CV vs Resume: What’s the Difference?

If you are looking for a job you have likely seen both CV and resume used to describe a document that lists your education, skills and work experience. This can cause confusion: Are a CV and a resume the thing?

The short answer is not always.

A resume is usually a focused summary of your professional experience and skills. A CV or Curriculum Vitae, is generally more detailed. Can contain a much wider record of your academic and professional background.

However the meaning of CV versus resume can change depending on the country, industry and type of job that you are applying for.

Let us look at the difference in terms.

What Is a Resume?

A resume shows an employer why you are a good candidate for a specific job.

It includes:

• Contact information
• summary
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills
• Certifications
• Relevant achievements

A resume is usually one or two pages long but the ideal length depends upon your experience and the position that you are applying for. The main purpose of a resume is to show your most relevant qualifications.

For example if you are applying for a graphic designer position you would focus a resume on your design experience, software skills, projects, education and relevant achievements. You would not normally include every job, course or achievement that you have ever completed.

What Is a CV?

CV stands for Curriculum Vitae, which means “course of life.”

A CV is generally a detailed record of your academic and professional background.

Depending on your career it can include:

• Contact information
• Education
• Work experience
• Academic achievements
• Research
• Publications
• Conferences
• Teaching experience
• Certifications
• Awards
• Professional memberships
• Projects
• Skills
• References

Unlike a resume a CV can be several pages long because a CV is designed to provide a more complete picture of your career.

CVs are particularly common, in academic, research, medical scientific

Include:

• Job title
• Company
• Employment dates
• responsibilities
• Important achievements

Whenever possible focus on results rather than simply listing duties.

4. Education

Include your degrees, diplomas and educational qualifications.

5. Skills

Include skills that’re relevant to the position.

For example:

• Project management
• Microsoft Excel
• AutoCAD
• Digital marketing
• Communication
• Data analysis

What Should a CV Include?

A CV can contain many of the sections as a resume but may provide much more detail.

Depending on your profession it may include:

• information
• Professional profile
• Education
• Employment history
• Research experience
• Publications
• Conferences
• Presentations
• Teaching experience
• Awards
• Grants
• Certifications
• Professional memberships
• Languages
• References

Not every CV needs every section. The content should match your career and the purpose of the application.

CV vs Resume: Are They Really Different?

Yes and no.

This is where the terminology becomes confusing.

In a sense a CV and resume can represent two different types of documents.

A resume is generally a targeted document.

A CV is generally a comprehensive record of someones academic and professional career.

In everyday job applications, the words CV and resume are often used interchangeably.

For example a company may say:

“Please send your CV.”

They may simply want a one or two page document containing your experience, education and skills.

Therefore the job description and local hiring practices matter more than the label

CV vs Resume: Which Is Better?

• Neither one is automatically better.
• The right document depends on your situation.
• If you are applying for a corporate position a focused resume is often the better choice.
• If you are applying for an research position a detailed CV may be more appropriate.
• The goal is not to create the document possible.
• The goal is to make your qualifications clear, relevant and easy to understand.
• How to Make a Professional CV or Resume
• Whether you are creating a CV or resume good formatting can make a difference.

Keep these tips in mind:

• Keep the design simple
• Avoid colors, graphics and decorative elements unless they are appropriate for your industry.
• Use clear headings
• Make sections such as Work Experience, Education and Skills easy to find.
• Keep formatting

Use consistent:

• Fonts
• Font sizes
• Spacing
• Heading styles
• Bullet points
• Date formats

• Focus on relevant information
• You don’t need to include every detail of your life.
• Prioritize information that supports your application.
• Proofread
• Spelling and grammar mistakes can make an otherwise strong application look unprofessional.
• Save a PDF copy
• PDF is often a format for sharing a finished CV or resume because it helps preserve the documents layout across devices.
• Create Your CV or Resume Online

Once you know whether you need a CV or resume the next step is creating a professional document.

You can use WorkPad354 to write and format documents directly in your browser without installing a desktop word processor. You can add headings, format text create tables and prepare your document for export.

Create your CV. Resume with WorkPad354.

CV vs Resume: Quick Summary

The difference can be summarized like this:

Resume:

A short focused summary of your qualifications designed for a specific job.

CV:

A comprehensive record of your academic and professional background often used for academic, research, medical or scientific careers.

Remember that the terminology varies between countries. In places CV and resume are simply two names for a job application document.

Before submitting your application check the employers requirements and tailor your document accordingly.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is a CV the same as a resume?

Not always. A resume is generally shorter and more targeted while a CV can provide a detailed record of your academic and professional career. However the terms are often used interchangeably depending on the country.

Is a CV longer than a resume?

Usually yes. An academic or professional CV can be pages long while a resume is commonly one or two pages.

Can I use my CV as a resume?

You can use the information from your CV to create a resume but you should normally remove details and focus on experience relevant to the specific job.

Which is better: CV or resume?

Neither is universally better. Choose the format requested by the employer and appropriate for your industry and location.

Should I send my CV or resume as a PDF?

PDF is often a choice because it helps preserve formatting when the document is opened on different devices. However follow the employers requested file format if they specify one.

Can I create an online?

Yes. You can. Format a CV using an free online document editor such as WorkPad354 with any installation then prepare the finished document, for sharing or export.