Portfolio for international job applications: language, formats and local norms

Applying for work in another country adds a layer of questions a local applicant never thinks about. Which language should your portfolio be in? Will a recruiter understand your dates, your job titles or your salary figures? Should you include a photo? How do you mention that you need a visa, or that you don't?

A portfolio can make cross-border applications easier, because one well-organized site can be read by a recruiter anywhere. But it helps to make a few deliberate choices. This guide covers language versions, formats for dates and numbers, how to describe your work authorization in general terms, and the cultural norms around photos and personal details.

Decide who you're writing for

Start by listing the countries or regions you're seriously applying to. "Anywhere" is hard to write for; "the Netherlands and Germany, mostly English-speaking tech companies" is much easier.

For each, ask:

• What language do job ads in my field use there?
• What language will the first reader of my application likely read most comfortably?
• Are there conventions in that market that differ from what I'm used to?

The answers shape everything else. If most of your target employers advertise in English and work in English, a clear English portfolio may be all you need. If they advertise in the local language, a version in that language becomes much more important.

Language versions

One language or several?

There are three common approaches:

1. One language only, usually English or the main language of your target market. Simplest to maintain, and fine when that language is the working language of the jobs you want.
2. A main version plus a short summary in a second language. For example, a full English site with a one-page introduction in German. This shows effort and lets a local recruiter understand the essentials.
3. Full versions in two languages. Worth it if you're applying seriously in both, but every update has to happen twice.

Whichever you choose, keep the versions consistent. If a project appears in one, it should appear in both, with the same dates and facts.

Quality matters more than coverage

A second language version full of errors can hurt more than it helps. If you're not fluent in a language, either ask a fluent speaker to review your text or keep that version short and simple. Machine translation is a reasonable first draft, but have a person check it, especially job titles and technical terms, which are often translated badly.

Only claim the language level you could comfortably use in an interview. If your portfolio is in fluent French, a recruiter may reasonably start the call in French.

Make it easy to switch

If you have more than one version, make the language switch obvious, near the top of the page, with each language written in its own name: "English" and "Deutsch," not "English" and "German." Send each employer a link to the version that suits them.

Dates, numbers and units

Small format differences can cause real confusion. A date written as 03/04/2024 means March 4th in some countries and 3 April in others.

Dates

• Write months as words: "March 2024" or "Mar 2024." It's unambiguous everywhere.
• For date ranges, use "Mar 2022 to Jun 2024" or "2022 to 2024" rather than numeric formats.

Numbers and currencies

• Countries use commas and periods differently in numbers. "1,500" and "1.500" can mean the same thing or very different things depending on where you're from. Where possible, round and use words: "around 1,500 customers" works in an English version; adjust separators in other language versions.
• Name the currency when you mention budgets or revenue: "a budget of about 40,000 euros," not just "40,000."
• Consider whether money figures are needed at all. Percentages and relative changes ("roughly halved the processing time") often travel better than raw amounts.

Units, scales and grades

Measurements, academic grades and qualifications don't always translate. A grade that's excellent in one country's system may sound mediocre in another's. Where it matters, add a short explanation: "graduated with the highest classification awarded" or "top grade band." For qualifications, describe the level and subject in plain words alongside the official name.

See quantifying your achievements for more on presenting numbers honestly.

Job titles and company names

A job title that means one thing in your country may mean something else abroad, and a company that's well known at home may be unknown to a foreign recruiter.

• Keep your official title, and add a plain description if it isn't self-explanatory: "Técnico Superior (senior specialist, public health data)."
• Describe each employer in a few words: "a national grocery chain with around 200 stores" or "a regional logistics company." Only give size figures you're confident about.
• Explain local systems briefly where they come up, such as a certification or a type of organization that has no direct equivalent.

Work authorization: say it clearly and generally

Recruiters abroad often want to know early whether they can legally hire you. Being clear saves time for both sides. Being vague can mean your application is set aside without anyone asking.

Keep the wording short, factual and current. Examples:

• "Authorized to work in the EU (EU citizen)."
• "Currently living in Toronto, with permission to work in Canada."
• "Will require visa sponsorship to work in the UK."
• "Open to relocation; I'd need employer sponsorship for a work visa."

A few general cautions:

• Rules vary by country and change over time. Don't describe a visa status or eligibility you haven't confirmed. Check the official government guidance for the country you're applying to, or speak to a qualified immigration adviser.
• Don't publish document numbers, passport details or copies of permits. A sentence describing your status is enough.
• Keep it up to date. If your status changes, update the portfolio the same day.

Where to put it: your contact or about section usually works well, close to where you mention your location and relocation plans.

Photos and personal details

Norms differ a lot between countries. In some places, a photo on an application is expected; in others, it's unusual and recruiters may prefer not to see one, partly to reduce bias. Similarly, some markets traditionally expect details like date of birth or marital status, while others consider them irrelevant or inappropriate to ask about.

A sensible approach:

• Research each market. Look at local career advice from universities or public employment services, and at portfolios of people working in your field there.
• Default to less. Your name, location (city and country is enough), professional contact details and work are what matters. Leave out date of birth, marital status, religion, nationality unless relevant to authorization, and family details unless a specific market clearly expects them and you're comfortable sharing.
• If you include a photo, make it a simple professional one. The guide to choosing a profile photo covers the basics.

Remember that your portfolio is public and readable by anyone, not only recruiters. Our guide to personal information on your portfolio explains what's safe to publish and what's better kept for a private application form.

If one country expects details you'd rather not publish, include them only in the application you send there, not on your public site.

Location, time zones and availability

If you're applying from abroad, tell readers where you are and what you're open to:

• "Based in Lisbon, Portugal. Open to relocating to Ireland or the UK, or to remote roles in European time zones."
• "Available to start from September; can interview by video at any time."

This answers questions that would otherwise go unasked, and it helps recruiters picture you in the role.

Contact details that work internationally

• Use an email address as your main contact; it works everywhere.
• If you list a phone number, include the country code in international format, such as +351 followed by the number.
• Say how you prefer to be contacted, and mention your time zone if you're far from the employer.

A quick checklist

• You know which countries you're targeting and which language each needs.
• Any second language version has been checked by a fluent speaker.
• Dates use month names, currencies are named and grades are explained.
• Job titles and employers have short plain descriptions.
• Work authorization is stated in one clear, current sentence.
• Photo and personal details match local norms and your own comfort.
• Location, availability and contact details make sense to someone abroad.

Putting it together

An international portfolio doesn't need to be complicated. Pick your target markets, write clearly in the language they work in, remove ambiguity from dates and numbers, and state your location and work authorization plainly. Keep personal details to the minimum, and adjust only where a market clearly expects more. When you share the site, send each employer the version that fits them; where to share your portfolio has ideas for getting it in front of the right people.