Granddaughter finds late grandpa's WW-II resume — what he listed under hobbies had her crying with laughter

Your CV or resume is way more than just a formal document. It is your story that reveals your experience, skills, professional journey, and, of course, ambition. How? Well, through your achievements, job roles, and even the words you choose. Similarly, after losing her grandfather, 34-year-old Kyra Shishko from Boston—who goes by u/kjs51 on Reddit—stumbled upon his resume from the 1940s. Just one look at it completely transformed her outlook on her grandfather Ellsworth Rosen's life.

Rosen, a war veteran, passed away at the age of 100 in 2024. After his demise, his granddaughter, Shishko, discovered his CV while scrolling through his belongings. The priceless document was from 1946, written shortly after Rosen had returned home from World War II. According to his resume, he was well-educated with multiple degrees. Moreover, Rosen was well-versed in French, had a fair knowledge of German, and could even read Spanish. However, the highlight of his CV had to be his sense of humor, which was evident in the "Personal" section where he lists "women" among his hobbies.

"My entire family feels this was entirely on brand for him, haha. He was devoted to my grandma for 71 years (she called him her 'live-in boyfriend' until the very end), but he never failed to express his love for women," Shishko revealed in a comment while speaking about his admiration for women.

Meanwhile, reacting to the post, u/6-foot-under commented, "It's interesting how informal it is compared to modern CVs. And how he didn't feel that he needed things to be 'CV mention worthy' to add them." u/femoral_contusion wrote, "Honestly, I’m just jealous of what constituted a resume in the ’40s. An eighth grader would fail with this, and it probably got him a stable job." u/thedeathofastar, moved by Rosen, shared, "What an incredible piece of history. I'm sure it doesn't need to be said, though; if only it were that simple to market your competence today."

u/mrsrn65 revealed, "If someone tried to get a job with that resume, it wouldn't get any traction today. It's a microscopic view of how expectations and challenges have changed over the decades. Thank you for sharing this peek into the past!" On the other hand, u/sweaty-vegetable-999 shared, "What a fascinating glimpse into the past. A resume that reads like a life well-lived, with a dash of charm that modern applications lack. The simplicity of it is refreshing and reminds us that sometimes, the best qualifications aren't just what you can type out on a computer." Similarly, u/goldenheart411 wrote, "I find it fascinating, the kind of things that seemed relevant on a resume at that time that we wouldn't think of putting on a resume today. Sometimes, it's the opposite, where employers don't want to know those things so they can avoid discrimination, such as a description of looks."

Shishko and all her cousins were extremely close to their grandparents, especially Rosen, whom they called "Papa." Since their parents were busy working professionals, their grandparents played a significant role in raising them. "He was an excellent orator, and we heard so many of the same stories SO many times, but it never got old. I have heard some pretty incredible, horrible, and sometimes hilarious stories about his time in World War II," Shishko shared with Newsweek.