A curriculum vitae (CV) provides an overview of a person's experience and other qualifications. In some countries, a CV is typically the first item that a potential employer encounters regarding the job seeker and is typically used to screen applicants (people who apply for job online), often followed by an interview, when seeking employment.
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Curriculum vitae is a Latin expression which can be loosely translated as [the] course of [my] life. In current usage, curriculum is less marked as a foreign loanword.
The plural of curriculum vitæ, in Latin, is formed following Latin rules of grammar as curricula vitæ (meaning "courses of life") or curricula vitarum (meaning "courses of lives")— not curriculum vita (which is grammatically incorrect). The form vitæ is the singular genitive of vita and is translated as "of life".
Nevertheless, in English, the plural of the full expression curriculum vitae is seldom used; the plural of curriculum on its own is usually written as "curriculums",[1] rather than the traditional curricula.[2]
In the United Kingdom, a CV is short (usually a maximum of 2 sides of A4 paper), and therefore contains only a summary of the job seeker's employment history, qualifications and some personal information. It is often updated to change the emphasis of the information according to the particular position for which the job seeker is applying.[3] Many CVs contain keywords that potential employers might pick up on and display the content in the most flattering manner, brushing over information like poor grades.[3] A CV can also be extended to include an extra page for the job-seeker's publications if these are important for the job.
In the United States and Canada, a CV is used in academic circles and medical careers as a "replacement" for a résumé and is far more comprehensive; the term résumé is used for most recruitment campaigns. A CV elaborates on education to a greater degree than a résumé and is expected to include a comprehensive listing of professional history including every term of employment, academic credential, publication, contribution or significant achievement. In certain professions, it may even include samples of the person's work and may run to many pages. Many executives and professionals choose to use short CVs that highlight the foci of their lives and not necessarily their employment or education.
In the European Union, there has been an attempt to develop a standardized CV format known as Europass (in 2004 by the European Parliament and European Commission) and promoted by the EU to ease skilled migration between member countries, although this is not widely used in most contexts. The Europass CV system is meant to be just as helpful to employers and education providers as it is to students and job seekers. It was designed to help them understand what people changing between the countries have to offer, whilst overcoming linguistic barriers. The Europass documents also provide recognition for non-accredited learning and work experience.
There are a few companies that prefer not to receive a CV at all in application, but rather produce their own application form which must be completed in applying for any position. Of those, some also allow applicants to attach a CV in support of the application. The reason some companies prefer to process applications this way is to standardize the information they receive, as there can be many variables within a CV. Therefore, the company often does not get all the information they require at the application stage.