Write a French CV &
Lettre de Motivation

The French CV — What Makes It Different

A French CV (curriculum vitae) follows conventions that differ in important ways from CVs in the UK, Australia, or North America. Understanding these conventions is not optional — French recruiters and HR professionals have clear expectations, and a CV that doesn't meet them will stand out for the wrong reasons, regardless of how impressive its content is.

The most striking difference is that French CVs traditionally include a photograph — not always legally required, but widely expected in practice. French CVs also include personal information that would be considered inappropriate or even illegal to include on CVs in many other countries: date of birth, nationality, and marital status are standard inclusions. This reflects French professional culture and legal context — discrimination laws exist, but the norms around CV content differ from the Anglo-Saxon tradition.

French CVs are typically one page — two pages maximum for very senior professionals with extensive experience. Unlike the expanding CVs common in some cultures, French recruiters expect concision. Every word should earn its place. A cluttered, over-long CV signals poor communication skills rather than impressive experience.

French CV Structure

A standard French CV is laid out in a specific order that recruiters are accustomed to scanning. Deviating significantly from this structure makes your CV harder to read.

1. En-tête — Header

Your name (prominently displayed), followed by your contact details: address, phone number, email address, and optionally your LinkedIn profile URL. Your name should be the largest text on the page. Some French CVs include the job title you are applying for or your current professional title directly under your name as a brief positioning statement.

2. Photo

A professional passport-style photograph, typically placed in the top right corner. It should be recent, professionally dressed, and project confidence. This is genuinely expected in France — omitting it may be noticed, though it is not universally required in all sectors (technology and startups are more relaxed about this).

3. Informations personnelles — Personal Information

Date of birth (Date de naissance), nationality (Nationalité), and optionally marital status (Situation familiale) and driving licence (Permis de conduire) if relevant. Include your French language level if it is relevant and strong — e.g. Français : niveau C1 (DALF C1).

4. Expérience professionnelle — Professional Experience

Listed in reverse chronological order (most recent first). For each position include: job title, company name and location, dates (month/year to month/year or present), and 2–4 bullet points describing your key responsibilities and achievements. Use action verbs and, where possible, quantify achievements (Augmentation du chiffre d'affaires de 15%).

5. Formation — Education

Also in reverse chronological order. Include institution name, degree or qualification obtained, dates, and any notable achievements or specialisations. In France, educational background carries significant weight — the name of the institution matters, and grandes écoles graduates typically place their education above professional experience.

6. Compétences — Skills

Languages (with level — always include your French level if applying in France), technical skills, software proficiency, and other relevant competencies. Be specific — Maîtrise de Excel et PowerPoint is less useful than Modélisation financière avancée sous Excel ; analyses de données sous Python (pandas, matplotlib).

7. Centres d'intérêt — Interests

One or two lines of genuine personal interests. This section is more culturally important in France than in many other contexts — French recruiters often use it as a conversation starter in interviews. Keep it genuine and avoid clichés.

Key Action Verbs for French CVs

The Lettre de Motivation

The French lettre de motivation (cover letter) is a formal document that is taken very seriously in France — far more so than in many other countries where a brief covering email has become the norm. A well-written lettre de motivation demonstrates your written French, your knowledge of the company, your ability to construct a coherent argument, and your genuine motivation for the specific role. A poorly written or generic one will seriously damage your application.

Structure of a French Lettre de Motivation

The lettre de motivation follows the formal French letter format. It is typically one page — never more. The structure is:

• Heading: Your name and address (top left), date, company name and address (top right or left depending on format). Subject line: Objet : Candidature au poste de [job title].
• Opening formula (formule d'appel): Madame, Monsieur, (if you don't know the gender) or Madame, / Monsieur, if you know. Never use first names in a formal French letter opening.
• Paragraph 1 — Vous (the company): Show you know the company — what it does, what makes it distinctive, why it interests you. This demonstrates research and genuine motivation.
• Paragraph 2 — Moi (you): What you bring — your relevant experience, skills, and achievements that match the role. Specific examples rather than generic claims.
• Paragraph 3 — Nous (the fit): Why you and the company are a good match — what you will contribute and what you hope to gain. Forward-looking and positive.
• Closing formula (formule de politesse): A formal closing phrase — see below.

Essential French Letter Closing Formulas

Common CV and Cover Letter Mistakes to Avoid

• No photo: In France, a professional photo is generally expected. Its absence may be noticed, particularly in traditional industries.
• Too long: One page for CV and one for the cover letter. Two pages for senior profiles only. Longer than this signals poor concision.
• Generic cover letter: A lettre de motivation that could have been written for any company is immediately recognisable and very damaging. Every letter should reference the specific company and role.
• Informal language: The lettre de motivation requires formal written French throughout. Avoid contractions, informal vocabulary, and casual phrasing.
• Spelling and accent errors: Errors in written French are taken very seriously. A cover letter with missing accents or spelling errors signals carelessness. Have your letter checked by a native or advanced French speaker.
• Translating directly from English: Direct translations of English CV bullet points often produce unnatural French. Write your CV natively in French, not as a translation.