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Danish CV format: how to write a CV for Denmark

Danish employers look for a clear match with the job, but they also want to see the person behind the CV. This guide follows the advice of Workindenmark, Denmark's public service for international jobseekers, and explains what Danish anti-discrimination law means for your personal details.

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What is the standard CV format in Denmark?

A Danish CV opens with a short personal profile of four to eight lines, targeted at the job, often next to a professional photo. Work experience follows, explaining what each employer does, your role and your results. Keep only what is relevant to the position, end with a short "About me" section, and send it with a one-page motivation letter.[3][4][5][6][7]

Danish CV conventions at a glance

What employers in Denmark usually expect from a CV and application
TopicUsual in Denmark
Name of the documentCV, sent with a cover letter or motivation letter.
LengthNo fixed page count in the official guidance: include only what is relevant to the specific job.
OpeningA personal profile or summary of 4–8 lines at the top, rewritten for each job.
PhotoUsual. Workindenmark advises a professional picture; employers notice it first.
Personal detailsMany applicants add age, family situation and interests. Employers may not ask for your age when you apply.
DatesMonth and year, for example Jan 2018 – Jul 2021.
LanguageJobnet lists vacancies in Danish and English; apply in the language of the advert.
Cover letterAt most one A4 page and often just as important as the CV.
EuropassThe EU's free CV editor. Workindenmark's advice centres on a targeted CV with a personal profile.
ScreeningMost applications are submitted online; recruiters look for the keywords in the job ad.

[1][2][3][4][5][6][7][9][13]

Layout and structure of a Danish CV

Workindenmark calls the layout a personal choice but describes what Danish recruiters expect. The table follows that advice.

Sections of a Danish CV in the usual order
SectionWhat to includeTip
Personal profile4–8 lines on your top three competences for this job, your degree and why you are coming to Denmark.Rewrite it for every application. A title such as "Engineer with experience in plastic moulding" works.
Work experienceEmployer, location, title, dates, then your tasks, responsibilities and results.Explain what a foreign company does and its size; include numbers where possible.
EducationDegree, institution and dates.Internships and degree projects count as experience in Denmark.
Skills and languagesHard skills first: degrees, certificates, software.Name the skills the job ad asks for.
About me / InterestsSpare-time interests and, if you wish, family situation.Say if your family plans to relocate with you.

Include student jobs, volunteering, fixed-term contracts and internships, and say what each was; otherwise, Workindenmark notes, recruiters assume a normal full-time paid job. To see a filled-in structure, browse resume examples by role.

[3][4][5][7]

Photo and personal data: custom and the law

Denmark is a photo market. Workindenmark's summary of employer research says Danish companies usually read the CV first and initially notice the picture and the profile text, and it advises including a professional picture. If you do not have one, the AI headshot generator creates a business portrait from your own selfies.

Workindenmark also says Danish employers like to know about you as a person, so it is normal to include your age, whether you are married and have children, and what you do in your spare time, for example in a final "About me" section. That is your choice, and the law limits what employers may ask. The Act on the prohibition of discrimination in the labour market prohibits discrimination against applicants on grounds of race, skin colour, religion or belief, political opinion, sexual orientation, gender identity, expression or characteristics, age, disability, or national, social or ethnic origin. An employer may not request, collect or use information about most of these grounds, may not advertise for a person of a particular age or origin, and may not ask for your age when you submit, upload or enter a job application.[4][6][9]

A skeleton Danish CV

A compact structure with placeholder data. Keep the profile at the top and adapt it to every job.

Sample CV (Example with placeholder details, not a real person)

Header

[Name Surname] · [photo]

Aarhus · +45 xx xx xx xx · your-name@example.com

linkedin.com/in/your-name

Personal profile

Mechanical engineer with five years in food packaging. Strong in CAD design and supplier testing. Moving to Aarhus with my family and looking for a design role in production.

Work experience

Jan 2021 – present · Design Engineer, [Company], Hamburg, Germany

[Company] makes custom packaging (about 200 employees).

Redesigned two tray formats with suppliers and reduced material waste.

Education

2015 – 2020 · MSc Mechanical Engineering, [University]

About me

Married, two children · Cycling and choir · English (C1), German (native), Danish (A2)

Example with placeholder details, not a real person

The sample data is illustrative only. Personal details in the last section are optional.

The motivation letter

EURES notes that Danish employers typically expect a CV and a motivation letter adapted to the specific position. Workindenmark adds that the cover letter is often just as important as the CV and should be no longer than one A4 page. Rather than listing your CV merits, connect what the job ad asks for with your skills and experience: start with the hard skills, then show soft skills with examples of when you used them, and explain why you want this job at this company. Focus on what the company gains, not on what you gain.

You can apply even if you meet only some of the requirements, as long as you show how you match those. The cover letter generator drafts one from the job ad in the same design as your CV.[1][7]

Where to find jobs in Denmark

Jobnet.dk is Denmark's public job portal, with vacancies in Danish and English, and Workindenmark.dk is a second public portal that publishes vacancies in English along with guidance for international jobseekers. Private portals such as Jobindex also list many roles, and EURES notes that LinkedIn is widely used.[1]

How to write a Danish CV in six steps

Use these steps for a first Danish CV or to adapt a resume written for another country.

  1. 01

    Map the job ad's keywords

    Split the requirements into hard and soft skills. The JD keyword matcher shows which ones your CV misses.

  2. 02

    Write a targeted personal profile

    Four to eight lines at the top: your top three matching competences, your degree and why you are coming to Denmark.

  3. 03

    Explain each job

    What the company does, what your title meant in practice and the results you achieved, with numbers where possible.

  4. 04

    Add a photo and an About me section

    A professional picture, and the personal details you are comfortable sharing.

  5. 05

    Write the motivation letter

    One A4 page connecting the ad's requirements to your experience, with your reasons for wanting the job.

  6. 06

    Check and apply online

    Run the free resume checker, proofread both documents and submit through the employer's system.

Templates that suit Danish applications

Layouts with room for a photo and a profile at the top. All designs are in the template gallery.

Applying from abroad: language, qualifications and permits

Apply in the language of the advert; resume translation converts your CV while keeping the layout. Say in your profile why you are moving to Denmark: Workindenmark notes that this, and whether your family is relocating, matters to Danish employers.

An assessment of your education can make it easier for a Danish employer to understand a foreign qualification, because it states the equivalent Danish level. You apply to the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. For regulated professions such as doctor or dentist, you need an authorisation from the responsible authority, and citizens of countries outside the Nordic region, the EU/EEA and Switzerland must in some cases attach it to their permit application.

Citizens of the Nordic countries, the EU/EEA and Switzerland do not need a residence and work permit. Everyone else must apply for one, and the official New to Denmark portal lists the schemes and current requirements.[3][4][10][11][12][14][15]

Common mistakes on Danish CVs

  • Sending one generic CV instead of rewriting the profile for each job.
  • Listing job titles without explaining what the company does or what you achieved.
  • Leaving out student jobs, internships and volunteering, which all count in Denmark.
  • A cover letter that repeats the CV and never explains your motivation.
  • Arriving at the interview unprepared for tests or several rounds.

[3][5][7][8]

Frequently asked questions

Do I need a photo on a Danish CV?
It is expected in practice, though not required by law. Workindenmark's summary of employer research says Danish companies notice the picture and the profile text first, and it advises including a professional picture. If an employer asks for applications without photos, follow that instruction and use the space for a stronger profile.
How long should a CV be in Denmark?
Workindenmark does not set a page count. It asks for only the most relevant information about your experience, education and skills for the specific job, with a short profile at the top. Cut older or unrelated roles to a line each so your match with the job is easy to see.
Should I include my age and family situation?
You may. Workindenmark says it is normal in Denmark to include your age, whether you are married and have children, and your interests, often in an About me section. It is your choice: the anti-discrimination act forbids employers to ask for your age when you submit an application, and protects grounds such as origin, religion and sexual orientation.
Can I apply in English in Denmark?
Often, yes. Jobnet lists vacancies in Danish and English, and Workindenmark publishes vacancies in English. Follow the language of the advert, and use Danish if the advert is in Danish. If you write in a language that is not your mother tongue, Workindenmark recommends having someone proofread your application, since mistakes suggest sloppiness.
Do I need my degree assessed to work in Denmark?
Not usually, unless your profession is regulated. Workindenmark says an assessment of your education can help because it shows a Danish employer the equivalent level of your foreign qualification; you apply to the Danish Agency for Higher Education and Science. Regulated professions such as doctor or dentist require an authorisation from the responsible authority.

Sources

Statements about rules and official guidance rely on these pages. We opened and read each source ourselves on the date shown.

  1. [1]Living and working conditions: Denmark · European Commission, EURESeures.europa.eu/living-and-working/living-and-working-conditions-europe/living-and-working-conditions-denmark_en ·
  2. [2]Your CV · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/your-cv ·
  3. [3]A good personal profile counts · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/your-cv/a-good-personal-profile-counts ·
  4. [4]Personal details in your CV · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/your-cv/personal-details-in-your-cv ·
  5. [5]Work experience · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/your-cv/work-experience ·
  6. [6]How do Danish companies recruit for their vacant positions? · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/our-best-job-search-tips/how-do-danish-companies-recruit-for-their-vacant-positions ·
  7. [7]Your cover letter · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/your-cover-letter ·
  8. [8]Norms and rules of the job interview · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/job-search-in-denmark/preparing-for-the-interview/norms-and-rules ·
  9. [9]Act on the prohibition of discrimination in the labour market (consolidated act no. 399 of 2024), §§ 1, 2, 4 and 5 · Ministry of Employment, retsinformation.dkwww.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2024/399 ·
  10. [10]Assessment of your education · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/getting-started/work-permit-authorisation-assessment/assessment-of-your-education ·
  11. [11]Authorisation for regulated professions · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/getting-started/work-permit-authorisation-assessment/authorisation-for-regulated-professions ·
  12. [12]Guide to diploma recognition · Danish Agency for Higher Education and Scienceufsn.dk/english/education/recognition-and-transparency/recognition-guide/ ·
  13. [13]About Europass · European Commission, Europasseuropass.europa.eu/en/about-europass ·
  14. [14]Residence and work permit · Workindenmark (Danish public employment service)www.workindenmark.dk/getting-started/work-permit-authorisation-assessment/residence-and-work-permit ·
  15. [15]You want to apply for a work permit · New to Denmark (Danish Immigration Service and SIRI)www.nyidanmark.dk/en-GB/You-want-to-apply/Work ·

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