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An honest, well-built CV that the right people actually read, and that gets you into the room.
Your CV has one job: earn you the conversation. In Malta's market that means clearing an applicant tracking system (ATS), then holding the attention of a busy hiring manager who may be reading in their second or third language. Most CVs fail at one of those two gates. Usually it's not that the person isn't good enough; it's that the document doesn't show it clearly.
Guidanceforge is run by Daniel, a Malta-based coach who holds a Level 7 (MQF/EQF) Award in Coaching & Mentoring and who hires and leads teams as Director of AI Platform, DevOps & Cybersecurity at a Malta iGaming company. So this isn't generic templating advice. You get a read from someone who sits on the other side of the table, shortlisting candidates in the sectors you're applying to.
The most useful first step is a CV Review session. We work through the specifics together (structure, keywords, ATS-friendliness) and you leave with a clear, prioritised plan you can act on straight away.
Maltese employers hire fast and read quickly. Lead with a short, specific summary (your role, your field, what you're good at) rather than a generic "hardworking team player" line. Then let your experience carry the weight: for each role, show what you owned and what changed because you were there. Quantify wherever you honestly can (team size, budget, uptime, tickets closed, revenue or cost moved, players or accounts handled). Numbers travel across languages and cut through the noise. Keep it to one page early in your career and two pages once you have real depth, and never pad. In a small market where networks and referrals count, a clear, credible CV is also the kind people forward on your behalf.
Most mid-to-large Malta employers, and nearly all iGaming and fintech firms, filter CVs through an ATS before a person sees them. Keep the file ATS-safe: a clean single-column layout, standard section headings (Experience, Education, Skills), real text rather than text baked into images, and no critical detail hidden in headers, footers or tables the parser may drop. Export as a PDF unless the advert asks for a Word document. Mirror the language of the job advert. If they say "stakeholder management" or "AML/KYC", use those exact terms where they honestly apply to you. The goal isn't to stuff in keywords; it's to make sure the machine and the manager both recognise the match on the first pass.
Work eligibility is a real filter here. If you're an EU/EEA citizen, say so briefly; if you're a third-country national, state your status honestly (for example, an existing Maltese work permit, a single permit, or your eligibility) so recruiters don't screen you out on assumption. List languages with an honest level, English and Maltese where relevant plus any others, because bilingual and multilingual candidates are valued across iGaming, finance, tourism and professional services. Then tailor: an iGaming CV should surface regulated-market, compliance or platform experience, while a fintech or tech CV should foreground the tools, certifications and measurable outcomes that role cares about. One tuned CV per target beats one generic CV sent everywhere.
Book a CV Review and turn an honest, expert read into a CV that gets read.
One page if you're early in your career, two pages once you have several years of relevant experience. Maltese and EU employers value clarity over length, so cut anything that doesn't earn its place and keep only the roles and achievements that matter for the job you're targeting.
Yes, briefly. EU/EEA citizens can simply note their nationality. Third-country nationals should state their status honestly, such as an existing Maltese work permit or single permit, so recruiters don't screen you out on assumption. It removes doubt and speeds up the decision.
It's optional in Malta. A photo is common and generally accepted here, but it's not required and can occasionally trip up an ATS. If you include one, keep it professional and simple; if the role is filtered heavily by software, a clean text-only CV is the safer choice.
PDF, unless the advert specifically asks for Word. A PDF keeps your formatting intact and is ATS-safe when built from real text (not an image or scan). Use a clean single-column layout with standard headings so the parser reads every section correctly.
A CV Review session is coaching, not ghost-writing. You get a detailed, honest read of your CV (structure, wording, ATS-friendliness, impact) plus a clear, prioritised plan of exactly what to change and why. The final document stays yours, and you can keep improving it.
Pricing is transparent and charged per session; see the services page for current details. Payment is by Revolut after your session, and no card is required on the site. You can start with a free 15-minute discovery call to check it's the right fit before booking.
Book a free 15-minute discovery call. No pressure, no obligation.