CV vs Resume: The Key to Unlock Your Dream Job

What is a CV?

A CV (an Abbreviation for the Latin word curriculum vitae, or” course of life”) is a complete and accurate document that highlights your academic and professional achievements. A curriculum vitae (CV) is a written summary of your professional history, educational background, skills or abilities, and significant achievements. It’s typically used when applying for a job or any other position that demands an organized summary of your professional background. 

A CV and resume are synonymous in most parts of the world, including Europe, Asia, Australia, and even sections of Canada.

A European resume often has one to two pages on it. Nevertheless, until you have a lot of experience, in which case a two-page CV is acceptable, we advise you to stick to a one-page CV.

In other words, if you’re applying for a job in the United Kingdom, they ask for your CV. They are essentially asking for your resume.

What to include on the CV?

These sections are typically necessary for every CV:

1. Contact information
2. Education detail 
3. Work experiences
4. Career history 
5. Skills and expertise 

In addition, if there is space remaining, you may optionally add:

• Projects 
• Awards 
• Hobbies
• Languages 
• Certificates 
• Internships 
• Memberships
• Nonacademic activities 

Academic CVs follow specific structures and can include over 15 different sections, in this order:

• Contact information 
• Personal profile 
• Education
• Professional appointments 
• Publications
• Grants and fellowships 
• Awards and honors
• Conference and talks 
• Teaching experience 
• Research experience
• Other activities
• Languages  
• Skills 
• Hobbies/ interests 
• References 

When should I use a CV?

A CV is perfect for specialized jobs requiring specific expertise because it includes some pages detailing your professional achievements and experience. When you’re applying for research or education-based jobs, you should consider including a CV with your application since companies in these fields would be interested in seeing your entire list of qualifications. Curriculum vitae highlight your qualifications and professional background. In your CV, you show that you are an outstanding candidate for this position. 

What is a resume?

A resume is a short, concise document used for job applications. A resume’s function is to give potential employers an outline of a candidate’s previous job. A strong resume should be one or two pages long and tailored to a particular position. In other words, when creating a resume, you should highlight your most relevant experience and leave out any information you don’t think potential employers would find interesting.

Only highlight areas of your work history and abilities in your resume that are specifically related to the position you’re applying for.

When applying for two jobs, you should make two separate resumes for them according to the job’s specifications.

A strong resume highlights your most outstanding significant achievements and illustrators; these achievements show how your different skills can be helpful for this job position.

What to include on a resume?

Here is a list of sections that should be on your resume:

• Contact information 
• Work experience 
• Skills 
• Education 
• Resume summary or resume objectives 
• Additional resume details (certifications, awards, courses, languages, internships, hobbies and interests, volunteering)

When should I use a resume?

When you’re applying for jobs that are not scholarly or research-focused, use a resume. In the US, most government, corporate, and nonprofit companies will require a resume with your application for a position.

Employers can quickly assess if an applicant meets the minimum requirement for the position by looking at a resume’s one-page format. Resumes are checked for relevant information to decide which applicants are passed over and who is given more attention (such as being invited for an interview).

Difference between CV vs Resume:

Let's look at a comprehensive list of the differences between CV and resume so that you understand them.

Experiences:

Applying for jobs when you have experience in the government or commercial sectors—often referred to as "industry positions" as opposed to academic ones—requires the use of resumes. In contrast, CVs are typically utilized when applying for research or teaching employment, grants, fellowships, and scholar roles or programs, and you have experience in these fields. If you work as a professor or researcher at a scholar institution, have recently graduated from, or are applying to master's or doctorate programs, you may have a curriculum vitae. 

Length:

Resumes are usually brief, extending more than one or two pages. On the other hand, a CV can be as long as needed; if you have many years of experience, it can be several pages long there’s no page limit. 

Focus:

Whereas CVs focus on documents, research experience, and education, Resumes highlight employment history, professional accomplishments, and your most remarkable talents. Although both are customized for the particular job for which you’re looking, where CVs are for academic purposes, and resumes are needed for general purposes. 

References:

Generally speaking, references are not required to be listed on a resume unless the company asks for them. Therefore, it is recommended that academics provide professional recommendations on their curriculum vitae.

Personal information:

Personal details including age, gender, ethnicity, and marital status, are not appropriate to include on a resume in the United States and United Kingdom. Employers in other countries might expect this, so you should do your research before submitting your resume. Again, regardless of where you are, none of this extra information should make it your academic CV.

International difference between Resume vs CV: 

The distinctions in meaning between a resume and a CV are specific to the US only. The terms "resume" and "CV" are synonymous in certain nations, or they don't exist at all:

Australia and New Zealand: 

Both CVs and resumes are utilized in Australia and New Zealand when applying for jobs. While CVs are two to three pages long and list every professional experience you have had, resumes are typically one page long and summarize the critical points of your career.

A brief focused application that you use to apply for jobs. There is no such document as a resume. A New Zealand or European CV differs little from an American resume, but only slightly. 

Canada:

Canadian businesses use the word “resume” in the same way as Americans, likely because of Canada’s status as the US’s neighbor. Similarly, a CV is used to apply for academic posts.

UK and Europe:

A resume and a CV are equivalent when applying for jobs outside of the United States, as discussed previously. 

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a one—or two-page document used to apply for jobs in most European countries, including the UK. Although the word "resume" is not widely used, most hiring managers in Europe are nonetheless familiar with it.

In Europe, resumes for academic roles are also referred to as CVs. Nonetheless, since the term clarifies the purpose, you may still hear them referred to as academic resumes.

Key Takaways: 

• The definition of a CV and resume is different from country to country; in most countries, they are the same, but in America and Canada, they are distinct.
• A CV is an academic document that is in great detail and includes education, experience, certifications, publications, etc.
• CVs are often longer, from two to more than twenty pages based on experience.
• A resume is typically one page and job application-specific.
• CV is primarily applied to academic positions, such as Ph.D. or professorships.
• Resume is applicable in most fields and is shorter.
• Always review the requirements of the industry and country to understand what should be included in your CV or resume.

Recommended Reading:

Combination Resume Format Examples & Tips

100+ Resume Action Words that Get Result