How to Tailor Your CV to a Norwegian Job Ad Without Stretching the Truth

Published October 26, 2026

You have found a job ad (stillingsannonse) on FINN.no, arbeidsplassen.no or LinkedIn, and it looks like a good fit. Sending the same CV you used for the last ten jobs is tempting, but a general CV makes the employer do the work of finding what is relevant. A tailored CV does that work for them.

Tailoring does not mean inventing anything. It means choosing, ordering and wording true information so that the person reading it quickly sees why you match this job. Norwegian employers value honesty and modesty, so a CV that is accurate and relevant usually reads better than one that tries to impress.

Read the job ad like a checklist

Norwegian job ads often follow a similar pattern, even when they are written in English. Look for these parts:

• Arbeidsoppgaver (tasks): what you will actually do
• Kvalifikasjoner (qualifications): education, experience and skills they ask for
• Personlige egenskaper or Vi ser etter (personal qualities / what we are looking for)
• Vi tilbyr (what we offer)
• Søknadsfrist (application deadline) and a contact person

Pay attention to the difference between krav (a requirement) and ønskelig (desirable, a plus). If a driving licence is listed as ønskelig, you can still apply without one.

A simple method:

1. Copy the qualifications and tasks into a list.
2. Next to each point, write one true example from your own experience, or write no if you do not have it.
3. Use the points where you wrote a strong example as the backbone of your tailored CV.

This list also helps you decide honestly whether to apply at all.

Decide what to move up, add and cut

The basic Norwegian CV format stays the same: reverse chronological order (newest first), and usually one to two pages. What changes from job to job is the content inside that structure.

• Move up the experience and skills the ad asks for. Within each job, put the most relevant bullet point first.
• Add true details you left out before because they did not seem important, such as a forklift certificate, a first aid course or experience with a specific cash register system.
• Cut or shorten things that have nothing to do with this job. A long description of a job in a different field can become a single line.

If you have little work experience, school projects, part-time jobs and volunteering can carry more weight. Our guide to a CV for Norway when you have no work experience shows how to present them.

Use the words from the ad – when they are true

Employers scan CVs quickly, and some use software that searches for keywords. If the ad says customer service and your CV says helping people in the shop, the match is less obvious. Use the employer's words, but only for things you have really done.

Here is an example for a warehouse job at Y AS that asks for order picking, handheld scanners and accuracy.

Before:

Warehouse worker, 2021–2023. Responsible for various tasks in the warehouse.

After:

Warehouse worker, 2021–2023. Picked and packed customer orders using a handheld scanner. Checked deliveries against order lists to reduce errors. Trained two new colleagues in packing routines.

And for a care home assistant role that mentions daily care and teamwork:

Before:

Helped an elderly relative at home.

After:

Cared for an elderly relative at home for two years: help with meals, personal hygiene and medication reminders, in cooperation with home care nurses.

The facts did not change. The second versions are just clearer and closer to the ad's language.

Rewrite your profile summary for each job

The short profile at the top of your CV (three to four lines) is the easiest part to tailor and often the first thing the employer reads. Keep it factual and calm rather than full of big adjectives.

Lina is applying for two jobs. For a barista job at a café:

Service-minded barista with two years of experience at a busy café in Lisbon. Used to working fast during rush hours and keeping the counter clean and organised. Speaks English and Portuguese, and Norwegian at a basic level.

For a customer service job at an online shop:

Customer service worker with two years of experience serving guests face to face. Calm with unhappy customers and quick to learn new systems. Speaks English and Portuguese, and is learning Norwegian (A2, evening course).

Same person, same truth, different focus.

Be honest about Norwegian and other gaps

Many ads ask for Norwegian skills, even for jobs where daily work happens in English. Never write fluent if you are not. A vague or inflated level tends to come out quickly in an interview or on the first day at work.

Good ways to describe your level:

Norwegian: B1 (intermediate). Taking an evening course twice a week.

Norwegian: basic – I can handle simple conversations with customers and I am improving every week.

If you know your level on the CEFR scale (A1–C2), use it. If not, plain words such as basic, conversational or fluent work fine. Adding what you are doing to improve shows motivation without overstating anything.

The same principle applies to other gaps. If the ad requires something you do not have, do not hide it with clever wording. Show what you do have, and if it makes sense, mention briefly in your application (søknad) how you plan to close the gap.

Keep the rest consistent: references, photo and søknad

A few details complete a tailored CV:

• References (referanser): list name, role and phone number, or write References available on request. Choose references who can speak about skills relevant to this job, for example a former shift leader for a retail role.
• Photo: optional in Norway. If you use one, make it a simple, friendly picture.
• Your søknad: it should support the CV, not repeat it. Usually one page, direct and addressed to the contact person named in the ad. Make sure the examples in your letter match what your CV says. See job application mistakes to avoid in Norway for common pitfalls.

Before you send, read the ad one more time and check: could the employer find each key requirement on your CV within a few seconds?

Summary

To tailor your CV to a Norwegian job ad, read the ad carefully and separate krav from ønskelig. Match each point to a true example, move the most relevant experience to the top and cut what does not matter for this job. Use the ad's wording where it honestly fits, rewrite your profile summary, and describe your Norwegian level as it really is. A focused, truthful CV is easier to read and easier to stand behind in an interview.