The ‘killer’ CV

Abstract

This article discusses the use, value and relevance of the curriculum vitae (CV) for information professionals. CVs can be valuable in seeking jobs through ‘hidden approaches’ and networking, and clearly meet the needs of private sector job applications. They can also enable professional agility through regular skills assessments, and the CV format lends itself well to conveying a professional’s personality. On the downside, CVs are not relevant to public sector roles, can omit much key information, and can engender subjective responses from recruiters. The conciseness and self-promotion intrinsic to the CV format also conflict with core values within the information profession. The article concludes that CVs are a useful tool on a variety of levels, raising self-awareness, conveying personality and addressing individual and organizational needs.