Ireland CV Writing Guide

April 17, 2023 0 Comments

Working abroad sounds like an adventure to many people. However, a job search in Ireland needs more than just the obvious Ireland cover letter and Ireland CV writing and translation – it requires methodical preparation for passing the Ireland job interview. You will face issues that probably did not even cross your mind when you become interested in working in Ireland.

Do not underestimate the influence an Ireland CV can have on your adventure! For instance, you will experience the different immigration rules and practices, job application procedures, selection trends and the management culture.

A CV is similar to a resume in that it provides more details about one’s professional qualifications, experience and education. However, the term “Curriculum Vitae” most often called CV, typically carries a different meaning depending on whether one distributes the CV within the US, Canada or internationally (external to the US or Canada) or is seeking a faculty, academic, research, clinical or scientific position.

You can turn your current resume into a CV. A CV is similar to a resume in that it outlines your professional qualifications and history, but it does so with more detail by adding to the resume the detailed descriptions of your educational and/or professional experiences and personal information that may include nationality, date of birth, marital status, etc.

In recent years it becomes increasingly popular to join the LinkedIn or Facebook social networking websites for professionals, where you may search for jobs and have your keyword-optimized, rich content profile with a current CV. Hiring managers use them more frequently to consult your profile and supplement or check against the CV you send along. If you do not have an account, create one and include your social media link(s) on your CV.
However, you should manage your online presence. Eliminate any photos and statements that could reflect poorly on you. From an employer’s point of view, someone who emphasizes partying on a social networking site is not focused on jobs and those who post complaints about work or colleagues are less desirable candidates. The online CV should not include sensitive information as it could show a lack of respect for confidentiality and discretion.

When applying for employment in Ireland, you may use either English for Irish companies or other foreign languages for international ones, depending on the company and your fluency. Stick to one language once chosen. However, you need to understand that not knowing the English language will put you at a real disadvantage from the local job seekers.

Prepare yourself – before writing your CV research the company you want to work for. Such information will help you to adapt your CV more effectively to each specific job and use proper examples illustrating your achievements.

Ireland CVs have no standard length, but many employers prefer them short, maximum of two pages containing only facts and figures. Do not include your skills and motivations in your CV, this should be mentioned in your cover letter.

The purpose of your Ireland CV should be to persuade the employer to invite you for a job interview. For that reason, your CV is a marketing tool, which you should customize to the market in which you intend to use it. Write an introduction that contains many power keywords and action verbs. Screeners that are preprogrammed to extract specific words notice these keywords.

Present your Ireland CV either in chronological order – starting with your first job and ending with your most recent position or in more common reverse chronological order – beginning with the most recent job.

Start with your “Personal Details”. Include your name, nationality and contact information with your telephone number and international access code. Do not include your place of birth and religion. Often CVs are kept on file for lengthy periods, so any contact details you give have to remain accurate in the long term. A daytime phone number, with the international access code and e-mail, are most important.

Follow with “Education”. Include examination grades giving dates of attendance, study emphases, diplomas and degrees. Mention additional courses and special skills such as computer programs in which you are proficient.

Language skills are important in Ireland, so detail them. Reveal your native tongue and describe your level of fluency for the other languages with reference to the spoken and written levels.

Next, write your “Work Experience”. List responsibilities you had in each job with dates, their locations and your titles – emphasizing areas relevant to the position for which you are applying.

Make your CV more effective by providing examples to illustrate your achievements. Use power words and action verbs such as contributed, organized, demonstrated, trained, managed, developed, coordinated etc. Bullet points these at the start of a sentence for maximum impact.

Close with extra-curricular and leisure activities like hobbies, leadership positions, as they are important to Irish employers.

Carefully consider what to leave out of your CV and exclude anything that might give prospective employers a chance to discriminate against you.

Attach on a separate page two references, one academic or personal, the other a professional reference, both with full contact details. They are usually taken up if an offer of employment is made. Because references are usually verified, inform your referees in advance.

It is more common in Ireland to apply for a job through the Internet. However, you should be aware that an electronic CV does not look the same as a standard CV. CVs are often scanned by employers, so make your Ireland CV scannable by avoiding for example lines or italic fonts etc.

Most employers expect your CV to be sent together with a cover letter.

Check the spelling and grammar of your Ireland CV. Use the word processor’s spell and grammar checker. If you are not confident of your ability to detect grammatical, punctuation and language usage errors in English or if you need help in organizing your cover letter, send it to a professional for assistance.

Remember that your CV must be targeted, scannable and generate hits. If you have difficulty with your CV writing instead of staring at a blank piece of paper, use CV samples and CV templates.

Most recruiters expect to receive a cover letter together with your CV. So, prepare a cover letter convincing the reader why you are the best candidate for the interview using cover letter writing tips.

Leave a Comment

Your email address will not be published.