Norway CV Writing Guide

An overseas career sounds like an adventure to many people. However, work in Norway needs more than just the obvious Norway CV with Norway cover letter writing and translation. Because you will be passing the Norway job interview it requires methodical preparation. You will face issues that probably did not even cross your mind when you become interested in jobs in Norway.

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

Since most Norwegians speak English, you may write your cover letter and CV in English, unless you are fluent in Norwegian. Stick to one language once chosen. However, you need to accept that not knowing the Norwegian language will put you at a real disadvantage to 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.

Typewrite your Norway CV in reverse chronological order (most recent activities first) and no longer than two pages in A4 format.

The aim of your Norway CV should be to persuade recruiters to invite you for a job interview. Therefore, your CV is a marketing tool, which should be adapted to the market in which you intend to use it. Write an introduction that contains many power keywords and action verbs. Scanners that are programmed to select specific words notice these keywords.

Start the Norway CV with your personal details including name, address, and contact information with a telephone number, place and date of birth (note that the day, the month and the year are written densely together, without blank spaces or dots in between) and marital status.

Make your CV more effective and emphasize what you have to offer to the employer. Use power words and action verbs to describe your achievements, such as contributed, organized, trained, managed, developed, coordinated, etc. For maximum impact, bullet points at the start of a sentence.

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, is most important.

Under “Education” list the schools you attended including the results. Start with high/secondary school. Continue with college and university training giving dates of attendance, study emphases, diplomas and degrees. Include honours, relevant extracurricular activities, foreign travel and additional courses or training in specialized areas, such as languages or IT. Mention your language skills with reference to the spoken and written level.

Next under “Work Experience” list companies for whom you have worked, their locations, dates of employment, and your titles and responsibilities – emphasizing areas relevant to the position for which you are applying.

At the end of your CV, list references – preferably managers familiar with your work. Provide their names, titles and contact information. Make sure that the people you have mentioned as referees are aware of it and that they have agreed to say something positive about you. Conclude by citing recognitions, promotions, professional affiliations, military and volunteer service, hobbies and special interests.

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

Make sure that there are no “gaps” in your CV. However, if “gaps” exist, ensure to mention the reason and even report periods of unemployment. If your CV has a large gap, explain why the gap exists and what you did during that period.

It is more common in Norway 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 one. CVs are often scanned by employers, so make your CV scannable by avoiding for example lines or italic fonts etc.

Finally, most employers expect your CV to be sent together with a cover letter.

Check the spelling and grammar of your Norway 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 Norwegian or other languages or if you need help in organizing your CV, 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.