What is an International Curriculum Vitae?

An international curriculum vitae is a generalized human resources or job application document that many people send to a potential employer as part of their application. These kinds of documents usually apply to cases where a worker wants to get a job that is not in his or her country of origin, or where a multinational employer does not primarily operate out of that person’s country of origin or residence. In many diverse situations, an international curriculum vitae can be a kind of bridge to a job or career, by providing factual content on the person’s skills and background, combined with a multicultural approach.

The expectations for an international curriculum vitae are not dramatically unlike those for a standard curriculum vitae or resume. Both of these terms are much the same, though some professions may prefer one over the other. International resumes will tend to have more multicultural information, and be in a format that is targeted toward a specific foreign county’s CV or resume conventions.

Some common things are often included in an international curriculum vitae, beyond the usual basics. Contact information should include one's current country of residence, and possibly the country of birth. An email address essential, since international phone calls can be expensive, and mail can be slow. A list of languages spoken, including the degree of competency in each, is another common element. Even just a basic reading knowledge of a second language could be seen as a plus for some jobs.

Photos of the job applicant may or may not be included in an international curriculum vitae. In some countries, including a photo is traditional for a CV or resume. In others, it may be seen as inappropriate. Job applicants should think about the protocols for the country in which they are applying for work, and perhaps also consider the specific industry.

Some international curriculum vitae documents are chronological in format, where others are reverse chronological. This difference can also apply to documents that are formatted for different countries. The language that a international style curriculum vitae is written in is also important, depending on the country where the employer is located.

In addition to these considerations, the person writing an international curriculum vitae will also want to focus on other aspects that are common to other types of CVs or resumes. These include length, as well as accuracy and general presentation. All of these things contribute to an effective CV targeted toward an international or foreign job market.