résumé / life story
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résumé / CV
A document that summarizes a person's educational and professional background as well as their qualifications, and is usually used for job applications.
Bitte fügen Sie Ihrer Bewerbung einen tabellarischen Lebenslauf bei.
Please attach a tabular résumé to your application.
'Lebenslauf' is a compound word made up of 'das Leben' (life) and 'der Lauf' (course/run). It literally means 'the course of life' and describes the path a person takes in their life.
Der Film erzählt den beeindruckenden Lebenslauf einer berühmten Wissenschaftlerin.
The film tells the impressive life story of a famous scientist.
You can recognize the meaning from the context. If it is about a job application, the document is meant. Adjectives like 'tabellarisch' (tabular) or 'lückenlos' (complete, without gaps) point to this meaning. If it is about a biography or life story, adjectives like 'bewegt' (eventful) or 'ungewöhnlich' (unusual) are typical.
Für die Stelle müssen Sie einen lückenlosen Lebenslauf einreichen.
For the position, you must submit a complete résumé with no gaps.
In the context of job applications, 'Lebenslauf' is often used with verbs like 'schreiben' (to write), 'erstellen' (to create), 'aktualisieren' (to update), or 'einreichen' (to submit). A very common form is the 'tabellarische Lebenslauf' (tabular résumé/CV).
Ich muss meinen Lebenslauf für die neue Bewerbung noch aktualisieren.
I still need to update my résumé for the new application.
career
'Karriere' and 'Lebenslauf' can both show a person's professional path. However, 'Karriere' refers to the development itself, especially with achievements, positions, and changes. A 'Lebenslauf' is usually a document for job applications, in which education, work experience, and skills are listed in an organized way. Learners may confuse the words because a résumé / CV contains information about one's career. But you do not write your career as a document; you write your 'Lebenslauf'. When talking about professional success, 'Karriere' is more appropriate.
Für die Bewerbung aktualisiert Mehmet seinen Lebenslauf.
Mehmet updates his résumé for the job application.
Am Morgen plant sie ihre nächsten Schritte für die Karriere.
In the morning, she plans her next steps for her career.