Difference Between CV and Resume

You enter the real world, when you actually begin your job hunt. You are finally ready to apply what you have learned and stand on your own feet.
One of the most essential documents that will be demanded by any employer or placement agency is a resume or sometimes a CV. If you are under the impression that a CV and a resume are the same thing, you have been certainly misinformed.



Creation of a resume or CV is an essential skill that you need to learn. It is the most important part of your job application. To do that, you must firstly be aware of what is a resume and what is a CV. That way, you will know what to include when a resume or CV is demanded from you.

How are CV and Resume Different?

So how exactly is a resume different from a CV? While both server the function of introducing a person, there are many differences. Let us see why these two words are not synonyms and stand for two different type of documents.

Purpose

While a resume is used when applying for a job in any sector, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) is mostly needed when applying for any position in a research and academic field, including a research position or a teaching position. Let us continue this curriculum vitae vs resume comparison further.

Content

The difference between CV and resume is obviously related to content. While both will have the basic personal details of an individual like name, age, sex, address and educational qualifications, the rest of the things specified may vary. A resume will contain educational qualifications and job experience details along with personal goals and information about your skill set.



A CV on the other hand, being written for an academic position will include information about research work, research papers if any, details of workshops and conferences attended or conducted, awards and medals if any, along with a synopsis of doctoral thesis even. All this could be a part of a CV.

Length

Considering that the number of details included in a CV or a resume vary, the length in both cases is different. While a resume may be restricted to one or two pages at the most, a CV can be more than 2 pages and can extend up to ten pages and beyond. Making a resume is easier, compared to a CV, which is a review of your work, presented in excruciating details.



The difference lies in the kind of personal details included in these documents. To sum it all up, while a resume is a short introduction or summary of your personal details, a Curriculum Vitae or CV is a much more lengthy and detailed account of your personal details and achievements. I suggest that you write a resume, as well as a CV and keep them ready for use. Don’t be casual about creating your CV or resume as it makes the first impression in the mind of a recruiter. Let them be thorough and to the point. Resume writing is a skill that you must master. That will ensure that the first impression is not the last one about you!