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Euro-CV for the quintessential employee

If the European economy is to push on to the world top, labour mobility will have to increase, government leaders say. The European internal market has been established, now it is time to create the quintessential European employee. Barriers that occur upon passing the frontiers within the EU must be evened out.

At the Barcelona summit, big words were spoken about the transferability of social security and pensions, the recognition of diplomas and one single health insurance card. And a small deed was performed: the 'application barriers' are being handled, there is going to be one European curriculum vitae.

During the process of applying for a job each country has its own unwritten rules and habits, so it appears from an overview of Eurograde.com. The French swear by graphology in order to disentangle the applicant's personality structure. A handwritten letter accompanied by a picture is compulsory. The Belgians want information about parents and partner. Germans rate qualification over motivation. They prefer a typed letter with a detailed description of previous functions. The reason for the application is less important. The Irish like it brief and to the point. In multilingual Luxembourg French is preferred. The Dutch love to hear about motives for applying but rarely ask for copies of diplomas. The British often call in assessment centres even before the application procedure starts.

Who is unaware of the mores, will not get through the first application round. Questions whether or not the German diploma is valid in Italy and whether or not the Belgian pension rights are transferable in France, are not under discussion then. In order to even out the path for the European employee, it was decided years ago that there should be one European CV. In that way the level of education, knowledge and skills of employees in the EU are made transparent. A kind of 'level playing field' for applicants is thus created.

The European Committee has spent a lot of time on it. The format has now been approved, the government leaders have greeted it and it is now officially on the Internet.

The Euro-CV is fixed, without any frills: two A4-sized pages with personal details, work experience, education and training, personal skills and competences, other information and appendices. The most eye-catching is the mentioning of skills to deal with people in a multicultural environment. The Euro-CV will not be compulsory. That is why Viviane Reding, commissioner for education and culture, emphasises that one is here concerned with a draft generated by governments, employers and unions together. 'I would appreciate it if member states, teachers, instructors, employers, centres for career choice and employment agencies would promote the CV.'

It sounds like a cry for help. Nannette Ripmeester of the Expertise in Labour Mobility firm of consultants knows why. She has worked with the Committee and has dealt with the Euro-CV. 'They have been working on it for a long time now, but it is going to be a failure.' For, in her view, Brussels civil servants have a world view that is too limited. 'They think that everything can be laid down in rules and procedures. But 380 million civilians will not have such a CV be forced upon them. And employers even less. CVs reflect national differences in culture. Those are strongly adhered to.' The differences are great, in terms of shape and contents. 'The Dutch want a CV consisting of one or, at most, two A4 pages. The Germans expect six pages with a complete description in which there may be no omissions, and with a signature. To the English job targets are important and hobbies must be described in detail. It is a disastrous undertaking to wish to lump everything together.'

The fact that a CV is more than a standard form also appears from the large number of advisors offering CV services. Whoever enters the European labour market may have a professional CV drawn up in accordance with national standards. It will cost the average European employee roughly 150 euro. Real leading figures pay 1% of their annual income.