The Quiet CV Workbook

"I loved working on my Quiet CV, it was a meditative and empowering exercise.... Thank you Poetry Culture" - Kevin E.

"I was not expecting to cry while making a CV....Thank you so much this hope."

-Ducky on Bluesky

This is not a traditional CV.

In Latin, Curriculum Vitae translates as ‘the course of your life.’ But today’s CVs only encompass a small part of our own lives. It’s strange, isn’t it? We flatten our lives into bullet points, while simultaneously wondering if we are enough. Somewhere, a stranger, or maybe an AI, spends a few seconds judging us, making a quick decision, before moving on to someone else.

This isn’t a worksheet for someone else to spend a few seconds assessing your perceived worth. It’s for you to spend as much time as you need remembering your true value.

It’s here to ask a simple question: What do you value about your own life?

Hopefully, you’ll come out with a clearer idea of what you value, where your life is going, and a reminder that you are more than a few bullet points. This is not therapy, medical advice, or anything similar. It’s just an invitation for you to recognize the enormous value of your own life.

We strongly believe that anyone, regardless of their financial situation, should be able to try these exercises. That’s why it’s only $1 for personal use, with a recommended donation of $10. Feel free to share it with friends who might benefit. If there is an extenuating circumstance where you cannot even afford $1, please send us an email and we will work something out.

Donations help keep this resource affordable for those who otherwise could not afford to participate at a higher price point.

In the unlikely event you want to use this for a commercial purpose, though, a $39 per-user license fee is required. Please see the back page of the document for more details.

The Quiet CV is an invitation to reflect on what you care about, what truly matters to you, and adjust (or reflect) on your life accordingly.

So, no. This is not a traditional CV.

But maybe it is what a CV was supposed to be all along.

The Quiet CV is based on this Substack Article on Poetry Culture

The Quiet CV is a concept and workbook by Alexander Webb, PhD that helps people rediscover what they value in life—not what an employer values about them.

Alexander Webb, PhD has previously written for The New York Times, National Geographic, Wired, and founded Poetry Culture and The Studies Show.