Photo, Date of Birth, Nationality: What Personal Details to Put on Your CV

A photo, your age, your marital status, your nationality: some countries expect them on a resume, and others treat them as a reason to say no. Here's a guide to what to include, and where.

Resume Customs Differ by Region

UN staff are used to forms (the Personal History Profile) that ask for birth date, nationality and dependents. Job markets outside the UN follow different rules, and the rules change by region:

• United States, United Kingdom, Canada, Australia: Employers there are usually advised not to ask for these details, so leave out your photo, date of birth, age, marital status and religion. Some recruiters may not look at a CV that includes them.
• Continental Europe (for example Switzerland, Germany, France): Practice varies by country, sector and employer. A professional photo and nationality have been common on CVs in parts of Europe, but they're increasingly optional. Look at current CVs and job ads in your target country and city before you decide.
• Middle East, Asia, Africa: Practice varies a lot from country to country and employer to employer. Some employers ask for a photo or nationality. Check the job ad and local examples. Whatever the region, don't put your passport or ID number on a first application. Share it later only if an employer needs it for a visa or background check.

Show Your Work Rights and Contact Details

Instead of only writing your citizenship, show that you're legally able to work: 'EU citizen, full right to work in the EU/EEA' or 'US permanent resident (Green Card holder).' Recruiters care more about that than about your passport.

Use a professional personal email (for example firstname.lastname@gmail.com) and your mobile number with the international country code. And never use your active UN email address, because it'll stop working the day you leave.