International job seekers targeting Belgium often face CV rejection over preventable formatting errors. This guide reports on the most common formatting pitfalls in Belgian job applications and how proactive auditing can reduce the risk of automated and human screening failures.
Belgium's trilingual labour market, its role as a hub for EU institutions, and its blend of multinational and local employers create a uniquely complex environment for CV formatting. For international job seekers, the challenge is not merely writing a strong CV; it is adapting that CV to conventions that vary by region, language community, and sector.
Formatting errors may seem minor compared to qualifications or experience, but evidence suggests they carry outsized weight in screening outcomes. According to reporting by Jobscan, common parsing failures related to layout, file type, and structural choices account for a meaningful share of automated rejections. While widely circulated claims that "75% of CVs are rejected by ATS" lack verified methodology (the figure reportedly originated from a 2012 marketing pitch, not peer-reviewed research), formatting problems remain a genuine barrier. Analyses of rejected applications suggest that parsing errors, arbitrary filter failures, and layout problems may account for a significant portion of screening failures, separate from qualification gaps.
The professionals who tend to navigate cross-border job markets most effectively are generally those who invest time in understanding local document norms well before they begin applying. Prevention, in this context, means auditing a CV against Belgian conventions before a single application is sent.
Belgium has three official language communities: Dutch-speaking Flanders in the north, French-speaking Wallonia in the south, and a smaller German-speaking community in the east. Brussels, the capital region, is officially bilingual (Dutch and French), though English is widely used in international contexts.
According to guidance from EURES (the European Employment Services network), CVs and cover letters are generally expected to be written in the language of the job advertisement. In practice, this typically means:
One of the most frequently reported errors among international applicants is submitting a CV in English to a Flemish employer who posted in Dutch, or addressing a Walloon company in Dutch. As Expatica's Belgian employment guide notes, "most Flemings would not appreciate being addressed in French, or Walloons in Dutch." Language choice is not merely a practical matter; it carries cultural and political significance in Belgium's linguistically sensitive landscape.
For candidates applying across regions, maintaining separate CV versions in each relevant language is generally considered standard practice. Machine translation without native-level review is widely flagged by recruiters as a red flag, given the grammatical complexity of both Dutch and French.
Belgian CV conventions around personal information differ from those in many Anglophone countries. According to multiple Belgian employment resources, including International House Leuven and EURES, it has traditionally been common to include the following personal details on a Belgian CV:
However, modern practice is evolving. Belgium's anti-discrimination framework, which encompasses the Gender Act, the Anti-Racism Act, and the Anti-Discrimination Act, protects candidates from discrimination based on age, nationality, civil status, and numerous other characteristics. This has led some Belgian employers and career advisors to recommend limiting personal details to prevent unconscious bias in screening.
The question of whether to include a photograph is particularly nuanced. While including a professional photo has been a common convention in Belgian CVs, some guidance now suggests omitting a photo unless the employer specifically requests one. International applicants may wish to research the norms of the specific employer or sector. For roles with EU institutions based in Brussels, photos are typically not expected on a Europass CV.
The formatting error to avoid here is not necessarily including or excluding a photo, but rather including a photo of inappropriate quality or style: casual snapshots, cropped group photos, or images with distracting backgrounds. Professionals preparing headshots for professional contexts generally benefit from investing in a neutral, well-lit portrait that meets local conventions.
A growing number of Belgian employers, particularly larger companies and multinationals headquartered in Brussels, use Applicant Tracking Systems to manage high volumes of applications. These systems parse CV documents to extract structured data: contact details, work history, education, and skills.
The formatting choices most frequently associated with parsing failures include:
These considerations are especially relevant for international applicants who may have designed creative or visually distinctive CVs for markets where ATS usage is less prevalent. The same design-forward approach that works in creative sectors in other markets may actively work against candidates in Belgium's more structured screening environments.
Belgian CV conventions generally favour a length of one to two A4 pages for most professionals, according to guidance from Hays Belgium and other local recruitment firms. Longer CVs may be acceptable for senior academics or highly experienced specialists, but for the majority of applicants, exceeding two pages risks losing the reader's attention.
A common formatting error is compensating for length constraints by reducing font size, narrowing margins, or eliminating white space. This approach typically backfires: dense, visually cluttered CVs are harder for both human reviewers and ATS systems to process. Maintaining adequate margins (generally 2 to 2.5 centimetres), readable font sizes (typically 10 to 12 points for body text), and clear section spacing is generally recommended.
The reverse chronological format, listing the most recent experience first, is the standard expectation in Belgium according to EURES and local career guidance. Functional or skills-based formats, while used in some markets, are generally less familiar to Belgian recruiters and may raise questions about employment gaps.
Date formatting is another area where international applicants frequently introduce errors. Belgian hiring conventions generally favour dates that include both month and year (for example, "Jan 2020" or "January 2020") rather than year-only entries. Using year-only formats ("2020") can suggest vagueness or an attempt to obscure short tenures or gaps.
The date format itself typically follows the European convention of DD/MM/YYYY when full dates are used. International candidates accustomed to the MM/DD/YYYY format common in the United States may inadvertently create confusion, particularly with dates like 03/04/2024, which reads as 3 April in Belgium but 4 March in US convention.
Belgium's position as the administrative centre of the European Union gives the Europass CV format more visibility there than in many Western European countries. However, the choice between Europass and a modern, customised CV format is generally context-dependent.
According to career guidance aggregated across European employment platforms, Europass tends to be preferred or expected for:
For Belgian private-sector employers, modern, professionally designed CV formats are generally more common and may be more favourably received. The Europass template, while standardised and easy to parse, can appear generic and may not allow candidates to differentiate themselves effectively.
The formatting error here is applying a one-size-fits-all approach. International applicants targeting both EU institutions and Belgian private companies may benefit from maintaining two separate CV versions rather than using either format universally.
Given Belgium's multilingual environment, language skills carry particular weight on a Belgian CV. The Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CEFR) is widely recognised and generally expected as the standard for indicating language proficiency levels (A1 through C2).
Common formatting errors in this section include:
For international applicants, clearly listing all relevant languages with honest CEFR levels demonstrates both competence and cultural awareness. This is an area where the formatting itself, using a clear, standardised framework, communicates professionalism. Those building cross-border careers may find that similar principles of cultural and linguistic adaptation apply in other multilingual job markets as well.
While the focus here is on CV formatting, cover letter conventions in Belgium also carry region-specific formatting expectations that international applicants frequently overlook.
According to Expatica's Belgian employment guide, cover letters for positions in French-speaking Belgium (Wallonia and parts of Brussels) have traditionally been expected in handwritten form in some contexts, whereas Flemish employers generally expect typed cover letters. While this handwriting convention has become less universal with digital application portals, candidates applying to traditional Walloon employers may still encounter it.
Cover letters are typically expected to be concise (one page) and addressed to a specific person when possible. The formatting should match the professional tone of the CV, maintaining consistent fonts, header styling, and contact information presentation across both documents.
Proactive self-assessment of CV formatting before submitting applications to Belgian employers can help identify the most common vulnerabilities. Based on the reported errors and conventions outlined above, an effective audit might examine the following areas:
Candidates transitioning across industries or building new skill sets may also benefit from ensuring their CV structure highlights transferable competencies and relevant training pathways rather than relying solely on job titles that may not translate across sectors.
For international applicants unfamiliar with Belgian conventions, or for those who have received repeated rejections without clear feedback, professional CV review services can provide targeted insight. Belgian regional employment agencies, including VDAB (Flanders), Actiris (Brussels), and Le Forem (Wallonia), offer CV writing workshops and individual guidance, often at no cost to registered job seekers.
Private career services and certified CV writers with specific Belgian market expertise may also add value, particularly for senior professionals or those navigating complex cross-border career transitions. As with any professional service, verifying credentials and seeking recommendations from trusted sources is generally advisable.
The underlying principle is one that applies broadly to career resilience: identifying and addressing vulnerabilities before they become barriers. In the context of Belgian job applications, this means treating CV formatting not as an afterthought, but as a strategic element of the application that merits the same careful attention as the content it presents.
Written By
Career Transition Writer
Career transition writer covering proactive career planning, skill gap analysis, and future-proofing strategies.
Content Disclosure
This article was created using state-of-the-art AI models with human editorial oversight. It is intended for informational and entertainment purposes only and does not constitute legal, immigration, or financial advice. Always consult a qualified immigration lawyer or career professional for your specific situation. Learn more about our process.
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