What is a Curriculum Vita?

By IBTimes Staff Reporter | September 27 2010 7:56 PM

width=398 The term Curriculum Vita is sometimes used interchangeably with the term resume, but in common usage there are differences. To begin with, Europeans and individuals from others countries refer to resumes as Curriculum Vita, or for short, CVs. The European and international approach to CVs is quite a bit different than in the U.S. For example, since many of those countries do not have the same discrimination laws and other regulations that we have in the U.S., they tend to put in much more personal data, such as age, gender, physical characteristics, etc. Also, CVs in other countries are often much longer than American resumes, with far more detail provided, included addresses of firms, names and telephone contact information for supervisors, and the like.

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Also, CVs are used in the U.S., primarily for physicians, academicians, and performers. These CVs are also often longer than traditional two or three page resumes, but not with the type of detail supplied in European CVs. Instead, CVs for doctors and professors in the U.S. will contain long lists of credentials, certifications, institutions, conferences, publications, and other pertinent accomplishments, with very little detail or explanation. Performers will, of course, provide lists of performances, venues, lead roles, and other credits. Actors, as opposed to most anyone else, can put their physical characteristics at the very top of their CV, as this is considered essential to their careers, and is not considered discriminatory.