Lesson 144: Writing a CV
A Hebrew CV (קוֹרוֹת חַיִּים) has its own conventions and, above all, its own punchy verbs. Getting them right is the difference between a flat résumé and a compelling one.
What makes a strong CV
קוֹרוֹת חַיִּים טוֹבִים הֵם קְצָרִים וּבְהִירִים.
korot chayim tovim hem ktsarim u’vehirim.
A good CV is short and clear.
בָּרֹאשׁ כּוֹתְבִים פְּרָטִים אִישִׁיִּים, וְאָז הַשְׂכָּלָה וְנִסָּיוֹן.
barosh kotvim pratim ishiyim, ve’az haskala ve’nisayon.
At the top you put personal details, then education and experience.
חָשׁוּב לְהַדְגִּישׁ הֶשֵּׂגִים בְּפָעֳלֵי פְּעֻלָּה.
chashuv lehadgish hesegim befoalei pe’ula.
It’s important to stress achievements with action verbs.
״נִהַלְתִּי״, ״פִּתַּחְתִּי״, ״הוֹבַלְתִּי״ — חֲזָקִים מִ״הָיִיתִי אַחֲרַאי״.
"nihalti", "pitachti", "hovalti" — chazakim mi"hayiti achrai".
"I managed", "I developed", "I led" — stronger than "I was responsible for".
Register: lead with action verbs
A Hebrew CV is structured top-down: פְּרָטִים אִישִׁיִּים (pratim ishiyim, “personal details”), then הַשְׂכָּלָה (haskala, “education”), then נִסָּיוֹן תַּעֲסוּקָתִי (nisayon ta’asukati, “work experience”).
The secret to a strong one is the first-person past action verb — what you did, not what you were:
- נִהַלְתִּי nihalti — “I managed”
- פִּתַּחְתִּי pitachti — “I developed”
- הוֹבַלְתִּי hovalti — “I led”
These are far more persuasive than the flat הָיִיתִי אַחֲרַאי עַל… (hayiti achrai al…, “I was responsible for…”).
Tip: Close with הַמְלָצוֹת יִינָּתְנוּ לְפִי בַּקָּשָׁה (hamlatsot yinatnu lefi bakasha, “references available on request”) — the standard formal sign-off.
Vocabulary
CV sections
| קוֹרוֹת חַיִּים | korot chayim | CV, résumé |
| הַשְׂכָּלָה | haskala | education |
| נִסָּיוֹן | nisayon | experience |
| הֶשֵּׂג | heseg | achievement |
Action verbs
| נִהַלְתִּי | nihalti | I managed |
| פִּתַּחְתִּי | pitachti | I developed |
| הוֹבַלְתִּי | hovalti | I led |