Employers in Ireland—ranging from EMEA headquarters in Dublin's Silicon Docks and IFSC financial institutions to pharmaceutical plants in Cork and medtech teams in Galway—expect a concise one-to-two page A4 CV written in clear British/Irish English. A well-structured Irish CV leads with a factual personal profile, reverse-chronological work history, National Framework of Qualifications (NFQ) degree context, and clear right-to-work information when relevant.
| CV section | Standard practice in Ireland | What to avoid |
|---|---|---|
| Header & personal details | Name, county/city, +353 phone, email, LinkedIn, and optional Stamp/EU work status | Headshot photos, date of birth, marital status, or PPS numbers |
| Work experience | Reverse-chronological roles with MMM yyyy dates and measurable outcomes | Multi-column sidebars that scramble dates on Workday or Greenhouse portals |
| Education & qualifications | Degree title, institution, 1.1 / 2.1 classification, and NFQ Level (Level 7/8/9/10) | Writing predicted grades as already awarded or listing full secondary school tables mid-career |
Structure a two-page A4 CV without photos or personal identity numbers
Format your CV on ISO A4 paper (210 × 297 mm), keeping graduate and early-career applications to one or two A4 pages and experienced profiles to a maximum of two A4 pages. Under Ireland's Employment Equality Acts, standard recruitment practice omits photographs, date of birth, marital status, gender, and Personal Public Service (PPS) numbers.
Open page one with your name, Irish town/city or county (plus Eircode only if needed for a local commute), +353 phone number, email address, and a three-to-four line Personal Profile tailored to the vacancy. If you are an international candidate already authorised to work in Ireland, stating your status briefly—such as EU/EEA/UK Citizen, Stamp 4 permission, or Stamp 1G Graduate Permission—answers a routine recruiter question immediately.
Present NFQ degree levels, honours classifications, and Leaving Certificate results
State university and technological university credentials with the exact degree title, institution (such as TCD, UCD, UCC, University of Galway, DCU, UL, or TU Dublin), graduation year, and honours classification (First-Class Honours (1.1), Second-Class Honours Grade 1 (2.1), 2.2). Including the Quality and Qualifications Ireland (QQI) National Framework of Qualifications level—such as NFQ Level 8 (Honours Bachelor Degree) or NFQ Level 9 (Master's Degree)—helps both domestic and international recruiters compare credentials accurately.
Recent graduates can include a concise line for Leaving Certificate points or relevant higher-level subjects when requested by graduate schemes; experienced hires should omit secondary school details to preserve space for work achievements.
Check your A4 PDF before uploading to Irish job boards and ATS portals
Whether you apply through IrishJobs.ie, Jobs.ie, PublicJobs.ie (for Public Appointments Service competitions), or an EMEA corporate portal running Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, or SmartRecruiters, use a single-column A4 layout with consistent MMM yyyy dates. Run your exported PDF through the browser PDF text check and inspect every pre-filled portal field before submitting.