At some point, if you’re serious about working remotely or landing international roles, you start to realise a hidden truth. It’s not just about having skills, but how you present them.
Yet, with the rise of remote work and digital nomads, many global tech talent have been trying to create location-free CVs and failing.
Who else are we to turn to for guidance other than Chibuzo Ihentuge-Eric, the Head, People & Culture at the West African HR and payroll solution startup, PaidHR?
Step 1: Redefine Your CV for a Global Audience
For her, the first thing to consider when making a location-free CV in 2026 is the word “global.” “The concept of a CV is a brief description of who an individual is, especially in terms of their professional career. It’s their history, experiences, where they are based, location, and contact information,” she said.
“For example, I am Chibuzo Ihentuge-Eric. I’m an HR professional. But depending on the context of what I’m applying for, I can be Head of People and Culture, especially if I’m aligning my CV to suit a certain kind of role. And for the sake of a global outlook, some people want global references. ‘Who can I speak to that can validate the work you’ve done?”
Step 2: Remove the Signals That Lock You Into One Country
But this is only the first step. The next step is to adopt a global mindset in every aspect of the CV. “If someone is looking for opportunities globally, they should project their location properly,” she said. “For example, if I’m applying for an opportunity in the UK, I should not write my address as Lekki, Lagos, but Lagos, Nigeria.”
She added that cross-border work should also be emphasized on the CV.
Many times, tech talent have done work that has been launched in other markets, but they don't reflect this on their CV. For her, this is a mistake that many talents making a location-free CV make. “I’m an HR professional, but I’ve spoken on platforms or worked on projects where I handled engagements with places like the University of Texas. If I look through your CV and there’s nothing that shows experience outside your local environment, that’s already a red flag,” she said.
The next thing after this is to make sure to add links to the cross-border work in your CV.
“And then If I also don’t see accessible links where I can see what you’ve done, or places where you’ve spoken about cross-border projects or collaborations, that’s another red flag,” she said.
“If we don’t see anything that suggests you’re doing things outside your locality, that’s a clear mistake.”
Step 3: Translate Your Job Title for International Markets
The next step is to tailor the title of the role to fit the locations you’re hiring to. “People need to understand that a role can be called different things in different regions. I might be called Head of People and Culture in Nigeria, but that same role could be called something else elsewhere. I wouldn’t take the CV I tailored for the Nigerian market and use it for an international opportunity,” she said.
“What I do instead is research. If I’m applying across Europe, Africa, or Asia, I look at what positions exist in those organizations. What titles are common? What departments do they use?”
In the case where there isn’t a direct title for your role, her advice is to “look at the function of what you do and see what heading it falls under in that organization. That way, even if they’re using an ATS, your CV won’t be filtered out.”
Step 4: Create Global Experience Before You’re Hired
Sometimes, tech talent looking for global roles might not have done work that caters to those experiences the roles demand. For her, the solution here is to “replicate that environment.”
“That could mean creating a personal website, a webpage, or using free platforms to simulate that role,” she said.
“Using a content writer as an example, if you’ve never written for a foreign company before, look at the topics that are prevalent in that industry and start writing about them. Publish them on your personal profile, your website, or LinkedIn. At the end of the day, people want evidence. Recruiters can’t assume you can do the work without evidence.”
Step 5: Use Public Work — Podcasts, Talks, Projects — as Proof
If you have been on a podcast, you’re in luck, as they increase your chances of getting the job. “You can list them under a section like ‘Projects’ and include the topic you spoke about. If you have a general podcast that covers many topics, pick specific episodes that align with the role,” she said.
“Don’t just say ‘podcast on international topics’ and link to the entire podcast. That’s too much work for the recruiter. They might click and land on an episode about something completely unrelated."
Step 6: Start Positioning Yourself Before You Feel Ready
Now that we have our CV ready, when does one start positioning for these global jobs?
“The best time to start is now. Someone told me recently that she wants to start positioning herself as someone people can reach out to, but she’s just starting now. So how should she do it? I said, ‘As you’re gaining experience, write about your experience,’” she said.
“That way, you’re killing two birds with one stone. You start your journey while also positioning yourself internationally. As you gain the skill, you can also write about what you’re learning.”
For me, a writer, it even starts with this conversation I had with her for this article you’re reading.
“That conversation could even be, ‘I spoke with a global recruiter to find out how I can position myself for global jobs, and these are the things I learned.’ If I’m a global recruiter and I come across your page, I might not hire you immediately, but I’ll look at your consistency over time. I’ll see that you’ve been learning XYZ, and I’ll think, ‘Okay, I might need this person,’” she said.
Step 7: Drop the Myth That You’re “Not International Enough”
As we’re about to end the call, I ask her what she thought the biggest lie people tell themselves about being an international job-ready? “I think the most common lie is, ‘I’m not good enough.’ According to what standard? Who told you that?”
“Another lie is confusing positioning with fake authority. Positioning is showing your journey and growth. Fake authority is calling yourself an expert without the experience to back it up. Doing a course or writing for a short time doesn’t make you an expert. Expertise comes from doing the work, validation, and results.”
David Adubiina
