What is a Curriculum Vitae , What are the components? For Second semester Calicut University students (Writing for Academics and Professional Success)

 Curriculum Vitae (commonly known as its short form CV) is a Latin term that means “the course of one’s life”. It is a summary of one's academic and work history. A well designed CV can decide an individual’s future to successfully obtain a desirable position.

 

CV, bio-data and resume

While a CV, bio- data and resume are roughly equivalent documents, there are important differences in its usage and content. Biodata, the short form of biographical data emphasis on personal particulars like date of birth, sex, nationality, marital status and so on. It has a specific format whereas Resume is an advertising tool for selling oneself as the most qualified candidate. It is typically used in business and there is no specific format for a resume. The most basic difference between CV and resume is in its length. A CV is used primarily when applying for fellowships and grants.

Components of a CV

A CV will have the following sections:

Personal Details: It is important that the reader can spot , at a glance, not only your name but also precisely how to get in contact with you. Your CV should be headed with your name – boldly and clearly before any other details. Then you can add your address, phone number, email address, date of birth, sex, marital status, religion, aadhar number etc. 

Professional Profile: Professional profile is a brief statement at the very beginning of a CV which conveys the reader an overall impression of your key personal and professional characteristics. This part includes your academic or personal experiences and your abilities which are crucial for the job.

Objectives: The task of the objective section is to explain your preferred career direction and details on what you hope to achieve from your future career. While writing an objective Statement you should write down the types of positions, types of organizations or settings, and specific skills you want to use or develop in your next job.

Educations and Qualifications: This part includes, Descriptions of your qualifications.

    The dates you received your qualifications                                                                                                   What grades/class/marks/ you achieved                                                                                                       The names of the institutions                                                                                                                       Special certifications, licenses, additional vocational trainings etc

Career History/work experience
Start with your present or most recent job and work all the way back to your very first job. In this part you need to specify;

The dates you worked for each organization                                                                                            Your job title or function                                                                                                                            The name of the organization you worked for, along with location                                                            A compelling description of what your role entailed.

Key Skills: A Key Skill section is a summary of the main skills and abilities you are offering to a prospective employer. You can include your communication skills, interpersonal skills, administrative skills, organizational skills, presentation skills etc.

Achievements: In this section you can highlight your personal, professional and academic achievements.

Interests and Activities: You can simply summarize your interests and extracurricular activities in this section such as sports, acting, dancing, painting and creative writing etc.

References: The referees listed should be willing to confirm your claims. They can be your teachers, supervisors, former boss, even neighbours (if they are professionals connected with the job you are applying for).