Job Discussion Forums

Behemot · Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 5

Just a quick question...

Is it the custom in Vietnam to put your picture on your resume? It may seem like a strange question but in some cultures this is the norm.

My passport photo is not great and I was hoping I could counter that if possible.

mark_in_saigon · Joined: 20 Sep 2009 Posts: 837

It is very much the custom, and they may put a much larger weight on it than they do your skills and experience. It is fascinating to watch them go through a professional portfolio, they skip quickly over the written information and linger over the pictures. There may be a few employers that are serious about what they are doing, but mostly they follow their own processes here, which are not based on the metrics we believe in. When recruiting their own people, it is very common for jobs to go to people who have family or government connections, paying for jobs is also common. Sexual access can be a factor. It is worthwhile to understand the mentality.

Side note: they call it a CV here, and there are differences between the documents. A CV is more common for academic applicants, but unless you are at a very high level of sophistication and expectation, I would not worry much about the differences, other than to know they will call it a CV and ask for it by that name. I would not have the word RESUME on the document, and would also reference it as a CV in your cover letter.

Prof.Gringo · Posted: Sun Dec 30, 2012 2:32 am Post subject:

BIGGESTOFA · Joined: 11 Oct 2008 Posts: 8

A picture is worth a thousand words.

Behemot · Joined: 07 Jan 2012 Posts: 5

Thanks for the input.

Just keeping my fingers crossed at this point.

VietCanada · Joined: 30 Nov 2010 Posts: 590

Pictures on resumes seem to be the thing in many countries in Asia and Europe.

It is probably useful to know whether your contact is Vietnamese or a native English speaker. One can read your CV/resume and make sense of it. The other probably can't and might spend hours trying to divine your character as per their requirements from your pic.

Your willingness to work long hours for low pay is likely the criterion here unlike Korea where they are more concerned with your being nice and malleable.