CV and cover letter in English for jobs in Norway

When to write your CV and cover letter in English

The main rule is simple: reply in the language of the ad. If the job ad is in English, write your CV and cover letter in English. That is often the case at international companies, in technology, research and oil and gas, and at businesses where English is the working language.

If the ad is in Norwegian, write in Norwegian if you can. If your Norwegian is limited, you can apply in English, but say what level of Norwegian you have and whether you are learning. If you are unsure, call the contact person in the ad and ask whether it is fine to apply in English. Most will say yes, and the call itself makes a good impression.

If you apply for jobs abroad, or through a recruiter based in another country, your documents should be in English. Some employers ask for both a Norwegian and an English CV. In that case, make two versions with the same content.

Differences between a Norwegian CV and an English CV

The content is the same: experience, education, skills and languages, with the most recent first. It is the conventions around it that differ. Decide whether you are using British or American English and stick to it throughout. For most employers in Europe, British English is a safe choice.

• The name: In the UK and the rest of Europe it is called a CV. In the US and Canada it is a resume. In Norway, CV is used in English too.
• Length: A British CV is often two pages, while an American resume is usually kept to one. In Norway, one to two pages is normal. Read more about how long a CV should be.
• Personal details: In the UK and the US, people usually leave out their photo, date of birth and marital status. Norwegian CVs often include a date of birth and sometimes a photo, but neither is required. For a Norwegian employer, either approach is fine. For an employer abroad, leave them out.
• Dates: 03/04/2024 means 3 April in the UK and 4 March in the US. Write the month in letters, such as “Mar 2022 to Jun 2024”.
• Spelling: British English writes “organisation” and “programme”, American English “organization” and “program”. Do not mix them.
• Headings: “Work Experience”, “Education”, “Skills”, “Languages” and “References” are the usual ones.

Translating job titles, education and grades

Job titles should be translated into something an English-speaking reader understands, not word for word. A Norwegian “daglig leder” is a “Managing Director” or “General Manager”, depending on the size of the company. Be careful with “konsulent”: in the Norwegian public sector it is often an administrative title, while “consultant” in English usually means someone who advises clients, often at a consultancy. Describe what you actually did instead. If you are an English speaker with experience from abroad, do the opposite: explain titles that a Norwegian reader may not recognise.

Education needs a little explanation. Norwegian upper secondary school can be written as “upper secondary school”, and a Norwegian “fagbrev” as a “trade certificate”. Everyone understands Bachelor's and Master's degrees, but add the subject. Norwegian study credits are ECTS credits, and a year of full-time study is 60 credits. If you include grades, you can explain that the scale in higher education runs from A to F, where A is the best and E the lowest pass.

Use the official English name of Norwegian institutions where one exists, such as “University of Oslo” or “BI Norwegian Business School”. Company names stay as they are. If a company is little known outside Norway, or a foreign employer is little known in Norway, add a short line about what it does.

Cover letter in English: structure and useful phrases

The structure of an English cover letter is the same as for a Norwegian one: an opening that says what you can contribute, why you are applying there, two or three examples and a short closing. The length is the same too, about one page. See our guide on how to write a cover letter for the structure step by step.

The greeting and the sign-off go together. If you know the name, write “Dear Ms Hansen,” or “Dear Kari Hansen,” and end with “Yours sincerely”. If you do not know the name, “Dear Hiring Manager,” is a safe choice. In emails and in Norway, “Kind regards” is completely normal, and Americans often end with “Sincerely”. Some phrases that work well:

• “In my current role as Project Coordinator, I plan and follow up deliveries for twelve clients.”
• “This experience taught me to keep a project on track when priorities change.”
• “I am particularly interested in this role because of your work with renewable energy.”
• “I would welcome the opportunity to discuss how I can contribute to your team.”
• “I am available to start on 1 March.” or “I have a notice period of three months.”

Common mistakes when Norwegians write in English

Many Norwegians write good English, but some mistakes come up again and again because the words look like Norwegian ones. If you are Norwegian, check your text for these. If English is your first language, the list is handy when you help a Norwegian friend or colleague:

• “Actual” means real, not “aktuell”, which means relevant or current. Write “relevant” or “current”.
• “Eventually” means in the end, not “eventuelt”, which means possibly. Write “if needed” or “possibly”.
• “Competence” is used far less in English than “kompetanse” in Norwegian. “Skills”, “experience” or “expertise” sound more natural.
• “I work here since 2020” uses the wrong tense. Write “I have worked here since 2020”.
• “Informations”, “knowledges” and “advices” do not exist. Write “information”, “knowledge” and “advice”.
• Languages, nationalities, months and days take a capital letter: “Norwegian”, “March”, “Monday”.
• “Possibility” is about what might happen. When you want a chance to do something, write “opportunity”.
• Literal translations such as “Herewith I apply for” or “I am a very social person” sound odd. Write “I am applying for” and “I enjoy working with people”.

Applying for jobs in Norway as an English speaker

If Norwegian is not your first language, it helps to know what Norwegian employers are used to. Your CV should be tidy, with the most recent experience first, and ideally one to two pages. Your cover letter should be short, direct and factual. Big claims and strong self-promotion tend to backfire in Norway. Concrete examples and plain, modest language work better.

Be clear about two things the employer will wonder about. The first is your Norwegian. State your level honestly, ideally using the Common European Framework of Reference, such as “Norwegian: intermediate (B1)”, and mention it if you are taking a course. The second is whether you have the right to work in Norway, for example as an EU or EEA citizen or with a residence permit.

Explain education and employers from other countries briefly, so the reader understands the level. Choose referees who speak English and can confirm what you write. Many workplaces in Norway have a flat structure and use first names, including during recruitment, so your tone can be friendly and plain. Many recruiters also check your LinkedIn profile, so it should tell the same story as your CV.

Get an English CV and cover letter tailored to the ad

Writing good versions in two languages takes time. In Selja you can paste a job ad into Create CV and cover letter and get a professional, ATS-friendly CV and cover letter tailored to the job in under a minute. If the ad is in English, your CV and cover letter are in English too. The text only uses the information you have added yourself. The feature is part of Pro and Premium, see pricing.

If you want to check first whether your CV gets through applicant tracking systems, try a free ATS score. It shows whether your CV is read correctly and which keywords from the ad are missing.