How to write a typical Danish CV

Every country has its own standards when it comes to writing a CV – and the same of course goes for Denmark. So, if you're a jobseeker in Denmark, you need to know how to write and format CVs to catch the attention of a Danish HR department.

Below, we have gone through what a typical CV looks like to make sure you get all the important information.

The basics

Contact details

You want to hear back from the company, right? So remember to add your contact details. It may seem basic, but without a phone number and email, they'll have a hard time finding you if they're interested in your profile. You can also include links to your professional profiles on LinkedIn and elsewhere, but leave out personal information such as gender, religion, marital status or other sensitive details.

Double check and proofread

Although it may also seem obvious, it is incredibly important that you proofread your CV. When applying for most positions, it's important to pay attention to detail and show that you're quality-conscious. That's why your CV should be in flawless Danish – even if you don’t speak it flawlessly.

Also check that your CV is not too long. In some countries, your CV should only be one page, while in Denmark two to three pages is acceptable. However, try to make it as short as possible to make it more manageable for a potential employer to read.

What should the structure of a Danish CV look like?

Introduce yourself

Although some people choose to add a short introduction to the beginning of their CV, it is not necessarily normal practice when writing a Danish CV and is therefore completely optional. If you choose to, you could mention some of your key competences here or highlight them using bullet points – either in the CV margin or in another way that stands out visually.

Professional experience

You need to include relevant work experience. In Denmark, your employment history is extremely important, which is why we recommend that you put it above the education section of your CV. You may find that other countries give more weight to other elements of your CV and prefer different placing of information.

However, in Denmark, there is an exception to this rule: if you are a recent graduate, or you think that your education specifically matches the job description, you can choose to highlight it. You'll typically see this from skilled professionals as well.

REMEMBER! You should always put this section in chronological order with your current position first.

Training and specialisation

Education is not only important for potential employers to see whether you have the right background to get the job, it can also influence the level at which you start in terms of pay and responsibility. In fact, your trade union or A-kasse can often help guide you on what salary level you should aim for and what is reasonable given your education and work experience.

You should also add any additional training in the form of courses or other certificates to your CV. It shows that you are driven and that you are always ready to learn something new and improve professionally.

Other things to include in a Danish CV

Many people also choose to add any languages they speak, in addition to their mother tongue. They often include details on the levels they have reached in terms of spoken, written and read languages. Most people use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (also called CEFR) as a reference.

You should also mention how computer literate you are. IT and technology skills have never been more important, and there isn't a workplace today that doesn't expect you to know at least the basics. If you have special skills, it's also a good idea to show them here.

In Denmark, we also place value on information about applicants outside of the workplace, so many people include hobbies and interests on their CVs. You could include information on whether you play sports, do volunteer work or have other fun interests.