1. Content
General candidate’s CV must include: personal details, education, work experience, language skills and computer skills. However, that is usually enough when preparing a Bulgarian CV; the Dutch one has one more section, which is absolutely important – the candidate’s personal profile. This section of the Dutch CV is the most important selling point when applying for a job and it must be situated after the personal details. With this part, the candidate tells their story, what makes them unique and perfect for the specific position. It contains relevant job experience, qualities and competencies, objectives.
2. Style
The writing style for a Bulgarian CV is not necessarily as direct as the Dutch one. Using enhanced words when describing work experience is an often practice. However, for a Dutch CV, it is important for the candidate to be able to prove every word that has been used during an eventual job interview. Exaggerating your CV is not advisable in general, however, for a Dutch CV it is an absolute no go.
Furthermore, the length of a CV, either Dutch or Bulgarian is between one and three pages. However, if the Bulgarian CVs tend be overstretched with long and complicated sentences, the Dutch insist on short and straight to the point presented information.
Another difference can be found in the layout of a CV. The Europass template still finds place in some Bulgarian CV practices. However, for a successful Dutch CV, this format is highly unadvisable.
3. LinkedIn
In Bulgaria LinkedIn, as a main source of finding job, is still not that popular. In the Netherlands, however, this online media is a main tool for recruiters to find new employees and for job seekers to search for job vacancies. Thus, often the Dutch CV is translated into a LinkedIn profile as well.
By: Iva Plocheva