Norwegian CV: How to Write a CV for Jobs in Norway

Updated 17 October 2026 · CVklar

If you are moving to Norway or applying from abroad, your CV may need more changes than you expect. A CV that works well in the US, India, Poland or Brazil can look too long, too formal or too personal to a Norwegian employer. This guide explains what Norwegian employers usually expect, with examples you can adapt.

The short version

A Norwegian CV is typically:

• 1–2 pages, in reverse chronological order (newest first)
• Concrete and factual: what you did and achieved, not long lists of adjectives
• Tailored to each job, using the words from the job ad
• Without sensitive personal details such as national ID number, marital status or religion
• Sent together with a short cover letter (søknad) of up to one page

Norwegian or English?

Follow the job ad. If the ad is in Norwegian, a Norwegian CV and cover letter will usually be best, unless the ad says English is fine. Many international companies, tech firms and research institutions in Norway advertise and work in English, and an English CV is normal there.

If your Norwegian is still developing, don't overstate it. Write your real level (see the language section below). If you write in Norwegian, have someone check the language. Small errors are forgiven, but a text that is clearly machine-translated is not a good first impression.

Structure of a Norwegian CV

1. Name and contact details

Your name, phone number (with +47 if you have a Norwegian number), email, city and LinkedIn URL. A full street address is not necessary.

Photo: Optional. Some Norwegians include one, many don't. If you do, use a simple, professional photo.

Leave out: date of birth (optional), national ID number, marital status, number of children, religion and passport details.

2. Profile (3–4 lines)

A short summary at the top that connects your background to the job:

Mechanical engineer with eight years of experience in offshore maintenance planning in the UK North Sea. Experienced with SAP PM and with coordinating contractors in a safety-critical environment. Moved to Stavanger in 2026 and looking for a planning role in the energy sector.

3. Work experience

Newest first. For each role: job title, employer, city or country, and period (month and year). Then 2–5 bullet points focused on responsibility and results.

Because Norwegian recruiters may not know your previous employers, add one line of context:

Maintenance Planner, Northline Energy Services (oilfield services company, approx. 300 employees), Aberdeen, UK March 2020 – June 2026 - Planned preventive maintenance for two offshore installations - Coordinated work orders between operations, contractors and suppliers - Led the move of maintenance plans to a new SAP module

(Fictional example.)

4. Education

Degree, institution, country and years. If the degree name won't be familiar in Norway, add a short explanation or the equivalent level, for example "Bachelor's degree (3 years)".

Foreign higher education can be assessed by the Norwegian Directorate for Higher Education and Skills (HK-dir). Some employers ask for this, and it is required for some regulated professions. If you have a recognition, mention it. See HK-dir: recognition of foreign education.

5. Skills, languages and certificates

Be specific about tools and certificates. For languages, use a simple scale or the CEFR levels (A1–C2), which many Norwegian employers recognise:

Languages: English (fluent), Norwegian (B1, currently taking B2 course), Spanish (native)

Norwegian courses, tests and certificates are worth mentioning. They show commitment to staying.

6. Work permit status

If you are not an EU/EEA citizen, employers may wonder whether you are allowed to work in Norway. A short line can remove the uncertainty:

Work permit: Residence permit with right to work in Norway (valid until 2028)

Only write what is true and current. You can read about the rules at UDI (Norwegian Directorate of Immigration).

7. References

It is common to list 1–2 references (name, role, phone number), or to write "References available on request". Norwegian employers often actually call references, so pick people who know your work well, and tell them in advance. If your references don't speak Norwegian, that's fine. Calls in English are normal.

Cultural differences to keep in mind

Modesty and facts. Norwegian workplaces tend to be flat and informal. Big claims like "world-class leader" or "exceptional talent" can come across as boastful. Let concrete achievements speak instead.

Teamwork matters. Show that you work well with others: "worked closely with", "trained new colleagues", "coordinated between departments".

Shorter is better. Long CVs with every course and every job since school are less common. Remove old or irrelevant details.

No need for a formal letter style. A Norwegian cover letter is direct and personal, not stiff. You can open with your motivation instead of "Dear Sir/Madam".

The cover letter (søknad)

The cover letter is just as important as the CV. Keep it under one page and answer three questions:

1. Why this job and this employer? Be specific. Mention something real about the company.
2. Why you? Give 2–3 concrete examples linked to the requirements in the ad.
3. Why Norway / why here? If you've moved, or are planning to, say so briefly. Employers want to know you plan to stay.

Example opening:

I'm writing to apply for the position as Maintenance Planner. After eight years of planning offshore maintenance in the UK, I moved to Stavanger this spring with my family and am eager to bring my SAP and contractor-coordination experience to a team working on the Norwegian continental shelf.

Where to find jobs

Two of the most widely used job sites are arbeidsplassen.no (run by NAV, the public employment service) and FINN jobb. LinkedIn is widely used for professional and international roles. Many positions in the public sector are also posted on Jobbnorge.

Checklist

• ☐ 1–2 pages, newest experience first
• ☐ Profile written for this specific job
• ☐ Context added for foreign employers and degrees
• ☐ Language levels honest and specific
• ☐ Work permit status included (if relevant)
• ☐ No ID number, marital status or religion
• ☐ Short cover letter that explains why this job, why you and why Norway
• ☐ Sent as PDF