144: How to prepare a resume with suitable cover letter in Austria

Resume and cover letter introduce the candidate to the recruiters in a short time with a brief overview.

1- Resume

Word of résumé comes from French language which means to sum up and used for job applications and presenting key facts in 1 or 2 pages.

Resume sections:

1. Personal profile
   • Name
   • Date of birth
   • Gender
   • Marital status
   • Children (not common)
   • Nationality
   • Religion (not common)
   • Visa type or title like red white red, red white red plus or blue cards and so on (for foreigners)
   • Passport no. (for foreigners)
   • Insurance number (not common)
   • Military service status (If you think it is necessary to mention it)
   • Photo
2. Contact information
   • E-Mail
   • Phone
   • Address
3. Educational background and training
   • Primary school (Hauptschule)
   • High school (Gymnasium)
   • University
   • Training courses
4. Working experience
   • In case that you have some gap in your working periods (non-working times), it's better to explain the reasons and your activities during that time.
5. Skills
   • Computer software
   • Engineering software
   • Other skills which can be suitable for the desired job.
6. Language skills
   • English level / certificate
   • German level / certifiate
7. Additonal sections:
   •  Activities
     • Projects
     • Activities related to your previous positions
   • Memberships
     • Engineering committees, NGO etc.
   • Interests (Leisure)
     • Sports, arts etc.
   • References
     • Previous managers, known key persons and so on

Note: CV (Curriculum Vitae) is used for academic purposes and usually more details are mentioned in it.

2- Cover letter

Cover letter is a single page which you normally must send it to the recruiter along with the resume.

Cover letter structure:

1. If you don't have the name or position of contact person, address your letter To Whom It May Concern.
2. Introduce yourself briefly.
3. Explain that what job and position you are looking for.
4. Briefly describe your education and work experience and skills you have acquired up to now.
5. Show how your skills and experience can match the job requirements.
6. You can also ask for an interview (in person or via telephone or video call) at the end.

Notes:

• There are a lot of websites which will provide you an auto-generated resume and cover letter with filling the simple forms.  Europass is a free website which you can try it to get an idea.
• Try to customize your resume and cover letter according to each specific job opportunity.
• Before writing the cover letter and modifying your resume, try to get enough information about the company and the desired job situation.