Key Takeaways

  • Greek CVs run to two pages with a photo still common, and more personal detail than a UK or US document.
  • Networks matter substantially. Personal recommendation carries more weight in Greece than in Northern Europe, and it is not corruption — it is how employers manage risk.
  • English CVs are standard in shipping, technology and international companies.
  • Languages carry real weight, and English proficiency is close to assumed for professional roles.
  • Internships and any Greek work experience count disproportionately in a market where local familiarity is valued.

The structure

Personal details at the top: name, phone, email, city, LinkedIn. Date of birth and nationality still appear on many Greek CVs, and including them is unremarkable.

A photo in the top corner remains common at domestic employers. International companies and shipping firms are more variable, and omitting it there is safe.

A short profile of three or four lines, concrete rather than adjectival.

Work experience, reverse chronological, with employer, location, role, dates and outcomes. Include internships properly — they count.

Education, with institution, degree and dates. Greek employers pay attention to which institution, and for foreign degrees a clarifying line on the level helps.

Languages with CEFR levels. English is close to assumed for professional roles, and additional languages are genuinely valued given the international orientation of shipping and tourism.

Skills, listed concretely.

Military service appears on Greek CVs for Greek men; as a foreign candidate this does not apply to you.

References available on request is acceptable.

Networks and how hiring actually works

The most important practical point about the Greek market.

Personal recommendation carries substantial weight. A candidate introduced by someone credible moves differently from a cold application, and this is more pronounced in Greece than in most of Northern Europe.

This is not corruption. It is a high-trust-network culture where a referral is how an employer reduces hiring risk, and it operates alongside formal processes rather than instead of them.

Practically, it means that a university connection, a former colleague, an alumni network or a professional contact does more work than an extra fifty applications.

Shipping in particular is relationship-driven, and entry frequently comes through a graduate scheme, a specialist qualification or someone who knows you.

Which means: if you are targeting Greece seriously, invest in connections deliberately. LinkedIn outreach, alumni associations, professional bodies and sector events all matter more here than the volume of applications you submit.

The application and interview

Apply in the language of the advert — Greek for domestic employers advertising in Greek, English for shipping, technology and international companies.

A cover letter is expected and is read, though less formally structured than the French or German equivalent.

Interviews are warm and conversational, with genuine rapport-building rather than a straight interrogation.

Expect questions about staying. Greece has seen substantial emigration and employers ask whether you intend to be there.

Your Greek will be tested if you claimed it.

Formality is moderate — professional but not stiff, warming quickly after the first meeting.

And processes can be slow, with silence more often administrative than a decision.

Mini checklist

  • unchecked: Two pages, plain formatting
  • unchecked: Photo decision made by employer type
  • unchecked: Languages with CEFR levels
  • unchecked: Internships described as real experience
  • unchecked: Application language matched to the advert
  • unchecked: Network activated before cold applying
  • unchecked: Cover letter written specifically
  • unchecked: Work authorisation stated if non-EU
  • unchecked: Checked with an ATS check

Scenarios

Scenario 1: You are applying to a shipping company in Piraeus

English throughout, no photo needed, and lead with any maritime, commercial or finance specifics. This is an international industry and the document should read as an international application.

Scenario 2: You are applying to a domestic Greek employer

Greek if the advert is in Greek, photo included, personal details in the local convention, and a warm rather than clinical cover letter.

Scenario 3: You have no Greek connections

Build some before applying at volume. Alumni networks, LinkedIn outreach to people in your target companies, and professional bodies all do more work in Greece than in Northern Europe.

Tip: Invest in connections before volume. Greek hiring runs on personal recommendation to a degree that surprises people from Northern Europe, and one credible introduction moves an application further than fifty cold submissions.

Do's and Don'ts

Do

  • Match the application language to the advert
  • Build connections deliberately
  • Include internships as real experience
  • List languages with CEFR levels
  • Write a warm, specific cover letter
  • Consider a photo for domestic employers

Don't

  • Rely on cold applications alone
  • Assume Northern European hiring norms apply
  • Inflate your Greek level
  • Send a clinical, impersonal application
  • Expect fast processes
  • Omit personal details if applying domestically

Common Mistakes

  • Cold applications only. Networks carry more weight here than almost anywhere in the EU.
  • Northern European register. A clinical application reads as cold in a warmer hiring culture.
  • Inflating Greek. It will be tested and most international-sector roles run in English anyway.
  • Burying internships. They count as real experience.
  • Giving up on silence. Greek processes are slow and quiet more often than negative.
  • One CV for both markets. Shipping and domestic employers expect different documents.

Keep building on this with the related guides in this series:

You can also check your resume's ATS score for free, generate a tailored cover letter, or build a portfolio website in minutes.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I include a photo on a Greek CV?

At domestic employers it remains common. Shipping companies and international firms are more variable, and omitting it there is safe.

How much do connections matter in Greece?

Substantially more than in Northern Europe. Personal recommendation is how employers manage hiring risk, and it operates alongside formal processes rather than replacing them.

Which language should I apply in?

The language of the advert. Greek for domestic employers advertising in Greek; English for shipping, technology and international companies.

Is the cover letter read?

Yes, though less formally structured than the French or German equivalent. A warm, specific letter works better than a clinical one.

How long should a Greek CV be?

Two pages, with more personal detail than a British or American CV would carry.

Why are Greek hiring processes so slow?

A combination of smaller HR functions, relationship-led decision making and general administrative pace. Silence is more often process than rejection.

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