At Cogs Agency, I work with bilingual digital professionals across marketing, e-commerce, and design for global and international brands. Every month, I meet with more than 30 candidates. Today, I want to take a moment to talk about something simple but incredibly important: how to improve your English CV for international job applications.
Even when someone has impressive experience, their CV often doesn’t show their strengths clearly. I see this every day, and it’s such a missed opportunity that I wanted to share some key points to help you present your background more effectively.
Your CV Is the First Impression
Your CV is the very first touchpoint with a hiring manager or recruiter. When you apply for a job, the first thing they see is your CV, and you want to make a strong impression right away.
Hiring managers usually have very little time to review each CV. In many cases, they decide within one minute whether they want to learn more about you or invite you for an interview. That’s why clarity, structure, and focus are essential when you want to improve your English CV for international job applications.
Keep It Simple and Focused to improve your English CV for international job applications
When applying through LinkedIn or other job portals, your CV represents you before any conversation begins. Small details such as typos, inconsistent fonts, or formatting issues can lower the impression you make.
Because Japanese-style resumes often include a lot of details, English CVs can sometimes become too long. Ideally, keep your CV within two pages. Summarise your key achievements and responsibilities concisely, focusing on measurable results where possible. The ability to communicate your experience clearly and efficiently is one of the best ways to improve your English CV for international job applications.
Write for the Reader
Before sending your CV, take a moment to ask yourself:
“Is my CV written from the reader’s perspective?”
Your CV should tell a story that makes sense to someone who doesn’t know you. Highlight your professional growth, international experience, and skills that are relevant to the role. Remember, a hiring manager wants to understand quickly why you could be a great fit. By structuring your CV around clarity and impact, you’ll naturally improve your CV and make it more engaging to global employers.
Let’s Review Together
If you have experience in consumer brands, fintech, consulting, or SaaS and would like to discuss how to present your experience more effectively, please feel free to reach out. You don’t need to be actively job hunting to benefit from a CV review. Sometimes, it’s simply about seeing your own career from a new perspective and learning how to improve your English CV for international job applications for future opportunities.
I hope this is helpful, let me know if it was and if you have any other questions.
Cogs is an executive search and recruitment agency specialising in connecting creative-minded individuals with global career opportunities.
For further reading and resources, check out our blog: Cogs Agency.
Reach out by sending an e-mail to contact@cogsagency.com , check out our LinkedIn page for the latest job updates and read more of our articles.
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