The difference between CV and resume isn’t limited to one and many. CV and resume are often interchangeably used for each other, but it is necessary to know that these are two different terms.
What is CV? How is it different from a resume? These are some questions that may have bugged you for a long time. Well, it isn’t. When applying for a job, many people present their CV and many, their resume. So, exactly where does the difference lie? You may as well download the different CV templates available across the internet. These would eventually help you figure out the difference.
What is the difference between CV and resume?
The main difference between CV and resume lies in its length. While a resume is a one or two-page document, the CV is longer in size.
A resume contains all details about your professional growth, experience, and background. But, curriculum vitae focuses on containing details about your entire career. The purpose of CV and resume varies too. While a CV focuses on boosting academic gains, the resume focuses on enhancing job searches.
A CV or curriculum vitae contains all information but in chronological order. The resume, however, can have shuffled information that would suit the applicant’s requirements. Hence, the main difference between CV and resume lies in the fact that it contains every piece of information about career history. The resume, however, has a brief and targeted list of skills as well as achievements.
What is a CV?
A CV, or popularly known as curriculum vitae, is a comprehensive document that contains every detail about your career and how you grow. Sometimes, a CV can be longer than ten pages as well. The curriculum vitae has attributes such as awards, achievements, publications, professional career, and education. In many places, professionals prefer CVs for educational purposes such as research fellowship, academic jobs, and grants.
There are several CV templates over the internet so that you can get all the details. Some of the prominent things that you should include in your CV are
- Contact information
- Education
- Professional academic
- Book chapters
- Peer-reviewed publications
- Conferences
- Teaching experience
- Research experience
What is a resume?
A resume is further a short and concise document that is used mostly for job applications. The main aim is to offer the recruiters comprehensive information about the candidate’s work profile and what they’ve achieved in their professional background. Usually, a resume is one or two pages long.
The CV format and resume format varies depending on the place. Some of the main things to include in a resume include the following.
- Contact information
- Resume summary
- Work experience
- Education
- Skills
- Extra information such as resume, license, certificate, and more
Resume vs. CV: International Difference
In many places, such as Europe and New Zealand, the term CV is equivalent to resumes. It is used as a more comprehensive and concise document that helps to apply for professional jobs. However, it doesn’t contain any complete information, such as that of the resume.
For British English, CV and resumes come into use interchangeably. Both the terms thus refer to a document of one or two pages. However, in South Asia, people need to present their biodata, which is more personal or biographical. They need to continually provide information regarding gender, ethnicity, marital status, birth, race, and more. A biodata is very popular in Bangladesh and India.
In Germany, another term for a CV is Lebenslauf. As per the rules, all Germans need to produce this document for professional job seekers.
CV and Resume Writing Tips
Whenever you are writing a CV and resume, you need to be extremely careful. Both the documents should reflect what you’re talking about. It should immediately attract the attention of your hiring manager. No matter which one you’re writing, if you handle them properly, you can and follow all the steps, you will be able to do it thoroughly.
● Match them to the position you’re applying for
When you present your CV and resume to a particular job position, you need to ensure that the details match the position. Your CV and resume should highlight your academic position, achievements, and professional experience.
Moreover, experts recommend adding specific keywords as well. If you’re applying for a teaching position, you might want to highlight your academic achievements and experience. Similarly, when you apply for a regular job, you should mention details relating to that position. This will not only attract the attention of your employer but will also give them a brief on why they should hire you.
● Use a template
If you don’t know the proper difference between CV and resume, you might want to download the templates. Both CV and resume are used for different purposes, and they can suit your needs accordingly. If you have a CV template, you can formulate it accordingly.
There are several websites on the internet that provide you with a free CV and resume template. You can download them and get working on them. Moreover, if you create a profile on any of these platforms, you can edit the resume, insert details related to you and download it. Thanks to the internet, it has made things very easy.
● Proofread
You are using the CV or resume for professional purposes. Hence, you should make sure to leave no room for errors. Before you submit the final document to higher authorities, you must check it. The best way to do it is to proofread the documents thoroughly and then hand them over.
Takeaway
Even though the terms are used interchangeably, one needs to understand the difference between CV and resume. Although they both are used for educational purposes, how they come at use will also impact. It is essential to enter the details accurately.
It would be best if you took proper care while formulating your CV as well as a resume. You might take help from the internet though to find complete details. How you develop the document will hugely depend on the country you’re in.
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