4 Biggest Differences Between a CV and a Resume

Depending on the job that you are applying for, you might see a request for a resume or a Curriculum Vitæ (CV). Curriculum Vitæ, which means the course of life in Latin has many differences from a resume.

Below are our top 4 differences between a CV and a resume:

1)    Length.

Resumes are typically not longer than a page to two pages depending on the length of your work experience. CV’s are longer documents that are usually 2 or more pages.

2)    Content.

The content of a resume and CV are very different. The CV contains lots of details about your work history, achievements, publications, awards and more. A CV should show a chronological order of the whole career of the person. Similar to a resume, your curriculum vitae should include your name, contact information, education, and experience. A resume is more of a brief outline of your career that can be tailored to the applicant’s strengths. A resume should be easy to read. According to business2community.com, 5 to 7 seconds on average is the amount of time you have to impact a recruiter or hiring manager with your resume.

3)    When to use.

CV’s are mainly used when applying in the fields of academia, scientific, research, and medicine. They may also be expected when applying internationally such as in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia. Resumes may be used mostly in the U.S. and when applying for any job position when required from an employer for the application process.

4)    Modifying for job positions.

Resumes should be tailored to each position. CV’s should not be specific to each position that you are applying for. Although, the cover letter when connected to the CV’s should be specific to the job and company you are currently applying for.