Applying for jobs in another country: what to adapt on your resume
Which parts of a resume change from country to country, how to check local habits before you apply, and how to explain qualifications and work authorisation clearly.
By Avowly · Last reviewed 6 November 2026 · 7 min read · How we write these
In short
- Check what is normal in the target country: length, photo, personal details, cover letters.
- Adapt spelling, dates, phone format, currency and wording for a local reader.
- Explain qualifications and employers briefly, and look up recognition for regulated professions.
- Be plain and accurate about work authorization, and say where you are and when you plan to move.
A resume that works well at home can read oddly somewhere else. Not because the experience is different, but because habits are. Some countries expect a photo, others discourage it. Some expect a long, detailed document, others a single page. A degree name that everyone knows in one place may mean nothing in another.
You do not have to rewrite your whole history. You have to adjust a few things so that a reader in the new country understands you quickly. This guide covers what usually changes and how to find out for the place you are applying to.
Find out what is normal there
Before changing anything, look at the local norm. A few minutes of checking beats guessing.
- Read postings from the target country for similar roles. Notice the words, the requirements and whether they ask for a photo, a cover letter or particular documents.
- Look at official guidance from employment services, universities or professional bodies in that country. Many publish advice on local resume conventions.
- Ask someone who works there, if you can. A short message to a contact or a former colleague can save you from a common mistake.
Habits change over time and differ within a country, so treat what you find as a guide, and follow any instruction in an application first.
The parts that most often change
Length. A one to two page document is normal in many places, and a longer record is expected in some fields and regions. Check what is usual for your type of role.
Photo and personal details. In some countries a photo is common, and in others employers prefer none, and some even discourage details such as age or marital status. Follow local custom and the application. Our guide on personal details explains how to decide.
Spelling and wording. Use the spelling of the country you are applying to, for example "organize" or "organize", and the local words for common terms, such as resume or CV. Keep it consistent throughout.
Dates and formats. Day and month order, phone number format and the way addresses are written all vary. Write phone numbers with the country code, since the reader may be dialing from abroad.
Currency and units. If you mention budgets, sales or other figures, name the currency and, where it helps, give a sense of scale. "A budget of 2 million" means little without it. Use units a local reader understands.
Before
Managed a budget of 2 million.
After
Controlled a yearly cleaning supplies budget of 2 million in local currency (about 23,000 in the employer's currency at the March 2026 rate) for a 180-room hotel.
Why it works: Asking what the money was for turned up the supplies and the yearly cycle. She converted the figure herself on the day she wrote it and said which rate she used. The room count came from the hotel's own website, and it gives the reader a sense of scale that a bare sum cannot.
Cover letter. In some places it is expected with every application, and in others it is optional. Check the posting.
Check what is normal there first
Length
One to two pages is common; some fields and regions expect more.
Photo and personal details
Follow local custom and the application.
Spelling and wording
Use the local spelling and the local word for the document.
Dates and phone
Write numbers with the country code; match the date style.
Currency and units
Name the currency so a figure means something.
Qualifications
Exact name, institution and country, plus a few words if unusual.
Habits differ within countries and change over time. An application’s own instructions come first.
Explaining your qualifications
A degree, a diploma or a professional title can be hard to read across borders. Help the reader without changing the facts.
- Give the exact name of the qualification and the institution, with the country.
- Add a brief note of what it is, if the name is unusual, such as "three-year undergraduate degree in engineering".
- If there is a recognized equivalence and you can verify it, you may mention it. Do not invent one.
- For regulated professions, such as medicine, nursing, law, engineering or teaching, look up the local registration route. You may need recognition before you can work, and the posting may ask for it.
Include a few words about the institution if it is not well known outside its country, such as the city and the type of institution.
Before
B.Sc Nursing, 2016.
After
Bachelor of Science in Nursing, a four-year degree including 1,800 hours of supervised ward practice, 2016. Registration with the local nursing regulator in progress (application submitted 2026).
Why it works: The hours came from her transcript, and the registration status from the regulator's online portal. The abbreviation is spelled out, and the line answers the first two things a ward manager abroad needs to know.
Work authorization
Employers often need to know whether you can work in their country. Where you already have the right, say so plainly, in the way the posting expects.
Before
Visa status: will discuss.
After
Skilled worker visa held, valid to 2029, so no sponsorship is needed.
Why it works: The expiry year came from his permit. A reader worried about cost and paperwork gets the answer in one line, before they have to ask.
Where you need sponsorship or a visa, be honest and short. Some applications ask you directly in a form, and a line on the resume is not always necessary. If you are unsure, answer the question when it is asked, and do not claim a status you do not hold.
Rules differ a great deal, and they change. Check official sources for the country in question, and do not rely on guesses or on advice from people who are not sure.
Describing your employers
A company that is famous at home may be unknown elsewhere. Add a few words after the name when it helps, such as "a national supermarket chain with 300 stores" or "the largest private hospital group in the region". A reader then knows the size of what you ran.
Do the same for job titles that are used differently in other places. If your title is rarely used abroad, a short clarification in brackets can help, as long as it is accurate.
Language
If you are applying in a second language, have a fluent speaker read your resume. Small errors can look larger on a short document. If the posting is in one language and asks for another, follow it.
State your language levels with plain words, and be honest. The language of the interview may be tested. A level means more when it comes with a use.
Before
English: good.
After
English: professional working level; ran the monthly reporting call with the head office finance team for three years.
Why it works: Nothing was added. Asking her where she actually used English at work turned up the reporting calls, which show the level better than the word "good".
Location and moving
Say where you are and whether you plan to move.
Currently in Nairobi. Planning to relocate to Toronto in March.
Employers often worry about timing and cost, so a clear line answers it before they ask. If you already have a right to live and work there, say so.
Keep one master and adapt copies
As with any tailoring, keep a master resume with everything true, and make a copy for each country, changing only the parts above. That way your facts stay the same and you can adjust quickly.
Common questions
- Should I put a photo on my resume for jobs abroad?
- Follow local custom and the application. Where it is unusual, leave it off. Where it is expected, use a clear, plain headshot.
- Do I need to translate my resume?
- If the employer works in another language and expects it, yes, and have a fluent speaker check it. If the posting is in English, an English resume is usually fine.
- Should I convert my grades or degree classification?
- Give your result as it is written, with the scale. Add a short note only if you can do it accurately.
- Is it worth applying before I have the right to work there?
- It can be, where employers sponsor people for your kind of role and the posting does not rule it out. Say plainly what you would need, and look for postings that mention sponsorship. Where a posting asks for the right to work already, respect it.