CV versus résumé and their origins

In the rising global job market the two are now largely regarded as one and the same. Whilst comparable, a résumé is officially a shorter document than a CV in some countries. It focuses purely on the skills and experience relevant for a specific role, rather than a compilation of a full career history to date. The name says it all, derived from the French word résumé, meaning summarised. Resume and résumé, are commonly used alternatives, but if in any doubt which to use, we would recommend the original form - résumé. You never know, the recipient may be an etymologist. Curriculum Vitae is Latin, the translation is ‘course of life’. The accepted abbreviated form in the digital age is CV, rather than C.V. or cv.

Whichever is your preferred choice of title, both are fundamentally a written ‘course of education and career’ and still seen as the primary, professional, self-marketing document. Leonardo da Vinci, the great artist and inventor himself, is credited with writing the first résumé. In 1482, aged 32 years old, he wrote a strong persuasive, speculative letter to Ludovico Sforza, the then Duke of Milan, for employment. It starts with a solid objective (as any good CV should). He then highlights his breadth of capabilities (backed up with the benefits that hiring him would bring). It’s a self-marketing masterpiece. Most importantly, it’s tailored to his prospective employer, as all CVs and résumés should be. In an age of conflicts and alliances across European courts, Da Vinci positioned his CV perfectly, by emphasising his military engineering skills over his artistic ones, resulting in gainful employment.

Remember, although vitae translates as life, keep the content strictly to your work life and any professional skills and qualities relevant to the role. Also as the name suggests, summarise - documents beyond two pages will work against you. Finally take a leaf out of Leonardo’s book, always ensure your CV targets a particular role and company, never submit a generic or previously used one.

A full translation of Leonardo da Vinci’s letter can be read on the fascinating Letters of Note website