CV versus resume? Propel your career in the right direction by knowing when to send a CV and resume, for the ultimate game-changer. This article breaks down the difference between a CV and a resume and how to use the correct strategy.
What is the difference between a CV and a resume? Let’s look at the top-four differences between a CV and a resume. Take a look at our resume templates and cv templates for a better visual representation.
CVs: A curriculum vitae is credential-based and submitted for jobs in academia, scientific research and medical fields. Its primary focus is to provide information specific to scholastic accomplishments.
Resumes: Commonly used to apply for most jobs. They are structured to showcase notable achievements and work experience.
CVs: A CV is typically used when applying for a job abroad or for an academic or research-oriented position within the U.S.
Resumes: Mainly used in the U.S. and Canada to apply for job openings.
CVs: A CV presents your entire career, education, awards and scholarships. It’s a complete background of your academic credentials, research and writings.
Resumes: On the other hand, a resume is a concise highlight of your most important work achievements and skills. It summarizes your primary qualifications so employers can understand your career background at a glance.
CVs: The most noticeable difference between a CV and a resume is length. A CV can run several pages.
Here’s a breakdown of the parts of a CV:
Optional sections for a CV:
Resumes: A resume is usually kept at one page. Although, it can get longer –– the general rule is that it should be one page for every 10 years of work experience you have. It highlights your most valuable achievements and career goals, creating a straightforward document to read.
A resume has five parts:
Contact information
A curriculum vitae or CV is a formal document commonly used by researchers and students when applying for academic jobs. It elaborates on the candidate’s educational background and critical achievements.
A CV is usually two or three pages long, as a complete outline of one’s career accomplishments. A CV provides an in-depth understanding of a person’s research and writing achievements and creates the opportunity to include original research, portfolios and publications.
Not sure how to write a CV? You can simply choose from our library of CV templates. Once you have selected your favorite style, follow the automated questions to personalize it. You can also check out how other professionals use a CV with our CV samples to show they are qualified.
Here’s an example of a CV:
A resume is a formal document used to seek employment, required primarily in the U.S. It provides recruiters with a solid overview of your qualifications, resume work experience, skills, education and top achievements.
It’s a more job-focused version of a CV. Your resume aims to convince employers that you are the ideal candidate.
A well-written resume markets your skills and accomplishments to show that you are a valuable asset to the employer. To stand out, use a format that aligns with your experience level. Formats are the way you choose to organize your credentials.
How you organize the parts of your resume will depend on your years of experience. There are three resume formats: chronological, functional and hybrid.
Each format has a specific strategy. For instance, the chronological resume shows a steady and consistent work history by placing your employment information in reverse-chronological order. This type of resume is ideal for candidates with experience of five years or more.
The functional resume shifts the focus from your experience to your skills. Since it doesn’t elaborate much on your work history, it’s great for entry-level job seekers and those with employment gaps.
A combination resume works best for applicants seeking a career change or with a great deal of experience and skills. This type of resume is also known as a combination resume because it combines the best strategies of a functional and chronological resume format. A hybrid presents both your experience and skills in equal measure.
When outlining your experience, use quantifiable metrics to demonstrate results. For industry-specific phrases and how to target your employer’s job description, we have a guide to writing a compelling experience section.
JobHero features a how to write a resume guide. To jumpstart your resume, use our CV Builder with unique resume templates to make your job application process hassle-free. Check this sample out:
Check this sample out:
Make an impressive curriculum vitae with our online tools and CV Builder. With over 25+ up-to-date CV templates for 2023, we have a variety of CV template styles. These templates are also the fastest and most convenient way to customize your CV based on the job you are applying for.
We also feature free downloadable templates that you can personalize. Follow our expert guidance, download and apply!
A traditional CV template that uses simple linear borders to indicate the start of a brand-new section.
This elegant CV template uses generous margins and whitespace to mark the start of a new section.
This modern curriculum vitae uses bold section headings and a simple border marker to indicate each CV entry.
This CV template leans into modern trends by including a photo section and simple borders between sections.
This modern template includes your stylized initials beside your contact info and a narrow column designated for section headings.
This contemporary CV template uses a bold border to highlight your contact information and narrow borders to mark new sections.
This conventional CV template uses two fonts, bolded text and simple section borders to make your qualifications easy to find.
This simple curriculum vitae template uses different font colors and ample white space to elevate your contact information and section headings.
