Curiously, the curriculum vitae (CV) is what we actually have in mind when we hear the word “resumé” here in the Philippines. In terms of completeness, the CV is more detailed than the resumé. But do we really understand how the CV works? Here are some questions to guide us.
1. What’s in a name? Curriculum vitae literally means “course of life” in Latin. That is a reflection of the comprehensive nature of the CV.
2. What is the CV’s purpose? The CV is used to show a detailed history of qualifications, accomplishments and involvements. In this regard, a CV for one position will be virtually similar to a CV used to apply for another separate position.
3. What qualifications are included? Academic background beginning from the college level and onwards should be shown on the CV. Rarely, there are positions that do not require college education; in such cases, graduates of technical/vocational courses may write the details of their short course instead. Academic honors are part of this section as well.
4. Which work experiences are allowed? Technically, ALL previous employment experiences are included in the CV. However, experiences only count if they can be proven through official records of past employment like Certificates of Employment.
5. How about other accomplishments, outputs or achievements? Awards, projects, research, publications, certifications and licenses are expected to be included. Again, ensure that these can be backed up by official proof.
6. What about the involvements that can be included? Involvements can range from official membership in organizations, to activities carried out in an official academic or corporate capacity like consultations, to training and development initiatives, and even volunteer work. As always, proper documentation of these involvements is a must.
7. Is it OK to include skills and talents? It should be just fine to include a list of skills along with perceived or assessed competence levels in these skills. Keep in mind, though, that this list should be limited to skills and abilities that have actual academic or professional value. Skill in the use of certain software applications is acceptable, but breakdancing is probably not a good thing to write on a CV.
8. Can personal information be written? Yes, and it is actually required that a CV contain personal details especially contact information. This does not mean, however, that trivial things like favorites and dislikes can be included. When in doubt, remember the kinds of information usually written on government forms. Ensure that the personal information is not redundant with the contact information at the header of the CV.
9. How important are references? Very important. They provide additional means to prove an applicant’s background, experience and accomplishments to the organization being applied to. Make sure that references have granted their permission to be cited in the CV, just like how it should be for a resumé.
10. Is there a specific format to be followed? There is, but only if the organization being applied to requires it. They will usually provide a soft editable file that contains the format. If there is no required format, the usual sequence begins with the academic background, followed by training and affiliations, then work experiences. Awards and recognition, projects and other output, and activities and involvements can follow in any order from that point. Finally, personal information and references should be clearly written at the end of the CV.
Based on these points, we can see that the CV wields enormous power to affect the hirer’s decision: whether to approve our application or reject it. The CV works even better with supporting documents, such as copies of certifications or licenses, or portfolios. These are essentials in any career-seeker’s survival kit, and would be especially helpful in applying for positions that require a CV. These positions are mostly in academic organizations, medical institutions and groups with an international scope of operations such as humanitarian groups.
So, are we ready to harness the power of the CV? With these tips, it looks like we are. And if we forgot anything or you would like to drop us a message, hop on over to our Facebook page!