Published in: Resume Writing Guidance

Resume guidelines for job seekers in Cuba

Author Proresumes Team

Published on: January 23, 2026

Want to earn a good spot as a multilingual professional in Cuba? Now aware of the standards for resumes in Cuba.

In this guide, learn the best ways to design a Cuban resume or CV according to regional standards and professional requirements.

What is the document name used for resumes in Cuba?

The name of the professional document that is used as a resume in Cuba is known as Curriculum Vitae. The meaning of this Latin phrase is “course of life”. This word is used for a resume document by Cubans since it represents one’s career journey.

However, many Cubans also use the word CV more than the entire word while referring to a resume. Moreover, since Cuba is a part of the Latin American countries, some people use Hoja de Vida for a resume.

Resumes standards and regional criteria in Cuba

Cuba is one of the countries of the Caribbean and follows some regional resume standards that differ from those in North America. Such regional standards include the following:

Resume Length

The length of the Cuban resume or CV is similar to the resume length standard used in various Latin American countries. The Cuban recruiters prefer short and concise resumes within 1-2 pages.

Moreover, according to a country-specific trend, the Cuban recruiters highly prefer one-page resumes and discard those with filler details. Job applicants in Cuba should decide the page requirement for their resume according to the amount of experience they have.

Junior level professionals or young graduates who have minimal work experience should prefer a single page for all their details. Meanwhile, mid-level or senior employees with years of experience can utilize two pages to fill in all significant career details.

Paper Size

Paper size is a significant resume standard that changes according to the countries and regions. The typical size of paper that is mostly used in Cuba and other Caribbean countries is the ISO 216 standard.

The A4 size is used for professionals or educational documentation in Cuba, and is used for resumes as well. Moreover, the dimensions of the Cuban resumes or CVs are around 210 x 297 mm according to the standard paper size.

Resume Format

The resume format that is mostly followed by Cuban job applicants is the reverse-chronological format. The applicants use this format to highlight their most recent experiences at the top of the section.

Moreover, many career changers or fresh graduates also adapt to the functional format to craft their resumes. Such professionals use this format to highlight their skills and education to make up for the insignificant work expertise.

What kind of languages are used to craft resumes in Cuba?

The Cuban people mostly use the following languages for many professional purposes, including:

• Spanish: The Spanish language is the national language of the country and is used by the majority of people. It is also used as a professional language for various documentation, including job applications.

However, creating a resume in Spanish isn’t easy and requires proofreading and resume guidance to ensure quality.

• American English: The second language that is generally used by Cubans is the US English. The country is a part of the Latin American countries and is influenced by the US dialect of the language. Moreover, it is widely used as a resume language in the Caribbean region.

However, it is not easy to create a resume in the English language for speakers of other languages. Job applicants should ensure that they’ve followed the grammar rules and US spellings while creating their resumes.

Need some help to create a resume in US English? ProResumesis here to resolve your worries! Get in touch with certified resume writersin the US and plan your success today.

Is it significant to add a photo to a resume in Cuba?

Yes, according to the regional standards for resumes in Cuba, applicants are required to attach their photo. Apart from various countries in Latin America that are adopting the photo blindness rules, Cuban recruiters still expect it.

Moreover, it is a norm for a candidate to add their photo to their resume if they’re applying to the following roles:

• Public-facing jobs
• Roles in the Tourism Industry
• Work position in Education
• Government-level positions

The Cuban applicants who are expected to add their photo in resumes should follow these guidelines:

• Avoid the use of any selfie poses and angles.
• Don’t use messy or unprofessional backgrounds.
• Always attach a passport-size picture to the resume.
• Use a picture that was shot recently, within 3 to 6 months.
• Maintain confident, yet minimalistic facial expressions.
• Avoid using any image editing software like Photoshop to edit your photo.

Are references added directly to the resumes in Cuba?   

Yes, references can be added as a section within Cuban CVs or resumes. However, it still depends on the requirements of the recruiter. Career guides advise job seekers to avoid the inclusion of references unless it is explicitly requested by a hiring manager.

Moreover, Cuban hiring managers prefer conciseness in resumes. Applicants should avoid the use of the phrase (references available upon request) in their resumes.

Cuban job applicants should follow these guidelines for adding references in a resume:

• Add the referee’s names.
• Add the referee’s profession.
• Add the referee’s phone number.
• Add the referee’s professional email.
• State your connection with the referee.

Pro Tip: Always use your professional and educational acquaintances and contacts as your references. Never use personal references such as parents, siblings, or friends.

What are the essential parts of a resume in Cuba?

The Cuban resumes include the following essential components:

Personal and Contact Details

The header of the Cuban resumes or CVs includes the following details of the applicants:

• Full legalized name of the applicant
• Personal phone number of the candidate.
• Professional email address of the candidate (Avoid listing any weird email address with unprofessional domains)
• Residential address of the applicant
• City and Province of residence
• Postal code (It’s rarely requested by Cuban recruiters).
• National ID (It’s mandatory when applicants apply for state-level positions).

Professional Summary

The second part of any resume is a professional summary that highlights the applicant’s key offerings and career aspirations. This section is usually treated as an opening hook and is used for grabbing the attention of the hiring manager.

Cuban applicants who wish to grab the attention of recruiters from the start, should follow these guidelines:

• The summary shouldn’t be more than three to four lines.
• It should highlight the strong points of a candidate by adding their main skills.
• It should highlight the experience of the applicant by quantifying it.
• It should let the hiring manager know about the value of the client by highlighting core career achievement.
• It should not be generic and vague.

Work Experience

The section that includes the work expertise of the applicant is often analyzed by hiring managers apart from other resume sections. The experience section is structured in a chronological manner and includes the following details:

• Name of the past workplaces.
• Location of past workplaces.
• Employment dates to show experience.
• Position held by applicants at each workplace.
• Main work duties at each workplace.
• Achievements and results acquired at each workplace.
• Cuban recruiters prefer applicants who attach their work samples along with their resumes

Education

The education section comes after the experience section and is used to highlight all the educational details of the applicant. The details include:

• Applicants should list the names of all the universities, colleges, and schools they attended.
• They should add important dates including the graduation years.
• Applicants should list the names of their degrees.
• They can add coursework and educational projects that are relevant to the job.
• Career advisors suggest adding GPA only when it is above average in the applicant’s country.
• Add any certification or academic honors achieved during education.

Skills

Many applicants like young graduates or career changers, focus on the skills section to tailor their resume for the target job. Moreover, experienced employees also use this section to highlight their competencies.

The section includes the following essential elements:

• Soft Skills: These skills are the behavioral abilities of a client that are mostly used for doing their jobs. For example, the soft skills of an engineer include teamwork, time management, and analytical thinking.

• Hard Skills: These skills are the measurable competencies of an applicant that involve work-specific skills. For example, the hard skills of an engineer include knowledge of engineering software and design.

Additional Sections

The Cuban applicants can use the following sections in their resume to enhance their effectiveness:

• Language level: Cuban hiring managers prefer to see language fluency of candidates, especially for multilingual roles.
• References: References can only be used when they’re required by the employer.
• Hobbies and Interests: Young graduates or career changers can add their interests to highlight transferable skills.

Quick tips for Cuban applicants to ensure the quality of their resume

Here’s a bunch of tips that can be utilized to ensure the effectiveness of your resume as Cuban applicant:

• Use the Spanish language for resumes while applying for local work positions.
• Utilize the readable fonts for a resume with 10 to 12 pts for the main text.
• Save the resumes in PDF files for better ATS scores.
• Use proper names while saving your resume files.

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