Applying for a job in France: how to write a French CV

In France the CV is short and factual. Here is what the Spanish public employment service (SEPE) tells people applying in France, together with France Travail, the French public employment service:

• Length: one page; two at the most if you have a lot of experience.
• Order: reverse chronological, with a title that says which job you are aiming for.
• Language: simple, without professional slang or technical terms beyond what is necessary.
• Leave out: salary expectations and personal details such as marital status, children, religion or politics.
• References: it is better not to list them; they are given at the interview.
• Format: PDF.

1. 1Contact details at the top: full name and at least a phone number and an email.
2. 2A title (accroche): the job you are aiming for, or a short professional goal. France Travail suggests a short hook next to your contact details, with precise keywords for your functions.
3. 3Professional experience, most recent first. Delete what has no relation to the goal; stress skills and achievements and illustrate with figures when possible.
4. 4Dates and periods for each position, and the name or sector of each employer.
5. 5Education and qualifications related to the job.
6. 6IT and language skills, with your level.
7. 7Hobbies only if they relate to the skills the job requires.

France Travail describes the chronological CV as the classic one, retracing your experience from the most recent to the oldest. The thematic CV puts the emphasis on know-how and transferable skills rather than on your career path.

SEPE says the thematic format is preferable if you have little experience, very different jobs or a career break. In that case replace the “professional experience” section by “skills and competences”.

Automatic screening is more and more common in France: software searches for keywords. SEPE's advice is to use the same words as in the job ad. France Travail adds that you should choose precise, relevant keywords to describe your functions, especially in the title.

SEPE's factsheet for France asks only for your name, a phone number and an email as the compulsory data and does not ask for a photo. French law prohibits excluding a candidate for physical appearance (Labour Code, article L1132-1), and the Défenseur des droits, the national rights ombudsman, lists the photo among the data that create a risk of discrimination in recruitment tools. In practice a photo is a personal choice and is never necessary.

Don't give marital status, children, religion or political views, and don't state a salary: SEPE says to leave them out.

The cover letter explains why you apply for this vacancy and what you are looking for, so it must be unique for each application. It should be simple, structured and personal, and the reader should see at a glance the job, what you offer and your availability.

You can attach it as a document or write it in the body of the email; in that case it is shorter, and the recruiter opens the attached CV only if the message convinces. Put the job or reference in the subject, use a neutral email with your name and attach the CV as a PDF.

This is the skeleton of a one-page French CV, with the French names of the sections:

• Alex Carter · phone · email · city.
• Titre / accroche: “Assistant réseaux sociaux” followed by one or two lines.
• Expérience professionnelle: dates, employer, role and bullets with figures.
• Formation: degrees and certificates related to the job.
• Compétences: IT and languages with level.
• Centres d'intérêt: only if they relate to the job.

• CV, lettre de motivation (cover letter), accroche (the short hook at the top).
• CV chronologique and CV thématique: the two formats described above.
• Expérience professionnelle, formation, compétences, centres d'intérêt.
• France Travail is the public employment service (it replaced Pôle emploi).

How long should it be? One page; two if you have a lot of experience, says SEPE.

Should I add a photo? It is not required. The ombudsman lists the photo among the data that can lead to discrimination in recruitment tools, and French law forbids excluding a candidate for appearance. If you add one, it is your choice.

Do I put references? It is preferable not to: they will be provided at the interview.

What if I have little experience? Use a thematic CV that stresses skills over a timeline, as SEPE and France Travail suggest.

• A two-page CV with little experience: one page is the norm.
• Not using the words of the job ad.
• Including family situation or religion.
• Listing references nobody asked for.
• Spelling mistakes: SEPE warns they can mean immediate rejection.
• A generic letter sent to every company.

• One page (two at most), in PDF.
• A title with the job you want.
• Keywords from the ad in your titles and bullets.
• No personal details, no salary, no references.
• A short letter specific to the company.