Why you Need a CV in English

You may not be a native speaker of English so you might be asking yourself why you need to have a resume in English. Whether you are actively job seeking or just looking to keep your options open, it is a good idea to have a CV in English. If you do have one, every once in a while, you should dust it off, have a look, and see if it needs updating. In the business world and on the job market, nothing is ever guaranteed. But why not give yourself every advantage?

As an English teacher in Poland, I have helped countless of my present and former students to create their very own CVs, cover letters, and practice their interviewing skills. Many of my private students came to me with an urgent need. Yet with my university students I made it that they had to do it as their final exam to apply for a job with a resume and covering letter, then follow up with an interview. Many of those students went on to find jobs abroad where they needed to apply in and use English. The aim here is for you to get ahead of the curve before needs become musts.

However, if you are looking for a job in your own native country, why should you bother with an English CV unless you are specifically asked for it?

Let’s start with both the traditional Baby Boomer and current Millennial career ladders.

In the previous generation, it was seen as normal for a person to take on a job for life. If you could find a job with solid pay and stability, it was a real prize to be fought for and held on to. Nowadays times have changed. Millennials are especially likely to job-hop more than any other generation. According to thebalancecareers.com, Millennials are likely to have changed jobs about 12 times in their lifetimes. [Job-hopping]

The article links to some plausible and powerful arguments for why we see this trend. For starters, about half of workers feel their employer is loyal to them. On the flip side, average pay rises have been hovering around the 3% mark. Let’s be clear, a 3% raise is not a raise. That is a cost of living adjustment. As one progresses through the different stages of life, one cannot ever get ahead on such paltry increases. This is why it has become normal to change jobs in order to secure higher pay. In essence, the job ladder is no longer a ladder in the traditional sense. Jobs are now steppingstones, and the Millennial and Generation Z workforce will be hopping along multiple stones throughout their careers.

These reports were taken from American publications and based on American statistics, but you can probably relate to the sentiments posed so far. A 2016 report conducted by Cambridge Assessment English and QS (Quacquarelli Symonds) surveyed and compiled answers from over 5,300 employers across 38 countries. Here are two of the questions along with some data and conclusions:

There are two key takeaways here.

1. There is a gap between the English skills that employers desire, and the level of English that their employees have.
2. By far, the greatest number of employers choose to test new recruits’ English themselves through an interview.

What that means for you is that having your CV in English is still a must. If a would-be employer is more likely to ask you to participate in some sort of interview in English, then it is not a stretch that they will also ask for an English CV (perhaps in addition to you native language one).

Having a CV in English is your starting point. It is a statement of intent for both yourself and your potential employer. It can help you get through the initial screening process that the recruitment process is. And it will give you the ability to adapt and respond more quickly to changing situations around you. Imagine yourself with your already updated CV in hand with a significant head start over your competition when the announcement of change comes or when opportunity knocks.

So yes, you absolutely need a CV in English.

If you need to build a CV for yourself in English or looking to update your current CV, look no further than the link below. I have a video course I have prepared for you, a CV template you can use to build your template, along with some vocabulary resources you can use to help you make your CV.