Ahh… the CV. One of life’s great mysteries and something worthy of deep contemplation…
Nah.
Let’s get real: A CV is just a resume.
While it’s true that there are certain worlds (e.g., academia) where a CV may represent something distinct (e.g., a complete record of every academic accomplishment across your entire life - hence “Curriculum Vitae”), 99% of the time it just means your resume.
Why Call It a CV?
Which all begs the question: Why not just call it a resume?
My best guess is that in a battle between two non-English languages (resume hailing from French, curriculum vitae descending from Latin), many English-speaking recruiters may feel a tiny bit uncomfortable with both words.
And so at least CV has the advantage of being an easy abbreviation - no accents required… :)
How to Make a Great CV
The most important thing to know about CVs is what makes them effective.
And since they’re really just resumes under another name, it all comes down to the same things that make resumes work:
1. Will your CV get filtered in by Applicant Tracking Systems? In other words, when you apply for a job and there are hundreds of other applicants, how do you make sure that your resume stands out against the internal algorithm.
So just like with a resume, this first stage all boils down to keywords. Specifically, all the most important keywords straight from the job description.
For example, let’s say you’re applying for a Product Manager job where the job description calls for a “Cross-functional leader with deep experience building out product roadmaps and driving go-to-market planning.” In that case, it’s essential that your CV include all of the most important keywords (I’ve italicized them to make it more obvious) across your sections - Summary, Experience, and Skills.
2. Will your CV feel safe to recruiters? Because even after you pass the initial algorithmic stage, you still need to convince the human recruiter that offering you an interview will get them promoted - not fired!
So in addition to the keywords we’ve already discussed, it’s essential to also give recruiters the peace of mind that you have a strong track record of success. After all, the best predictor of future success is past success.
Thus, when you build out your CV bullets, be sure to also include powerful outcomes from your past performance. Anything from the business impact (e.g., customers, revenue, cost-savings) to the human side (e.g., promoted ahead of schedule, won Employee of the Month) helps the recruiter feel safe in picking you.
What Does CV Really Mean?
So there you have it. While CV may technically mean “Curriculum Vitae,” what it really means is “Candidate Value.”
As in, what is the true value you bring to a potential job - from your ability to do it (i.e., your keywords) to your ability to do it well (i.e., your outcomes).
So don’t stress over what some Latin-speaking dudes called it back in the day. Instead, seize the day today by bringing a little CD (i.e., Carpe Diem) to your CV! ⚡️