# Writing a C.V. **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [November 11, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725 "2001-11-11T03:28:05Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 3:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/1 "2001-11-11T03:28:05Z")
How does a C.V. differ from a resume? I’ve only seen one before, a friend’s, and I just remember it being written more like prose than the check-list style I’m used to seeing. Any tips for converting an American resume to a European C.V.? ---
**Author:** ![Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/50afbb/32.png) [@Duck\_Duck\_Goose](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duck_Duck_Goose)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/2 "2001-11-11T06:33:03Z")
[http://www.cvonline.cz/](http://www.cvonline.cz/) > [@](#): > > Podívejte se s námi pod poklièku firemní kultury, zamìstnanecké politiky a obchodu. > > Vyjímeèná pøíležitost, mezinárodní IT spoleènost… Ještì není pozdì! Kliknìte na odkaz pod logem spoleènosti… Sorry, can’t help it. 😃 Seriously, though. [http://www.soon.org.uk/cvpage.htm](http://www.soon.org.uk/cvpage.htm) Browsing around on Google, I can’t really see any difference between a “resume” and a “CV”. Both of them are a summary of your job skills, a little personal history, and goals. Maybe the one you saw just happened to have been written by someone in a “prosy” mood. ---
**Author:** ![istara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/e79b87/32.png) [@istara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/istara)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 10:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/3 "2001-11-11T10:23:29Z")
For any CV/resume - and yes, they’re the same thing - it’s best to research what is considered most useful/acceptable for the particular industry you’re applying for. If you can, have a glance at the CV/resume of an associate already working in a similar job/industry to that you’re aiming for, and model yours on that. And NEVER have just one CV, TAILOR your CV for each new job application (where possible). Play up the strengths specifically demanded by that job ad (yes you can do this on your cover letter, but also on your CV). And keep it SHORT. And RELEVANT. If you must have more than one page, put a summary of everything on the front page, and expand details on the second. There are masses of sites giving free advice on CV creation, as well as online CV creation. Try [http://www.monster.com](http://www.monster.com) or [http://www.seek.com.au](http://www.seek.com.au) for examples. ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/4 "2001-11-11T11:40:05Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Montfort \* > \*\*Any tips for converting an American resume to a European C.V.? \*\* Joining the Trash, are you ? I seem to recall a thread where there was discussion as to whether it was proper to include personal interests in a CV - the consensus seemed to be that it was a bit of a faux pas in the US, while most European employers - particularly in Northern Europe - consider that a highly relevant part of a C.V. Of course, there are variations between the different countries as well - I’ve noticed that the Germans (and, AFAIK, even more so the French) love degrees, whereas the Danes and presumably other Scandinavians want to know what “sort of person” (beyond the bare qualifications, which had better be there) they’re hiring. My job aplications so far have consisted of a one-page cover letter where I describe - in prose and broad terms - what I’ve done so far, why it’s such a great opportunity to hire me and what made me decide on this specific job among the hundreds of other possibilities open to me. 😉 And I put in a human-interest paragraph or two about who I am, what interests I have beyond working etc. My C.V. is anything but prose: work experience, additional education, formal education, military service etc. back to about my high school graduation, in bullet points. Contact info. And I do throw in something about my extracurricalr activities as well - meainly because it includes some teaching, planning and leadership experience, that always looks good. YMMV, of course. S. Norman ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/5 "2001-11-11T11:44:29Z")
I also make it a point to spell correctly - even words like “extracurricular” and “mainly”. Grumble. ---
**Author:** ![P.W.Doodle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f14d63/32.png) [@P.W.Doodle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/P.W.Doodle)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 12:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/6 "2001-11-11T12:26:37Z")
I seem to recall also including my personality profile in my C.V. That may have been why I didn’t get the job or the work permit, but I was told to include it. If I remember right, I also presented it in a _binder_ of sorts. Best of luck, Montfort! ---
**Author:** ![Montfort](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d6d6ee/32.png) [@Montfort](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Montfort)\ **Post date:** [November 11, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/7 "2001-11-11T15:28:56Z")
Yeah, I’m joining the Trash. Those Swedish women, I tell ya… Anyway, thanks for the tips, everyone. Should my CV be in the language of the company, or the language of the job description/advert (which, in my case, for now, happens to be English-only)? Which address should be on the CV? My American address, or one a bit more local to the job? Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![Spiny\_Norman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de0a6/32.png) [@Spiny\_Norman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spiny_Norman)\ **Post date:** [November 12, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/writing-a-c-v/92725/8 "2001-11-12T08:22:16Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Montfort \* > **Yeah, I’m joining the Trash. Those Swedish women, I tell ya…** Well, good point. But I thought you had one already - I mean, just how many do you think you can handle ? 😛 > [@](#): > > Should my CV be in the language of the company, or the language of the job description/advert (which, in my case, for now, happens to be English-only)? If the advert is in English, I’d reply in English. They’ll be sure to make allowances for any deviations from the “Swedish-standard” C.V., then. Better to send a perfect C.V. in English than an almost-perfect in Swedish. But make sure you stress that you do indeed speak Swedish, that’s a major selling point. > [@](#): > > Which address should be on the CV? My American address, or one a bit more local to the job? I’d put my current address. I’d also put in all the contact channels I could - fax, e-mail etc. - and then I’d phone to make sure they’d gotten the C.V., just to demonstrate that all channels are open. Best of luck! S. Norman