In today’s diverse workforce, demonstrating cultural competence on your CV is essential. Employers value teams with varied perspectives because they drive innovation and creativity. Here’s how to effectively highlight your cultural competence and make your CV stand out.
So what is Cultural Competence?
Cultural competence is frankly a bit of a wordy way of saying that you have the ability to competently interact with people from different cultures and that you’re aware of your own cultural background, open to cultural differences, and have the skills to communicate and work across cultures.
Why It’s Important
Aside from the obvious reason which is that we should all want to live and work harmoniously with people – there are real upsides for employers in having employees who are culturally competent.
- Innovation: Diverse teams bring fresh ideas and solutions.
- Global Reach: Helps businesses connect with international clients and markets.
- Employee Satisfaction: Inclusive environments foster employee well-being and retention.
Tips to Showcase Your Cultural Competence
It may be that you’re scratching your head trying to think of examples of where you’ve worked in a culturally competent way, but fear not there are a variety of ways where you can showcase this:
- Highlight Relevant Experience
– Professional Experience: Describe roles where you worked with diverse teams or international clients. Focus on projects where cultural awareness was crucial.
– Volunteering: Include volunteer work with diverse communities to show your commitment to inclusion. - Showcase Language Skills
– Languages: List any languages you speak fluently or conversationally. Multilingualism is a strong indicator of cultural competence.
– Cultural Immersion: Highlight experiences living, studying, or working abroad. - Emphasize Education and Training
– Courses and Certifications: Mention coursework or certifications related to diversity, inclusion, or cultural competence.
– Workshops and Seminars: Include relevant workshops or seminars you have attended. - Highlight Soft Skills
– Communication: Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively across cultures with specific examples.
– Adaptability and Flexibility: Show how you have navigated cultural differences and adapted to new environments. - Provide Specific Examples
– Problem-Solving: Try and describe any instances where cultural competence has helped you solve problems or achieve goals.
– Team Collaboration: Highlight successful collaborations with colleagues from diverse backgrounds.
Final Thoughts
Highlighting your cultural competence is becoming more and more important but it’s not always easy or obvious how to do this in a natural way that doesn’t feel forced. Try and focus on relevant experiences, language skills, education, and soft skills to show potential employers that you are capable of thriving in a diverse and inclusive workplace. Or if you are struggling with this or any other aspect of your CV then get in touch (LINK) with me! A good professional CV writer can weave this sort of experience seamlessly into your CV and make yours stand out from the rest.
Charlotte Eve, CEO CK Futures Ltd
Charlotte Eve is an award winning CV Writer, LinkedIn Writer and Interview Coach, helping people internationally to move confidently into new roles. With a background in HR, training and creative writing, Charlotte set up CK Futures to support people most at risk in the job market. Recognised by recruitment agencies, career coaches, charities and back-to-work organisations nationwide as an expert, Charlotte trains recruiters and other writers, and is a regular speaker at careers conferences, podcasts and events. Now specialising in supporting the police transition into new careers, Charlotte is also mum to two young adults, supports survivors of Domestic abuse into work, and is a Youth Mentor. Committed to maintaining CV writing standards and promoting ethical practice in the industry, Charlotte is Co-Founder and Vice Chair of the British Association of CV Writers.