Topic 3 How to write a CV and cover letters, validation process of previous degrees
A) How to write CV and cover letters:
Firstly, it’s crucial to ensure that your CV meets the Romanian labour market requirements. Countries have different rules and expectations regarding the content of a CV, so it’s important to follow specific criteria and guidelines. It is also very important to personalize your CV for each individual job application.
- Make sure that your CV is in reverse chronological order (from the newest to the oldest job / education).
- Biographical data (at the top of your CV) to include: full name, current address, mobile number, email address, date of birth, nationality.
- Next step – add your education – in this section, you should include educational degree, final grades, dates of attendance, diplomas, trainings, and courses.
- Languages – in this section, you should include your mother tongue, languages known, certificates and institutions that granted the language level proficiency and level of languages. – The language proficiency level is based on 6 levels for the writing, speaking, reading and understanding: A1 and A2 (Beginner); B1 and B2 (Intermediate); and C1 and C2 (advanced). This classification is widely used all over Europe and has become the widespread standard for the rest of the world.
- Work experience – add the dates of attendance, location, and most importantly your job title and tasks accomplished (keep the information relevant to the job you are applying for).
- Your CV should include 2 references (their names, email addresses, phone numbers and job positions). These contact details are used by recruiters to verify the information you have provided.
- You can also add information about volunteering, conferences and seminars you have attended, driving license, leadership, organizational and managerial skills, digital skills, memberships and rewards you have obtained.
Finally, it depends on the position and language of the workplace you are applying for to have different copies of your CV in different languages. The most common CV languages in Romania are English, French, German or Romanian, but this depends on the job you are applying for.
There are many websites to guide you on how to write your CV and cover letter. Probably the most used and organized website in Europe is Europass. You can follow this link to start writing your cover letter via Europass.
Europass is a set of online tools and information developed by the European Commission, designed to guide you to manage every step of your learning process and career. These tools and information support you in communicating your education, skills, qualifications and experiences accurately and consistently across Europe.
Follow the next instructional video to start writing your CV:
The cover letter is the first matter an employer will read from you. Your cover letter must indicate what position you are applying for, and then provides information about why you should be considered for the position. Do not duplicate all the information you mentioned in your CV. On the other hand, you can elaborate on the CV the information that are directly applicable to the position for which you are applying.
- Your personal information: begin your cover letter with your contact information. It should be in block style, on the left margin of your paper, towards the top: name, current address, mobile number, date of sending the letter and email address.
- Date; the date of the cover letter.
- Contact Person’s Name, Title, Employer, and Address, usually the manager of the job you are applying for.
- Salutation – choose the suitable style to address the contact person; for example:
- Dear Mr. Ionescu
- Dear Ms./ Mrs. Pop
- Dear Prospective Employer (if there is no contact name)
- Introducing Paragraph:
- In the introducing paragraph you should mention how you found out about the vacant position (i.e. social media, the Internet, or personal referrals).
- Middle Paragraph:
- This paragraph summarizes your background experience and critical skills, proficiency and qualifications to be considered for this job.
- Second Middle Paragraph:
- This paragraph can be used to demonstrate your persuasive skills (soft skills).
- Contact Information and Closing
- At the end of the letter mention about your availability for the job, where you can be contacted, and when you are going to contact the hiring person for an appointment to discuss your application. If you have no contact name, you may simply want to indicate your anticipation for a response in this part of the letter. Thank the person to whom you are writing for his/her time and consideration of your application.
Follow the next instructional video to start writing your cover letter:
C) Diploma recognition and equivalency:
- As a foreigner, in order to continue your study or to work in Romania, the previous degrees you have obtained must be recognized and validated. Before starting the recognition process, an educational institution that is accredited in Romania must have issued diplomas.
- For your high-school, college or post-graduate diplomas to be recognized, you must file an application to the National Centre for Diploma Recognition and Equivalency (CNRED) – an institution established within the Ministry of Education, Research, Youth and Sports.
- The file must be submitted to the Ministry’s Registration Office or via post to the same office or online. For further details, see the web page of the National Centre for Diploma Recognition and Equivalency: https://cnred.edu.ro/
- Recognizing a diploma (or other similar document) means officially accepting it and acknowledgment of the its authenticity. The assessment criteria for diploma recognition are the following: type of education program, number of transferable credits, content, training, field, specialization, professional training, as compared to the Romanian education system, with a view to establishing the level they match to in the Romanian education system.
- Equivalency is an evaluation of the level of achievement equivalent to completion of a certain education level until the diploma was issued and of its compatibility with the Romanian education system. If the diploma is equivalated, the Centre will issue a certificate that grants you equal rights to those who have studied in Romania.
- Diplomas and certificates which have been issued by accredited educational institutions in the EU and the EEA are automatically recognized.
- Education diplomas and certificates issued in a third country are recognized only if the educational system in that country is similar to the Romanian one, and if there is an agreement between the two countries that they mutually recognize their diplomas and certificates. Otherwise, compensating measures will be decided by the Centre (tests, equivalency examinations, internships etc.).
- Automatic recognition is a simplified process. For person benefitting from automatic recognition, their files are not subject to the regular specific analysis. If there are big differences between your studies and those that are usual in Romania, then the Centre will decide that you should take equivalency examinations, or study, be an intern in a certain institution for a certain period.