CV vs. Resume

Main Difference

The main difference between CV and Resume is that the CV is an official document that is used for academic purposes, whereas the Resume is an official document used to apply for various jobs.

Difference Between CV and Resume

Comparison Chart

CV vs. Resume

A CV is a detailed look at a person’s life accomplishments. A resume is a summary of a person’s most relevant achievements. A CV is for academic purposes such as a person applying for having graduated from a Masters’s program or working as a professor/researcher at an institution. A resume is used to apply for various jobs.

A CV grows over a lifetime with the new achievements, and people keep on adding information in it. A resume does not exceed the limit of one or a maximum of two pages, no matter how long the duration of a career is. But the CV is instead a static document having no change. Although one may add new information to it, this will not change based on the post for which you are applying. A resume, however, can be designed to highlight specific skills or experiences of a person related to the position he is asking for.

The CV is a detailed and explained document about achievements, education, and experiences. The resume is always brief and concise. The length of a CV covers almost 8 to 9 pages. An ideal resume has a length of one page, or an average length of the resume is two pages. A CV consists of complete information about educational background, achievements, projects, research papers, publications, recognition & awards, etc. The resume contains essential skills.

What is a CV?

A CV is a detailed look at a person’s life accomplishments. It grows over a lifetime with the new achievements, and people keep on adding information in it. The term CV stands for Curriculum Vitae that is a Latin word. A CV is for academic purposes such as a person applying for having graduated from a Masters’s program or working as a professor/researcher at an institution.

The CV is a document describing the career journey of a person step-by-step. It is a comprehensive description of the things a person has done, such as the achievements, the publications, etc. CV is a stable record having no change. Although one may add new information to it, this will not change based on the post for which you are applying. There is no specified length of the CV. Its width increases with the amount of experience. It can run several pages covering almost 8 to 9 pages.

A CV consists of complete information about educational background, achievements, projects, research papers, publications, recognition & awards, etc. The CV needs to be updated with the new academic or professional accomplishments, e.g., getting a new job, publishing something new, obtaining an original certificate, etc. CVs are globally standard when a person is applying for academic roles.

Things CV includes contact and about professional/Academic appointments, professional profile, research Objective, education details, awards/honors, teaching experience, graduate fieldwork, non-academic activities, skills, references, etc.

What is a Resume?

A resume is a summary of a person’s most relevant achievements. It is used to apply for various jobs. The word resume is a French word. Its meaning is ‘summary.’ A resume sums up the applicant’s career history and achievements. Resumes are well known to apply for business and non-profit roles in the US and Canada. A resume is always brief and concise. In a resume, only the aspects are mentioned that are relevant to the job one is applying for.

A Resume follows three formats. In a chronological format, in this format, the details are listed in the sequence of how they happened. In a functional format, the job required skills are highlighted at the top. A combinational format: in this, the skills with the highest proficiency are added. A resume must be kept as short as possible. An ideal resume covers only one page. A resume is designed to highlight specific skills or experiences of a person related to the position he is applying for.

A good resume highlights specific contributions, and different skills to apply for a position. The resume often has a cover letter that describes the purpose of applying for the job. The candidates often change the format of the resume a bit to match the specific requirements of their role. For example, they restructure it to shift the emphasis on professional or academic achievements. Resumes include the things which are educational career, personal statement, working experience, soft skills, technical knowledge, knowledge of foreign languages, etc.

Conclusion

CV and Resume are the official documents that are different from each other but sometimes used interchangeably. The detailed study of both documents reveals that they are different based on their format, detail, length, context, material, and purpose.