CV and cover letter

CVs that work

Your CV is a dynamic document that you tailor to the specific job you are applying for.

A good CV provides an employer with an overview of your competencies and your accomplishments. Take the time to learn about the company you are about to apply for a job at. The links below provide examples of CVs written by someone applying for work in Denmark.

CV - experienced professional

CV - recent graduate

Helpful CV hints

• Write a forward-looking professional profile of between six and nine lines that details how your professional skills match the requirements for the job you are applying for.
• List your skills, your degree and any courses you’ve attended in reverse chronological order. Prioritise the responsibilities, experience and results that are relevant to the position and the firm.
• Include a good, professional picture of yourself that can be printed in black and white.
• Limit your CV to three pages.

Writing a cover letter

Before you get started on your cover letter, have a look at our advice about putting together your application. Are you a Djøf member? One of your membership benefits is access to examples of cover letters that landed other Djøf members interviews that you can use for inspiration.

The good cover letter

The link below shows examples of cover letters sent to Danish firms. Each of them includes a statement of interest and short, specific examples of ways the applicant could use their competencies to benefit the firm.

Sample cover letter

Helpful cover letter hints

• Limit your cover letter to a single page; use line breaks between paragraphs.
• Show how your competencies match the firm’s needs.
• Write in the present tense. Use the active voice.
• Avoid long sentences. Cut the clauses. Avoid fluff.
• Always write why you are passionate about the specific position and company.
• Make your cover letter forward-looking; give a prospective employer an idea of what you would be like in the job.
• Use subheadings to break up the text.

To call or not to call

In Denmark, it’s normal for potential applicants to call to the contact person before applying for a job. But you should only call if you are going to ask a question that can’t be answered by reading the job posting. If you call the contact person, you will be expected to have relevant, important questions. If the person gets the impression you are calling just for the sake of calling, they will feel you are wasting their time and you will have made a bad first impression. Whether you should call or not depends on the situation; only do it if you need to.

On the other hand, calling the contact person can be helpful. It can be an opportunity for you to learn:

• which competencies the employer is seeking most
• what you should emphasise in your CV and cover letter

Examples of good questions you can ask:

• Which of the responsibilities listed is most important?
• Are there certain competencies that are more important?
• What will be expected of the successful applicant during the first 6 months? the first 12?
• Does the job entail other responsibilities that aren’t mentioned in the posting?

If the posting says you need three to five years of experience, you could try asking what type of experience they are looking for: familiarity with the industry, familiarity with a specific work process etc.

If you call to ask questions, be prepared to answer questions. The contact person may ask you why you are interested, what your background is, what your strong suits are, what you can contribute in the job etc.

Additional material

If a firm asks for additional material, send it; if they don’t, don’t. Send your documents as PDFs to make sure they don’t get altered.

If you have material you think will help your case – like references – save it for the interview. If you aren’t sure, ask.