CVs and cover letters for international applications

Updated 2026-10-03

Employers in different countries expect different things from an application. Matching those expectations helps you get read, and keeping your personal details sensible helps keep you safe.

Differences to expect

• In the UK, Ireland, Kenya and many other places the usual term is “CV”; in the US and Canada it is a “resume”. Both are a short summary of your work, education and skills.
• Length: one to two pages is common for most roles. Academic and some technical CVs can be longer.
• Photos, date of birth, marital status and nationality are expected in some countries and discouraged or unnecessary in others. Check the norm for the country you are applying to, and for the UK and US it is usual to leave them out.
• Many employers use software to filter applications. Plain formatting, standard headings and the key terms from the job advert help you get through.

A cover letter that works

• Address a named person if you can find one, and mention the exact role.
• Say in two or three short paragraphs why you want this role at this employer and what you have done that is relevant, with one or two concrete examples.
• If you need a visa, say so plainly and early where the advert asks, and do not hide it.

What to keep off a CV

• Your full home address is rarely needed; a city and country is enough.
• ID or passport numbers, bank details and your full date of birth. A genuine employer asks for these only after an offer, through a secure process.
• Claims you cannot support. Employers check qualifications and references, and a false claim can cost you the job later.

Using AI drafts carefully

AI can produce a good first draft of CV highlights or a cover letter quickly, but it can also invent figures, titles or achievements. You are responsible for every statement you send. Read the whole draft, check every number, date and claim against your own records, and delete anything you cannot prove. Roleful lists the figures in a draft that it cannot find in your profile, so you can check them first.