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Curriculum vitae

society Maturity 11-13 Next article →

A curriculum vitae is a very important document. People often call it a CV for short. The name comes from a Latin phrase. It means "the course of one's life."

This document acts as a summary of a person. It shows their career, their skills, and their education. Many people use a CV to find work. They also use them to apply for school programs. CVs can even help people get grants or bursaries.

There are different ways to build a CV. A person might change it for a specific job. This helps them show the right skills. Most CVs include a heading with a name and contact info. They also list education and degrees earned. A professional history section shows past work or research. Some people add their research interests too.

In some places, a CV is very short. It might only be two sides of A4 paper. It is meant to impress a new employer quickly.

In North America, words can be a bit different. Many people use the word résumé instead of CV. A résumé is usually a very short summary. It is often only one or two pages long. Most employers use résumés for regular jobs. They may only look at one for a few minutes. They want to see facts they can scan easily.

However, in the United States, CVs and résumés can be used for the same things. Some people use the names interchangeably.

In the world of academia, things change. Academia is the field of teaching and research. In this field, a CV is a much longer document. It is a full history of academic success. It includes many more details than a simple résumé. It lists publications, awards, and presentations. It also shows teaching and research experience.

One academic CV was even 69 pages long! These long lists help people apply for academic jobs.

New ways to write CVs are appearing now. Some groups want a "narrative" style. This means writing a story about a person's work. It shows how their research helps society. In October 2024, Canada announced a new template for this. Their research councils include NSERC, SSHRC, and CIHR. This new style matches trends in the US and UK.

It helps people explain their work in a new way.

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Curriculum Vitae of Gabor B. Racz.pdf
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