Guideline | CV format for job in Saudi Arabia

Usually, a job applicant’s Curriculum Vitae (CV) and cover letter make their first impression on an employer, which is of the utmost importance. In this article, you will find out about all the western-style guidelines that must be followed when structuring an English-language CV format for job in Saudi Arabia.

What is a CV in Saudi Arabia?

As with all CVs and cover letters, applicants must carefully consider spelling, formatting, and customizing them according to the employer’s expectations.

Digital submissions, such as an email or online upload, will typically involve a CV and cover letter. To be prepared for a follow-up interview, one should also prepare a hard copy. If an employer does not require a cover letter, applicants should send an introduction by email (1-3 paragraphs) that discusses their qualifications for the position and emphasizes their suitability.

In general, employers in Saudi Arabia are looking to hire expatriates with specific expertise to fill a particular role – and are hiring expatriates rather than Saudi citizens to fill that role.

Therefore, to make one’s cv format for a job in Saudi Arabia and a cover letter stand out from the crowd, it is vital to highlight one’s proficiency in the chosen field of expertise.

Principles to follow:

• For expatriates, cover letters and CVs should follow standard Western-style guidelines.
• Generally, CVs and cover letters should be written in English. The applicant should also include a cover letter and CV in Arabic if the job requires Arabic knowledge.
• Customizing your cover letter for the position is essential, highlighting your unique experience and expertise. This is particularly important considering current Saudi guidelines requiring expatriates to meet specific expertise unavailable locally.
• Saudi Arabia has several political and religious constraints and sensitivities to consider.
• It is recommended that CVs not exceed one page unless substantial technical information or publications are needed.

It is not always customary to send cv format for job in Saudi Arabia, but employers are very grateful to receive them. Your skills and experiences should complement and exceed the employer’s requirements in your cover letter.

I strongly advise you to read the job advertisement very carefully and note the job duties and responsibilities and the language or keywords used by the potential employer before applying for any position.

The analysis of your experience should focus on areas that can demonstrate your capabilities and exceed your employer’s requirements.

Why might your CV get rejected?

A carefully-written CV will grab the attention of employers and help you avoid the pitfalls that might destroy your chances of being interviewed.

Grammar & Spelling.

Unfortunately, we see many CVs with spelling errors and poor grammar, and no real excuse exists. Remember that this is a document representing you, and any mistakes could damage your chances of getting an interview. You do not need to submit a full-blown sales pitch in your cv format for job in Saudi Arabia – it’s just there to bring you an interview.

Make sure you double-check your CV. You can then pass it along to a friend who can provide constructive feedback.

Reading your CV aloud is a great way to check it, and a section that is longer or needs more punctuation will be flagged up.

The format.

You don’t want to figure out where each section starts and ends when you see a CV on screen or paper.

There are several reasons why poor formatting will not only turn off recruiters. However, it could also pose a real disadvantage for a candidate planning to apply his/her cv format for job in Saudi Arabia on an online job board.

Most worthwhile recruiters and significant employers now use a custom-built system to deal with the high volume of applications received from the internet and evaluate them efficiently.

This means that some job boards and specialist recruitment applications will not display poorly formatted CVs correctly.

Personal Information Too Much.

You could be hurting your chances of getting a job if you include too much personal information that isn’t related to the job, just like attaching a picture to your CV.
The recruiter is not asking about your age, height, weight, religious or political affiliations, marital status, or sexual preference, so does he/she need to know everything about you?

Informative Misrepresentations.

More and more companies are starting to conduct extensive background checks before hiring. In almost every job application, it is common for people to embellish the facts about their achievements, but stretching the truth could get you in trouble.

Many candidates have tripped themselves up when putting information on their CVs that is misleading, and we have seen the following misinformation on CVs:

• Inaccurate dates to conceal job hopping or unexplained gaps in employment.
• The purchase of worthless online degrees is one example of inflating education achievements.
• Pay increases that are too high.
• Job titles that are exaggerated.
• Career accomplishments that are exaggerated.
• False statements regarding roles and duties.

Which skills are in demand in Saudi Arabia?

Let’s look at some of the most valuable skills in the workforce today. You will be more attractive to employers when you start sending your cv format for job in Saudi Arabia if you possess the following skills:

Data Analysis.

Data analysis aims to clean, transform, and analyze data to draw valuable insights. Using charts, tables, and other visualization tools, data analysts must be able to capture data from software platforms, clean that data (remove inaccurate and corrupt records), interpret it, and then visualize it using charts. All businesses rely on data analysis skills, from marketing to business management and machine learning.

Social Media Marketing.

In this year’s digital marketing landscape, social media marketing has become one of the most important aspects for businesses to consider. Having a solid presence on social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn is one of the best ways for businesses to remain competitive and achieve the kind of growth they are hoping to achieve.

To entice companies looking to expand their reach and deliver more leads and customers, smaller companies will find people with social media marketing skills very appealing, especially if they can write persuasive copy and primary photo and video editing skills.

Adobe Photoshop.

Graphic designers and web developers use Adobe Photoshop to create images and graphics of the highest quality, which can then be shared with their clients and customers.

During this period of increasing need for Adobe Photoshop skills among marketing professionals, public relations executives, and their teams, the demand for people with such skills will increase, and it would be very beneficial to have this skill in your cv format for job in Saudi Arabia as businesses expand their digital marketing strategies.

Digital Marketing.

Businesses are increasingly promoting their products or services online and building an online presence. A marketing expert should strive to develop digital marketing skills like SEO, keyword research, writing website copy and blog posts, etc.

When applying for marketing-related jobs, it will be easier for someone knowledgeable about digital marketing to sell themselves.

Q&A:

I recommend reading the job advertisement carefully before applying for any position. You should pay attention not only to the actual job requirements but also to the language or keywords used by the potential employer in the ad. The most important thing you can do is to evaluate your own experiences in terms of whether those can demonstrate or exceed the qualifications for the position when you send your cv format for job in Saudi Arabia.

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بقلم Mohammad