Writing a resume is difficult enough, but have you considered what type of materials to present if you are considering a job overseas? Because today’s marketplace is less bound by borders, the prospective job seeker needs to know the standards of other countries and expectations of what the hiring manager will be looking for from prospective candidates.
I often get questions like, “should I use a resume or curriculum vitae (CV).” Or, I am asked to take a look at a person’s resume to ensure it has the right information or style in it for the type of company they are applying to. Writing a resume is one of those very subjective processes that will get you a different opinion every time you ask a different person. There are, however, some basics that need to be followed when writing a resume based on the audience or country to which you are directing your information.
Understanding professional etiquette for word choices, legal disclosures and format will help you provide hiring managers with the exact information they need in order to assess your qualifications. Even more importantly to you, it will increase the number of interviews that you receive. Many of the differences between the US and Europe are related to cultural or traditional standards; others pertain to legal rights.
Format, Content and Approach in the US vs. Europe
To begin, when dealing with the United States and most of Canada the choice of a resume is commonly used over curriculum vitae or CV. This choice, in itself, makes a big difference in how to format and build your marketing document. Resume is defined by Webster dictionary as a “brief account of one's professional or work experience and qualifications”. Whereas a CV as defined by Webster is “a summary of your academic and work history”. There are distinct differences in what is expected between the two. In Europe the word resume is not used, and the standard of information and the format follow the traditional definition of a CV rather than the brief summary of experience a resume provides.
In the US and Canada, it is not acceptable to include any personal information, such as sex, age, race, religion, martial status or if you have children. Standards on personal details have become limited or non-existent in recent years mainly to due litigation and equal opportunity laws. “Laws in the US do not allow for this type of information to be included because it could be used against a candidate”, claims Matthew Howden, Global Recruiting Consultant for International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. The concern and past issues on discrimination have created an environment where questions surrounding this type of information are not important, but what is important is the ability to complete the tasks of the role. Listing these details along with providing a current picture of yourself is not something a hiring manager or recruiter will want from a prospective candidate in the US or Canada. In Europe, it is common practice to provide this type of personal detail, often along with a current photo of yourself. There are no gaps in the details on your CV, making your current personal situation very clear to the hiring manager.
One of the next points to keep in mind when writing your resume for the US is the order of the information. The US uses reverse chronological order for employment dates. Your most recent position is listed first. In Europe, a CV often provides details in chronological order. The CV will also provide a very detailed list of information regarding your job history, interests, hobbies, educational information including major course details and grades, and even reference letters. In some countries, the CV is a complete package that is often bound, then delivered or mailed to the prospective employer. “In countries like Germany and Switzerland, your CV, pictures and any other document included to support the information are returned to the candidate within a 3 to 6 month time frame if a position has not been secured”, states Josée Paradis, Director of Operations for Kelly Scientific Resources, European. Conversely, a resume in the US will be often limited to two pages that list or show a candidate’s accomplishments. The idea of the resume in the US is to open the door for hiring managers to ask more questions. It is more of a marketing document that sells the candidate, rather than an inclusive CV that leaves no gaps in the candidate’s education, career or personal activities.
The overall approach that needs to be taken in the US compared to most of Europe has a different tone and style. In the US, it is fair to say that searching for the next career step is like a sales cycle. You begin with preparing the introductory information, then start your networking and industry identification, and finally submit your resume via email or the internet. In Europe, the approach is far less sales-oriented and often much more formal. In some cases, particularly in France, a hand written cover letter is still desirable. In this country, it is not uncommon for employers to use graphology to analyze a candidate’s personality prior to hiring. In Germany and Switzerland, although e-mailing is becoming more popular, it is customary to submit a full CV package by mail to the company. Another note to keep in mind, in Europe candidates expect a reply to their submitted package. Candidates have gone to a lot of work to compile their CV package, incurred costs to bind and use high quality bond paper for their documents. As a result it is viewed as common courtesy to receive a reply to each submission. Although, in the US many companies provide some sort of standard reply, it is sometimes overlooked because of the volume of resumes received in the recruiting process. “Additionally, we do not see the once standard use of bond paper in the traditional ivory, white or gray tones like we once did in the US. In the United Kingdom and Ireland binding your resume, using thicker high quality paper, and having it packaged delivered is the standard for mid to senior level positions”, states Mary Clark of Dubber Consulting. The overall process at the mid to senior level has become less formal in the US than in Europe.
Although the information provided is not inclusive of everything that is needed on a resume or CV for the US or Europe, it provides a general overview in the main points to consider when crafting your marketing tool for the audience that you are targeting. Countries like Britain and Ireland are examples of countries that have adapted a combination of a standard CV and resume to provide a median between traditional Europe and the US. In the US your resume is a business card into a new opportunity and needs to be developed with the sales/marketing approach in mind.
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You know why your company needs an excellent receptionist…it’s that first voice you hear which creates an immediate opinion of the firm. That voice often reflects what you will find as you work deeper into the organization. Most people believe that your resume offers the same type of importance, for many of the same reasons. It is your first foot forward into an opportunity.
The Bio/Pharma Job Market is InternationalMany biotechnologists are considering jobs on the “other side of the pond.” Whether you are in the USA considering a stint with a hot European startup, or a Euro scientist considering a move to an established US biotech firm, you realize that your skills are in demand on either side of the Atlantic. But what differences there are in the way that applicants present themselves to companies in these markets! Writing a resume is difficult enough, but have you considered what type of materials to present if you are considering a job overseas? Because today’s marketplace is less bound by borders, the prospective job seeker needs to know the standards of other countries and expectations of what the hiring manager will be looking for from prospective candidates.
I often get questions like, “should I use a resume or curriculum vitae (CV).” Or, I am asked to take a look at a person’s resume to ensure it has the right information or style in it for the type of company they are applying to. Writing a resume is one of those very subjective processes that will get you a different opinion every time you ask a different person. There are, however, some basics that need to be followed when writing a resume based on the audience or country to which you are directing your information.
Understanding professional etiquette for word choices, legal disclosures and format will help you provide hiring managers with the exact information they need in order to assess your qualifications. Even more importantly to you, it will increase the number of interviews that you receive. Many of the differences between the US and Europe are related to cultural or traditional standards; others pertain to legal rights.
Format, Content and Approach in the US vs. Europe
To begin, when dealing with the United States and most of Canada the choice of a resume is commonly used over curriculum vitae or CV. This choice, in itself, makes a big difference in how to format and build your marketing document. Resume is defined by Webster dictionary as a “brief account of one's professional or work experience and qualifications”. Whereas a CV as defined by Webster is “a summary of your academic and work history”. There are distinct differences in what is expected between the two. In Europe the word resume is not used, and the standard of information and the format follow the traditional definition of a CV rather than the brief summary of experience a resume provides.
In the US and Canada, it is not acceptable to include any personal information, such as sex, age, race, religion, martial status or if you have children. Standards on personal details have become limited or non-existent in recent years mainly to due litigation and equal opportunity laws. “Laws in the US do not allow for this type of information to be included because it could be used against a candidate”, claims Matthew Howden, Global Recruiting Consultant for International AIDS Vaccine Initiative. The concern and past issues on discrimination have created an environment where questions surrounding this type of information are not important, but what is important is the ability to complete the tasks of the role. Listing these details along with providing a current picture of yourself is not something a hiring manager or recruiter will want from a prospective candidate in the US or Canada. In Europe, it is common practice to provide this type of personal detail, often along with a current photo of yourself. There are no gaps in the details on your CV, making your current personal situation very clear to the hiring manager.
One of the next points to keep in mind when writing your resume for the US is the order of the information. The US uses reverse chronological order for employment dates. Your most recent position is listed first. In Europe, a CV often provides details in chronological order. The CV will also provide a very detailed list of information regarding your job history, interests, hobbies, educational information including major course details and grades, and even reference letters. In some countries, the CV is a complete package that is often bound, then delivered or mailed to the prospective employer. “In countries like Germany and Switzerland, your CV, pictures and any other document included to support the information are returned to the candidate within a 3 to 6 month time frame if a position has not been secured”, states Josée Paradis, Director of Operations for Kelly Scientific Resources, European. Conversely, a resume in the US will be often limited to two pages that list or show a candidate’s accomplishments. The idea of the resume in the US is to open the door for hiring managers to ask more questions. It is more of a marketing document that sells the candidate, rather than an inclusive CV that leaves no gaps in the candidate’s education, career or personal activities.
The overall approach that needs to be taken in the US compared to most of Europe has a different tone and style. In the US, it is fair to say that searching for the next career step is like a sales cycle. You begin with preparing the introductory information, then start your networking and industry identification, and finally submit your resume via email or the internet. In Europe, the approach is far less sales-oriented and often much more formal. In some cases, particularly in France, a hand written cover letter is still desirable. In this country, it is not uncommon for employers to use graphology to analyze a candidate’s personality prior to hiring. In Germany and Switzerland, although e-mailing is becoming more popular, it is customary to submit a full CV package by mail to the company. Another note to keep in mind, in Europe candidates expect a reply to their submitted package. Candidates have gone to a lot of work to compile their CV package, incurred costs to bind and use high quality bond paper for their documents. As a result it is viewed as common courtesy to receive a reply to each submission. Although, in the US many companies provide some sort of standard reply, it is sometimes overlooked because of the volume of resumes received in the recruiting process. “Additionally, we do not see the once standard use of bond paper in the traditional ivory, white or gray tones like we once did in the US. In the United Kingdom and Ireland binding your resume, using thicker high quality paper, and having it packaged delivered is the standard for mid to senior level positions”, states Mary Clark of Dubber Consulting. The overall process at the mid to senior level has become less formal in the US than in Europe.
Although the information provided is not inclusive of everything that is needed on a resume or CV for the US or Europe, it provides a general overview in the main points to consider when crafting your marketing tool for the audience that you are targeting. Countries like Britain and Ireland are examples of countries that have adapted a combination of a standard CV and resume to provide a median between traditional Europe and the US. In the US your resume is a business card into a new opportunity and needs to be developed with the sales/marketing approach in mind.
RELATED TOPICS
