EUROPASS

As the European Union grows with its new member states, more and more standards (convenis per a una comunitat) are being implemented by the European Parliament in order to (para) increase (incrementar) quality of life and to bring it to a certain level where the citizens living and working in EU will enjoy (disfrutar) equal rights (mateixos drets).

Wherever you apply for (sol·licitar) a job inside any member states of EU, just studying or simply trying to gain experience, one of the most important issues (assumpte – tema)  is to be able to make your expertise and capabilities clearly understood to your potential employer (empresari – el que dona la feina).

EMPLOYER: empresari – el que dona la feina

EMPLOYEE: el que treballa

Europass

That is why on December 15, 2004, through Decision No 2241/2004/EC, the European Parliament and the Council adapted a single transparency framework for qualifications and competences by establishing Europass.

Europass consists of five documents: Europass Curriculum Vitae (CV), Europass Language Passport, Europass Certificate Supplement, Europass Diploma Supplement, and Europass Mobility. The first two you can fill in yourself, while the other three are filled in and issued by competent organizations.

Europass CV

Europass CV is your first and most important step in your job seeking process. Before you start writing your Europass CV, there are few points which you need to know.

Your Europass CV is the initial contact with a potential employer and you will need to capture the employer's attention in the first 10-15 seconds of reading your Europass CV. That is the only way you may secure an interview for that particular job. But, before you start writing it you should remind yourself a couple of important steps:

·         Your skills and competences have to be clearly and logically presented so that your experience will stand out. Pay attention to detail, since that is the substance of your presentation. This includes spelling mistakes and punctuation.

·         In general, your Europass CV must be brief. Usually for a person with just a couple years of experience, two pages is more than enough. For professionals with more experience, you can write Europass CV with more than two pages. If you are applying for an executive position, you will have to indicate past experience in more detail, including reasons on why your potential future employer should consider offering you an executive salary. In this case, write your Europass CV with as many pages as necessary.

·         Always adapt your CV to the job description of position you are applying for. Try to even highlight potential advantages being requested by employer. Don't lie in your CV, as that lie can be discovered before or during the interview.

Europass CV has a standard logical order to present your capabilities and expertise. You will need to complete:

·         Personal Information

·         Working experience description

·         Training and Education description

·         Skills and Competences description

Formatting Your Europass CV

Keep to the suggested font and layout of Europass CV, as this is standardised by Decision No 2241/2004/EC. Print your curriculum vitae on white paper in order to make sure that layout is correct. Remember that your CV must be evident to the potential employer in 10-15 seconds of reading it.

Because your CV needs to be evident to the potential employer in a short amount of time, you should always use short sentences. Concentrate on the relevant aspects of your training and work experience, and also explain any breaks in your studies or career.

When you are finished writing your Europass CV, make sure to have someone else review and check it to make sure that the content is clear, easy to understand, and with no spelling mistakes.

Keep in mind that in the European Union, your Europass CV is the key to success in your job seeking process. It has become the standard document to apply for any job in any member state of European Union, while also making it easier for job seekers and employers.