Curriculum Vitae (CV)
A CV is a document that lists your experiences (work and extracurricular activities), skills, and accomplishments (and academic background once you finish university)—it is typically requested when applying for jobs, internships, scholarships, and master’s. A CV typically has:
Name and contact information;
- Education (degree, major, university, expected graduation date);
- Relevant coursework (if applicable);
- Projects or research (if applicable and if any);
- Work experience and extracurricular activities;
- Skills (writing, languages, software, &c);
- Awards and certificates.
You may find templates for CVs in, say, Microsoft Word. However, it is really better to just do them in plain text. Only list experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying to. Keep your CV brief (ideally 1 page), organized, on topic, and full of action verbs to describe your responsibilities and achievements (e.g., "organized," "led," "created").
Tip: create an Excel sheet and keep track of all your professional activities and update it periodically (position, brief description, start and end dates of your work).
Cover Letter & Resume
A cover letter is a 1-page document that explains why you are applying for the job, how you are a good fit for the team, and what excites you about the job. It consists of an introduction, an explanation of why you want this opportunity, a few examples, and a thank you note. It provides a way for you to express your voice and connect with the hiring manager. Here’s a guide to writing a good cover letter.
Tip: before you write a cover letter, make sure to research the company so that your words don’t come off as “vain.”
A resume, on the other hand, is a brief display of your skills, typically also 1-page long. It contains your contact info, education, work experience, skills, projects, and extracurricular activities. Keep in mind that it must be brief and skimmable. Here’s a guide to writing a good resume.
