The number of sign-ups, curriculums, e-mails, telephone calls, letters and faxes received by the agencies is enormous. And for this reason, the contracting firm or intermediaries adopt strict procedures. In other words, if your CV or Résumé is illegible, incomplete, poorly written or has been received by the wrong person, you will have wasted your time.

Each agency works differently. Make sure you read carefully and follow strictly the instructions for filling in the application. Look over your curriculum and don't forget to state your qualifications, experiences and abilities compatible with the position chosen.

Curriculum, Curriculum Vitae (CV) or Résumé:

Type it in English. Don't write more than one page (the person should be able, in a glance, to find all the necessary information).

Format:

A4 or legal size paper.


Page Layout :

1. Personal Data: name, address, telephone, e-mail, etc.
2. Goals: write in a few words what you're after and how you can contribute.
3. Employment Record: place in chronological order, from the most recent to the least, the positions you have held.
   Current: name of the firm, time employed, write a few words about the firm, annual budget, number of employees, etc, and your position and duties.
   Previous 1: name of the firm, time employed, write a few words about the firm, annual budget, number of employees, etc, and your position and duties.
   Previous 2: name of the firm, time employed, write a few words about the firm, annual budget, number of employees, etc, and your position and duties.
4. Education: name of the institution, the course, date begun and concluded, and location (city and country).
5. Languages: Write down the languages spoken and classify them: speak, write and/or read.
6. Computer Skills: list the names of the programs that you know how to use (remember that the internet is not considered a program).
   

Annexes:

Recommendation letters: a reference letter should be in English, together with the person's name, telephone and e-mail address.

Certificates: If they are translated that can help and could make a difference.

Review:

Check for grammar errors, typos and the information provided, especially for e-mails and telephones for contact.

Sending by e-mail:

Be careful when attaching your Curriculum to an e-mail so that when it's opened by the receiver, it will be comprehensible, not out of format. Many people don't realize this, but, the various versions of Word and Windows, plus the language stings, can condemn your Résumé presentation and hinder your chances of getting the job so sought for. The best way is to send it in Adobe/PDF. There's no other way. Follow the pointers below, step by step:

1. Finish the preparation of your Curriculum on Word, no matter the version or the language;
2. Close the file;
3. Access the link: www.freepdfconvert.com ;
4. Click on “Browser” and show the way of the file;
5. Select: “ Convert from File” ;
6. Type in your e-mail;
7. Select : “Attach files to this e-mail' ;
8. Click on “ Convert” ;
9. Then, “ uploading file” will appear;
10. In a few more minutes “Job Done” will appear;
11. Click on “Click here to download files”, right under “Job Done” ;
12. When you click it, a window will open for you to point to the file's destination. When writing the name, opt for placing your last name followed by the first name and remember, without accents, “ç” , or spaces;
13. Finished! Your Curriculum in PDF format is ready, protected from format changes and editing. And on top of that, it looks really professional. Congratulations!

Cover letter:

E Prepare or write a paragraph containing: the name of the position sought the course you have studied, language and any other professional experience. Annex this to your Curriculum together with the other documents that serve as references and mention that they are attached to the e-mail. As the “subject” of the e-mail, you should write the name of the person to whom you are sending it to.

Diferencial: 

Find out before sending your information, the complete name and e-mail of the person to whom you are sending it. While sending the e-mail, CC it to you as and keep it as a record. It is also important to confirm by phone that the document has arrived. A few days later, without being an annoyance, call or send another e-mail to check up on its progress. It's also important to send any updates of your CV.

To send a Curriculum by post is recommended.

A nice picture at the top of the Curriculum also helps a lot during the frenetic Résumé selection, says an American specialist in HR, because the contracting firm wants to know as much about you in a short period of time. The picture shows that you are happy, responsible, healthy and a well dressed person, and if you have a professional look. You don't necessarily need to be good-looking.