Writing a CV for European companies

Short answer: keep it to one or two pages, write it in the language of the job post, start with a clear title and a three-line summary, list experience with results rather than duties, add your skills and languages with honest levels, and say that you're based in Morocco and available during European working hours. Leave out your photo, age, marital status and full address unless the job post asks for them.

A recruiter at a European company usually gives a CV a quick first look before deciding whether to read on. In that first look, they want to know three things: what you do, how good you are at it, and whether you can work with their team. This guide shows how to make those three answers obvious, with notes for candidates applying from Morocco.

The format that works

European recruiters are used to simple, scannable CVs.

• Length: one page if you have under five years of experience, two pages at most otherwise.
• Layout: one column, clear headings, plenty of white space. Fancy designs with charts and skill bars often get mangled by applicant tracking systems, the software many companies use to read CVs.
• File: PDF, named "Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdf".
• Font: a standard one at a readable size. Consistency matters more than style.

Write in the language of the job post

If the job post is in English, send an English CV, even if the company is in France or Spain. If it's in French, send a French one. Keep a version in each language you work in, and have someone fluent read each version once. A CV with language mistakes is the fastest way to lose a job that requires that language.

The top of the page

The top third of your CV does most of the work.

Name and title. Under your name, write the role you're applying for, in the words the job post uses: "Customer Support Specialist (French, English)" or "Frontend Developer, React".

Contact line. Email, phone with the country code (+212), LinkedIn, and a portfolio link if relevant. Add your location and how you work: "Casablanca, Morocco · Remote · CET working hours".

Summary. Three lines, no more. Who you are, what you're best at, and one result. For example: "Customer support specialist with four years in e-commerce, working in French and English. Handled 70 chats a day at a 94 percent satisfaction score. Looking for a remote role with a European team."

Experience: results, not duties

For each job, give the title, company, city and dates, then three to five lines on what you achieved. Start each line with an action and, where you can, add a number.

Instead of "Responsible for customer emails", write "Answered around 60 customer emails a day in French and English, keeping first-reply time under two hours". Instead of "Worked on the website", write "Rebuilt the checkout page in React, cutting load time in half".

Numbers make results believable. If you don't have exact figures, give honest estimates and be ready to explain them in the interview.

If your experience was in a Moroccan company that recruiters abroad won't know, add a few words of context: "Rabat-based software company, 200 employees" or "Call centre serving French telecom customers".

Skills and languages

Skills. List the tools and skills the job post asks for that you actually have. Group them if the list is long: "Support tools: Zendesk, Intercom" or "Frontend: React, TypeScript, Tailwind".

Languages. This section matters a lot for candidates from Morocco, because languages are often your advantage. Use a clear level for each: native, fluent, professional or basic. If you have a certificate, such as a DELF, DALF or an English test, mention it with the level.

Education and training

List degrees with the institution and year. For Moroccan degrees, a short explanation helps: "Licence (bachelor's degree) in Economics". Add relevant courses and certificates, especially recent ones. If you have strong experience, education can go at the bottom.

What to leave out

European CVs usually don't include, and many recruiters prefer not to see:

• a photo, unless the post asks for one
• age or date of birth, marital status, number of children
• national ID number or full street address (city and country are enough)
• references' contact details (say "available on request" or simply leave it out)
• a list of every course you've ever taken

Leaving these out keeps the CV focused and avoids giving information that has nothing to do with the job.

Make remote work from Morocco an advantage

Recruiters hiring remotely worry about two things: whether you can work independently, and whether time zones and logistics will be a problem. Answer both on your CV:

• Time zone: "CET working hours" or "Available 9:00 to 18:00 Paris time". Morocco is on GMT all year. Our guide on working across time zones with Morocco explains the details, which you can mention when it matters.
• Remote experience: if you've worked with people in other cities or countries, used tools like Slack, Jira or Notion, or managed your own schedule as a freelancer, say so.
• Setup: for support roles especially, "quiet home office, fibre connection with mobile backup" reassures recruiters.

Habits from local CVs to drop

A few habits common on CVs written for the local market tend to work against you abroad. Long objective statements about wanting "a challenging position in a dynamic company" say nothing a recruiter can use, so replace them with the three-line summary above. Lists of every software you have opened once dilute the skills that matter. And very long descriptions of each employer push your results off the first page. Shorter, sharper and focused on what you achieved will always read better.

Tailor every CV, quickly

You don't need a new CV for every job, but you should adjust the top for each one. Read the post, note the three things it asks for most, and make sure those three things appear in your title, summary and first experience lines. Ten minutes of tailoring often turns a rejection into an interview.

Then put the same title and summary on your RemoteMaroc profile so companies searching for your skills can find you, and start applying to remote jobs open to Morocco. If it's your first remote job, our guide on landing your first remote job from Morocco has a four-week plan.

A quick checklist before you send

1. Title matches the job post.
2. Summary is three lines with one result.
3. Every experience line shows an action and, ideally, a number.
4. Languages have honest levels.
5. Location and working hours are clear.
6. No photo, age or marital status unless asked.
7. PDF, named with your full name.
8. Read once by someone fluent in that language.

FAQ

Should I put a photo on my CV for European companies?

Usually not. Many European companies prefer CVs without a photo, and some countries discourage it to avoid bias. Add one only if the job post asks for it.

How long should my CV be?

One page if you have less than about five years of experience, two pages at most otherwise. Recruiters read the first page carefully and skim the rest.

Do I need a different CV for each language?

Yes, keep one version in each language you apply in, and send the one that matches the job post. Have each version checked by a fluent speaker.

Should I mention that I'm in Morocco?

Yes. Companies hiring remotely need to know where you are for time zones and contracts. Present it as practical information: your city, "Remote", and the hours you work.