Curriculum Vita's: I need ideas

[P-Sleazy]

Alright, so I recently applied for a job via Craigslist. The job is an Accounts Recievable Clerk at some small company. Anyways, I got an E-mail back today asking for me to provide two things, a credit report and a CV (Curriculum Vita). They only mention it as a "cv". So being completely unfamiliar with what a CV is, I look it up on google and find out its more like a VERY extended resume thats about 2-4 pages long of your life's work. Additionally, it is mostly used in the medical, law, and educational fields. Of which, the position I applied for is in neither (that I'm aware of).

Anyways, aside from the overall format and layout of the CV, what are some things I could put on there? I'm still in college so my work history isn't that extensive (3 jobs, a grocery store bagger, QA Admin, and Desk Assistant) and awards are fairly limited too. So in general, I guess what I'm asking you guys is, what are some things other than job history and awards that I could potentially put on the CV?

[synkr0nized]

Definitely don't pad it.
Make sure you have your educational history, starting with the year you will graduate and the degree level. If you have your job history and awards you have received either at work or in college/high school since you haven't graduated yet, the only other thing you could put in there is any relevant experience with service organizations or the like. Other than that, you run the risk of tossing in fluff, unless you can justify it (eg: you might have an argument for adding being varsity captain of a sports team if the job requires leadership skills).


Being a graduate student, I'm very familiar with folks passing around CVs rather than resumes. We get to go on for pages, if possible, with publications, workshops, reviews, and research interests in addition to just listing our skills and job experience.

However, if you're maybe worried that what you have looks more like a resume and not enough like a CV, don't be. You are still in college! As long as you are capable of putting together a neat and tidy, too-the-point document, I would submit it with confidence.

[The Artist Formerly Known as Hawk]

Pretty much just needs your current highest education levels/what you expect to get on your current education levels final exams, and any other related qualifications really.

Past work experiance too obviously, including mention of what your role was at each job and any related skills that could in any way be relevant to the one you're now applying for.

Any extra curricular stuff you've done is also good to mention, so long as it's relevant. Also get a couple of references, those are always a good thing to add at the end. Maybe an old boss or a teacher or whatever who can say good stuff about you. The people reading the CV probably won't actually contact your references, but it looks good to have them on there.

Basically it's just anything that's relevant to the job you're applying for; your education, job history, any other skills you have, references, in that order. I've had to do this a couple times and I generally keep mine 2 pages long, with references on a 3rd page. Just keep it simple and to the point.

[Professor Smarmiarty]

Covering letters are important as are skills summary. It helps employers skim through multiple applications faster and if you don't have it they might not even look at it.

[Osterbaum]

It's actually 'Curriculum vitae'. The 'e' at the end changes the pronounciation in Latin.

I can tell you what my CV has, in the following order; personal data, job experience at the end of which I have organizations and groups in which I've held some sort of position, education, language skills, social skills, technical skills and knowledge, artistic skills, other skills, drivers license.

And that's that.