What Is a CV? Meaning, Contents and How It Differs from a Søknad
Everyone uses the word and few explain it. A CV is the document that shows what you have done — education, work experience, skills and languages — and it is what an employer reads to judge whether you have done what the job requires. The *søknad* is the letter that argues why you should get it. This page covers what the abbreviation means, what belongs in the document, and what does not.
What does CV stand for?
CV is short for curriculum vitae, Latin for "course of life". Nobody expects you to know Latin today; in a Norwegian job search it simply means a short factual overview of your background. You will see "CV", "curriculum vitae" and "CV-en din" in postings and forms — all the same document.
The English word *resume* almost never appears in Norwegian postings. If you apply in Norway, "CV" is the word the employer uses, even when the ad itself is in English.
What a CV contains
| Section | What goes there |
|---|---|
| Personal details | Name, phone, email, city. Date of birth is common but optional. |
| Profile / key qualifications | Three or four lines saying why you fit this particular job. |
| Work experience | Newest job first, with context and outcomes — not a task list. |
| Education | Degrees, schools, years. Relevant courses and certificates can sit here. |
| Languages | Your Norwegian level stated explicitly, ideally with CEFR, plus languages you actually use. |
| References | "References available on request" is standard, and enough. |
The order is reverse chronological: newest first. That is convention in Norway, not law, but it is strong enough that you need a reason to break it.
What a CV is not
- Not the søknad. The CV is facts; the letter is the argument. They should not repeat each other.
- Not a biography. You do not need your whole working life, only what documents that you fit — plus what explains any gaps.
- Not a pile of adjectives. "Dynamic team player with a passion for people" says nothing a reader can check. "Served 80 customers per shift in a shop with 12 staff" says everything.
- Not a design project. A beautiful document that is hard to read by machine loses to a boring one that is parsed correctly.
CV and søknad: two documents, two jobs
A Norwegian application normally means two files. The CV is the overview; the søknad is one page written for that specific job. A strong CV with a generic letter still loses, and the reverse is also true. Start with the CV, because it is the evidence the letter refers to. Some forms — Webcruiter, Jobbnorge — ask for both as separate attachments on top of fields you have to fill in.
How long should a CV be?
One to two pages is the usual range in Norway. There is no rule saying two pages is too much, or that one is enough — it depends on experience, industry and what the ad asks for. What matters is not the page count but that your most relevant experience is easy to find in the first half page.
When in doubt, read the ad. If it asks for a short CV, take that literally. If it asks for a complete work history, do not cut documentation to fit one page.
Chronological, functional or Europass?
- Chronological is the standard. Every Norwegian recruiter reads it without explanation.
- Functional or skills-based (skills before experience) is rare in Norway and easily read as an attempt to hide something. With a good reason — a long break, a career change — it can be defended, but say why in the letter.
- Europass is the EU template. It is tidy and recognisable across Europe, but formal and wordy, and not what the Norwegian market expects. NAV's own CV service has been shut down, so there is no single official Norwegian template to lean on any more.
Does the CV have to be in Norwegian?
Follow the language of the ad. A Norwegian posting expects a Norwegian CV, even at B1 — but then it matters that the document is clean and your level is stated honestly. An English posting, or an international team, means English. CV in Norwegian or English covers the exceptions.
Frequently asked questions
What does CV stand for?
Curriculum vitae, Latin for "course of life". In practice it is a short overview of your education, work experience, skills and languages.
Is CV the same as curriculum vitae?
Yes. "Curriculum vitae" is the full form, "CV" the short one, and both refer to the same document.
What is the difference between a CV and a søknad?
The CV is the overview of what you have done. The søknad is a one-page letter explaining why you are applying and why you fit this particular job. They should not say the same thing.
Do I need a CV to apply for a job in Norway?
In practice, yes. Nearly every posting asks for one, and most recruitment systems have a dedicated field. The exception is a job you get through a contact — but even then you will be asked to send one.
Can I use a CV template from the internet?
Yes, and you should if you are starting from nothing. Use a simple one-column template with ordinary headings, and replace all the content with your own. Our free Word template needs no account.
How long does it take to write a CV?
A couple of hours the first time, then ten to twenty minutes each time you tailor it to a new job. The tailoring is what takes the time, not the writing.
Next step
Now that you know what the document is, the next question is how to fill it. How to write a CV, step by step walks through the order of work from ad to finished PDF. If you want to see finished examples first, three complete CVs are in Norwegian CV examples. The Norwegian format rules — length, layout, photo and tone — are collected in the Norwegian CV guide.