What makes a Swedish CV different
If you have written CVs for the UK, US, or other markets before, a few Swedish norms will catch you off guard.
| Norm | Sweden | UK / US |
|---|---|---|
| Photo | No (unless specifically requested) | No (UK: no; US: no) |
| Personal ID number | Never included | N/A |
| Personal profile/summary | Expected at the top | Common but optional |
| Length | 1-2 pages | 1-2 pages (US: 1) |
| References | Not listed on CV - provided on request | Sometimes listed |
| Date of birth | Not included | Not included |
| Objective statement | Replaced by personal profile | Rare |
The biggest practical difference is tone. Swedish CVs are direct and factual. Long narrative paragraphs describing how passionate you are about synergizing solutions do not land well. Short, specific bullet points about what you did and what the outcome was work much better.
The standard Swedish CV structure
1. Contact information
Name, city, phone number, and email. You do not need your full street address. A Swedish phone number starts with 07X (mobile) or includes a city code for landlines. If you have a Swedish number, use it. If you are still abroad, include your country code.
2. Personal profile (Personlig profil)
Three to five sentences at the top of your CV. State what role you are looking for, what you bring, and why this position or field. Keep it specific. "Experienced project manager with a background in telecom infrastructure, now looking for a technical PM role in the Stockholm region" is useful. "Motivated team player looking for new challenges" is not.
3. Work experience (Arbetslivserfarenhet)
Reverse chronological order. For each role: company name, job title, dates (month and year), and two to four bullet points on what you did and what you delivered. Use numbers when you have them.
4. Education (Utbildning)
School, degree or program, and graduation year. If you have a degree from outside Sweden, include it exactly as it is named in your country. Swedish employers are familiar with international university systems. You do not need to explain or convert it.
5. Skills (Färdigheter)
Languages you speak (with level), software, tools, and any certifications. For languages, Swedish employers typically expect: Native, Fluent, Professional working proficiency, or Basic. If Swedish is not your native language, be honest about your level. Many roles require professional-level Swedish; some do not require it at all.
If you are new to Sweden: Many companies, especially in tech, finance, and consulting, work primarily in English. Check the job posting language as your first signal. If it is in English, your CV can be in English.
How Beom CV handles the template for you
Beom CV generates a clean, ATS-compatible PDF layout automatically. You fill in your content, and the tool handles the formatting: spacing, typography, section order, and PDF export. You do not need to worry about margins or fonts.
The output follows Swedish CV norms by default. There is no photo field. No ID number field. The personal profile is at the top where Swedish recruiters expect it.
Language: Swedish or English?
Match the language of the job posting. That is the simplest rule.
- Job posting in Swedish: write in Swedish
- Job posting in English: write in English
- Both languages in the posting: English is usually a safe choice, Swedish shows effort
- No posting (speculative application): match the company's public-facing language
If you are applying in Swedish but it is not your first language, get a native speaker to review it. Small grammar errors in a Swedish CV read as a signal about your actual language level, which matters for many roles.
Swedish CV norms that trip up internationals
No photo
This is different from many European countries where a photo is expected. In Sweden, including a photo signals that you are unfamiliar with local norms. Leave it out unless the job posting specifically asks for one.
No personnummer
Swedish residents have a personal identity number (personnummer). Never include it on a CV. It is a security risk and no recruiter needs it at application stage.
References on request
Do not list references on your CV. Do not write "References available on request" either. It is assumed. If an employer wants references, they will ask during the process.
Short is better
Swedish recruiters process a lot of applications and read quickly. A CV that makes its case in one page gets more attention than a two-page CV saying the same thing twice. Cut anything that does not add information.
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