# French CV Format: Writing an English CV for Employers in France

Source: https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/fr
Last updated: 2026-10-01

A French CV is concise and carefully structured. One A4 page is the norm for junior candidates, and two pages are acceptable for experienced professionals. It opens with a headline naming the job you are targeting, followed by experience, education, skills and languages. A photo is optional and increasingly left out, and personal details are kept to the essentials. French recruiters pay close attention to education, so describe your degrees clearly.

## At a glance

| Item | Detail |
| --- | --- |
| Length | One page for most early-career applicants; two pages for senior profiles. |
| Photo | Optional; still seen, but many candidates and employers now leave it out. |
| Personal details | Name, phone, email, city and LinkedIn; age and family status are not needed. |
| Dates | Month and year, or year ranges for older roles, latest position first. |
| Paper size | A4 with compact margins and a clear visual hierarchy. |
| Spelling | British or American English, used consistently; keep French titles where helpful. |
| File type | PDF named with your first and last name, sent with a cover letter. |

## Usual section order

1. Name, contact details and CV headline
2. Short profile (optional)
3. Professional experience
4. Education with degree level
5. Skills (technical and transferable)
6. Languages with CEFR levels
7. Interests and activities

## The CV headline and a one-page layout

French CVs usually carry a headline, the titre du CV, directly under your name. It states the job you are applying for, such as “Financial controller” or “Junior UX designer”, so the recruiter knows at once where you fit. Underneath, a tidy one-page layout is the standard for most candidates. Many French CVs use two columns, with contact details, skills and languages in a narrow side panel, but a single column is safer for applicant tracking systems used by large employers. Whatever you choose, use clear headings, consistent dates and plenty of white space.

## Photo, age and anti-discrimination rules

French law forbids employers from discriminating on grounds such as age, origin, family situation or physical appearance, and there is no obligation to include a photo or personal data on a CV. A photo was traditionally common, and some candidates still add one, but it is now optional and often left out, particularly in large companies and international teams. If you add one, make it a neutral, professional headshot. Date of birth, nationality and marital status are not needed; a work status line is enough for international applicants.

## Education and the Bac+ system

Education carries a lot of weight in France, and recruiters read degree titles carefully. French qualifications are often described by the number of years of study after the baccalauréat, the school-leaving exam: Bac+3 corresponds to a bachelor’s level and Bac+5 to a master’s level. If your degree is from abroad, give its original title and country, and add the equivalent level in brackets, for example “Master’s degree in mechanical engineering (Bac+5 equivalent)”. Mention major projects, a thesis topic or a well-known exchange programme where they relate to the job.

## Internships, work-study and experience

Internships, known as stages, are a normal part of French higher education and appear on almost every graduate CV. Work-study contracts, where students alternate between classes and a company, are also common and should be listed as professional experience. For each role, give the job title, organisation, city and dates, then a few bullet points with concrete results. French recruiters prefer facts to adjectives, so describe the scope of your work, the tools you used and what changed because of it, rather than listing personal qualities.

## Languages, skills and interests

List every language with a level from the Common European Framework of Reference, from A1 to C2, and add any recognised certificate. French is the working language in most organisations, so state your French level clearly, even when the role is in English. A skills section can combine technical tools with soft skills, but keep it specific. A short section on interests, the centres d’intérêt, is a familiar feature of French CVs and can start a conversation in the interview, so mention genuine activities such as a sport, volunteering or a creative pursuit.

## Europass and international applicants

France participates in Europass, the European Union’s framework for CVs and skills documents. Its online editor is free and produces a recognised European layout, but French employers do not require it and generally prefer a personal, one-page CV. Europass can still be practical for mobility programmes and applications in several countries. Applicants from outside the EU, the European Economic Area and Switzerland should state their residence and work authorisation on the CV. Citizens of those countries can simply write that they are EU citizens or nationals of the relevant country.

## What to include

- A headline under your name that names the exact job or field you are applying for.
- Your degree level, with a Bac+ equivalent in brackets when the qualification is from outside France.
- Internships and work-study periods listed as real experience, each with a short, factual result.
- Your French level on the A1 to C2 scale, even when the job is advertised in English.
- A short list of genuine interests or volunteering that could give the interviewer something to ask about.

## What to leave out

- Age, family situation and nationality, which French employers are not allowed to take into account.
- Long objective statements that repeat the headline; a precise job title says the same in fewer words.
- A third page, unless you are applying for an academic or research post that asks for a full record.
- Vague lists of personal qualities with no evidence from your experience to support them.
- Unexplained abbreviations of foreign degrees that a French recruiter will not recognise.

## Sample professional summary

> Financial analyst with five years’ experience in corporate finance and management reporting for industrial groups. Prepares monthly forecasts, builds models in Excel and Power BI, and presents results to operational managers. Master’s degree in finance (Bac+5 equivalent). English C2, French C1, Spanish B2. EU citizen, available to relocate to Lyon.

## Adding a personal website link

French recruiters frequently look up candidates on LinkedIn, and a personal website or online portfolio is valuable in design, communication, architecture, research and software development. Put the link in the contact block of your CV and refer to a relevant project in your cover letter. Keep the information consistent with your CV, and if the site is in English, a short French introduction helps local employers.

## How France compares

| Country | Length | Photo | Paper size |
| --- | --- | --- | --- |
| [India](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/in) | One page for freshers; two pages for most experienced candidates; senior profiles occasionally longer. | Optional; a plain professional headshot is acceptable but rarely required by private employers. | A4 size, with margins of roughly 2 cm on each side. |
| [US](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/us) | One page under about ten years of experience; two pages for senior roles. | No photo. Most US employers prefer not to see one. | US Letter size (8.5 × 11 inches), not A4. |
| [UK](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/uk) | Two sides of A4 is the norm; one page suits graduates and school leavers. | No photo, except for acting, modelling or presenting roles. | A4 paper size with sensible margins, not US Letter. |
| [UAE](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/ae) | Two pages is typical; three can suit senior or highly technical profiles. | Common and often expected: a plain, professional head-and-shoulders photo. | A4 size when printed. |
| [Canada](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/ca) | One page for early-career applicants; two pages is common for experienced professionals. | Leave it out. Most Canadian employers prefer resumes without a photo. | North American Letter size, 8.5 by 11 inches, not A4. |
| [Australia](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/au) | Two to three pages is usual; graduates and school leavers can keep to one or two. | Leave it out; most employers prefer no photo, except for acting or modelling roles. | A4 paper size, the standard for printed documents in Australia. |
| [Singapore](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/sg) | One to two A4 pages; senior specialists sometimes stretch to three. | Optional and less common than before; leave it out unless requested. | A4 with modest margins, the standard size in Singapore offices. |
| [Ireland](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/ie) | Two A4 pages for most candidates; one page can work for school leavers. | Leave the photo off unless the job is in acting, modelling or presenting. | A4 page size with even margins, never US Letter. |
| [Germany](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/de) | One to two pages of A4; experienced specialists occasionally use three. | Optional; still common, but many employers no longer expect one. | A4 with a tidy, consistent grid and generous margins. |
| [Spain](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/es) | One A4 page early in your career; two pages once you have several roles. | Commonly included as a small headshot, but optional and never required. | A4, with a simple layout that survives printing and portal uploads. |
| **France** | One page for most early-career applicants; two pages for senior profiles. | Optional; still seen, but many candidates and employers now leave it out. | A4 with compact margins and a clear visual hierarchy. |
| [Italy](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/it) | One or two A4 pages; graduates usually fit everything on one. | Commonly included as a small headshot; optional, not required by law. | A4 with a sober layout; muted colours suit most sectors. |
| [Portugal](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/pt) | One or two A4 pages; one page is common for graduates. | Often included as a small headshot, but not required. | A4, with a clean layout and readable font size. |
| [Brazil](https://digitalcvmaker.com/resume-format/br) | One page for most candidates; two pages for senior professionals. | Not expected; leave it off unless the advert asks for one. | A4, with a simple layout that reads well on a phone screen. |

## Questions about the France CV format

### Can I send an English CV to French employers?

Yes, when the job advert is written in English or the company works internationally, which is common in technology, consulting, research and large groups. For most other roles, French is expected, and a CV in French shows that you can work with local colleagues. Keep both versions aligned so that dates and job titles match exactly.

### Is a photo expected on a French CV?

No. A photo is optional in France. It used to be widely included and you will still see it on many CVs, but recruiters do not expect one and anti-discrimination rules protect candidates from being judged on appearance. If you choose to add a photo, use a professional headshot; otherwise, leave the space for your headline and contact details.

### How do I explain a foreign degree on a French CV?

Give the original name of the degree, the institution and the country, then add the approximate French level in brackets, such as Bac+3 for a bachelor’s or Bac+5 for a master’s. If you have an official comparability statement, mention it. Recruiters mainly want to understand how many years of study the degree represents and what you specialised in.

### Should my CV for France really fit on one page?

For students and early-career candidates, yes; a single page is strongly expected. Experienced professionals and managers can use two pages, provided the first page holds the most relevant information. Shorten older roles to a single line and remove secondary details rather than squeezing the font size to fit everything in.

## Sources

- [Europass](https://europass.europa.eu/en) — European Union
- [France Travail](https://www.francetravail.fr/) — French public employment service
- [Commission nationale de l’informatique et des libertés (CNIL)](https://www.cnil.fr/) — French data protection authority