Is a resume the same as a Curriculum Vitae or CV?
Short answer is no—they're not the same. Each is used for applying to different types of jobs. Also, in various countries formatting and best practices differ.
What is the difference between a CV and a Resume?
A Curriculum Vitae is longer and more details than a resume. In Europe
and parts of Asia, the terms resume and CV refer to the same document. Granted,
the resumes or CVs they use look a tad different from what is standard in the U.S. Even in the US though, CVs are used in academia and the sciences, so in those fields they are a popular alternative to the standard resume.
CVs are multiple pages long and used to detail your entire academic and work history. Whereas, a resume is a shorter form document and used for specific job targeting. The two forms are quite unique.
In this comprehensive guide to CV vs Resume, discover more details on what a CV is and how it differs from a resume. Also, get step by step instructions on how to make a CV (Curriculum Vitae) and customize it to your field, specialty, and country.
What's better between a CV versus Resume? The answer lies in your goals. Your field of expertise. Also, where you're applying. Dig into this guide to learn more.
Definition of Terms: CV vs Resume
What is a resume? In the U.S., resumes refer to a one or two
page file applicants tailor for every job application. A good resume convinces
a recruiter to interview you.
What is a CV? Curriculum Vitae or CV means ‘course of life’ in Latin. Good resumes
are succinct, but CVs can span five or more pages, giving a detailed account of
the applicant’s work history, academic achievements, honours, publications, and
more.
Dr. Dani Babb of
The Babb Group Inc., a company writing CVs for academics says,
“The CVs we get the best
response to are rich in details. Some interviewers ask our clients, ‘Tell me
about yourself, because I know everything I need to know about your work after
reading your CV.’ That’s when we did our job well.”
CVs are often called living documents because they’re
updated as you publish more papers, work in more jobs, attend more conferences,
and master more skills. Unlike resumes, a CV isn’t customized per job
application. Instead, a separate cover letter details the most relevant work or
achievements.
Europass CV
is the recommended resume format of the European Union to help everyone
communicate their professional value in a transparent and consistent manner
across the continent. I’ll go into more details about this CV format in the
comparison below.
Detailed Comparison: CV vs Resume
Points
What
is a CV?
What
is a Resume?
Goal
To give a detailed account of your professional work history, in and
out of school.
Paints a brief and catchy snapshot of your career that helps you stand out among other
candidates.
Updates
Not tailored per
job application
Updated when you
publish a new paper, attend or host a conference, work in a new job, earn a
certificate, and more.
Applicants customize their work history, skills, and certifications, with
keywords from the target job ad.
If you move to a different industry, some of your jobs and skills may
be omitted to give room for what’s relevant.
Resume writers also suggest omitting job titles held ten or so years
ago, especially if they’re no longer relevant to your career goals. It also
prevents ageism.
Formatting or Layout
Formal and logical format without unnecessary
graphics and color. Check out this collection of professional looking templates.
Chronological work history includes at least
the month and year
Customized for industries that value
creativity.
You can use unique resume templates to showcase your style and stand out against applicants with
plain resumes.
Emphasizes notable achievements instead of the
most recent ones.
Note: Complete dates aren’t required in functional
resumes.
Basic Parts
Inclusions vary per industry, but in general these are the components
you can expect, in no chronological order:
Name and contact information
Education (often listed before work history)
Professional history, sometimes listed on a per project or research
basis. For those in academia, this is often labeled as “Academic/Teaching Experience.”
Specialized or technical skills
Awards and honors
Presentations
Publications
Grants and funding
Research interests
Conferences attended or facilitated
Licensure and certification
Professional organizations and affiliations
Consulting
References
Optional Sections:
Pro bono work
Foreign languages spoken
Media mentions
Fresh graduates don’t use all these subheadings on their CV.
Note: Scroll down to find out what’s
included in some of these sections.
Writing a resume is easier compared to writing a CV because it has
fewer sections:
Name and contact information
Summary statement
Work history, sometimes includes volunteer work
Skills
Education, including seminars attended and licenses, if any
Optional sections:
Portfolio
Hobbies or personal
interests
References or testimonials
Level of Detail
Comprehensive, includes everything about your work, education, and
parts of your personal life.
Concise. Think of it as a teaser, meant to give the recruiter a
preview of your skills, so they’ll be curious to interview you.
Note: You’ll have a chance to discuss the rest of your professional merits
during the interview.
Length
A CV for a fresh graduate with an MBA but little to no work
experience usually has five or six pages.
A professional with a PhD, published papers, and a decent tenure in
the workforce can have a CV spanning 10 or more pages.
One page is ideal, but two pages max.
Personal Information Listed
European and Asian CVs sometimes have personal information listed,
such as:
Marital status
Age (common in
Asian and European CVs)
Nationality (common
in European CVs)
Date of birth
(common in Asian and European CVs)
Gender
Religion (often
found in Philippine CVs)
Hobbies
Number of children
In South Africa, applicants are required to list their ID number on
the CV to clarify their affirmative action status.
Nationality is often part of European CVs but it’s optional. Some
experts say it’s used to confirm the applicant is from a country that is part of the
E.U., which means they’re eligible to work in certain countries.
The Equality Act 2010 and similar legislation protect job applicants in UK
from discrimination, so nationality and race aren’t required in their resume.
Instead, many online application forms have a check box to confirm your
eligibility to work there.
In many resumes, only the phone, email, and LinkedIn account of the applicant are listed.
U.S. employers don’t have a legal right to know your marital status and religion. They will only ask for your age if the local or federal government requires it for a specific job.
Foreign Languages
While not required for all CVs, foreign language is part of the
Europass document package, specifically the ‘language passport.’
It’s a self-assessed section of the Europass document detailing the native and second or third
languages you speak, including your level of proficiency in each. Here’s a link to the self-assessment guide.
Included in the skills section of a resume.
If you took a certification, like Berlitz, you can list it as part of
your education.
Photo
Some CVs in Europe include a picture, but it’s not in the E.U.
administration’s Europass CV format.
For instance, in France and Germany, recruiters
expect a professional looking headshot. The same is expected in many Asian countries, such as Japan and the
Philippines.
Pictures aren’t attached in UK resumes.
Doesn’t include a picture, unless you’re applying for a modeling or
acting job. In that case, your resume will be attached or printed on the back
of an 8” x 10” close up picture.
Printing Dimensions
European CVs are printed on A4 paper measuring 8.27 x 11.69 inches.
American CVs, however, are printed on ‘letter
paper’.
US resumes are printed in an 8.5 x 11 inch ‘letter paper.’ A4 paper is recommended for resumes in Singapore.
References and Testimonials
References are required from previous professors or managers. It’s
usually at the end of the CV, unless the job ad dictates you send a CV and a
list of references, in which case you need to include a separate file.
References include:
Full name
Job title
Company,
university, or association name
Work address
Work phone number
Email address
References are not listed. But some resumes have a testimonial.
Vital Information to Include in Key Sections of Your CV
I included this section to give you a better understanding
of how to translate your professional merits under the different subheadings of
a CV.
1. Research
This can be included as a standalone heading, or under your
work history.
What to Include:
Summary of the research and its goals
Names of lead researchers and collaborators
Methodology used
Results, or where it’s going if it’s still in progress
Soft skills developed in the research: team management,
problem solving, communication
Publications and citations – Where are your research
findings published or mentioned?
Different Phrases That Convey Your Research Skills:
Conceptualized the problem
Lead a team of three in planning and researching the project
Ability to test hypothesis against different theories and
methodologies
Selected the correct approach in identifying the key
objectives of the research
Gathered and interpreted data
Description of Current or Ongoing Research Must Address the Following:
Goals and successes or milestones of the ongoing research
Techniques and methodologies tested
Technical skills used in the research
The
snippet above shows research experience, including the applicant’s position,
institution that sponsored or funded the research, a brief summary, and list of
related achievements.
2. Teaching
It includes
both paid and gratis (unpaid) positions, and an important section for academic,
research, and scientific fields. If you didn’t spend much time in the
classroom, just incorporate it as part of your professional history.
What to Include:
The level of students you taught
or supervised: undergraduate, post-graduate and their batch year.
Teaching materials or curriculum
created, even if you only collaborated or assisted someone.
Experience in organizing field
work, including the subject, the field work’s goal, and a brief description of
the activity
Lab supervision experience,
including technical skills mastered, equipment used, and level of students
supervised
Experience in guiding students in
their theses or dissertation
Classroom teaching or assisting
experience, including the subject taught
Grading and evaluation techniques
you’re familiar with
Lectures delivered
Experience in tutoring students
Different Phrases That Convey Your Teaching Skills:
Supervised students completing
their theses (or dissertation) on (subject)
Member of the team that developed
the curriculum for (subject)
Coordinated dissemination of new (title) policy across the university
Supervised faculty and teaching
assistants for college of (subject or course)
Represented (University or
Institution’s name) at (seminar or conference name)
3. Administration
An important part of the skills section of your CV is to showcase your organizational and management skills, which are
sorely needed in academic and research jobs.
What to Include:
Participation in school boards and
committees, even as an undergraduate in a student association.
Experience in planning school
events and conferences
Running a lecture
Assessing student exams and related
paperwork
Experience as an exam proctor or
facilitator
Checking or fact-validation of
other people’s research
Contribution in writing research
proposals
Experience in leading a team of
researchers
Managing limited resources for a
research project
4. Publications and Presentations
Publications include journal
articles, published research, books or chapters, patents, and reports.
Presentations are events where you’re a speaker, guest lecturer, or
panelist.
What to Include:
Name of the journal or magazine you
are published in
Complete title
Complete list of authors
Publication date
Notes:
If you’re just one of the authors
for a published material, list all the names of the authors then highlight your
name in bold.
Pending publications may be
included as long as you declare it as such. The phrases ‘in press’ or ‘forthcoming’
are used instead of the publication date.
You can list publications in two
ways, according to date, or the type of publication—whether it’s a journal
article, book, or research paper.
Presentations for small groups may
be included, as long as it’s relevant to your field and the audience size is ample
enough to justify inclusion.
Write publications in reverse
chronological order.
5. Qualifications and Certifications
This includes any type of
certification, licensure, or professional qualification required or valued in
your industry.
Examples:
Medical state license
Project management certification,
such as Project Management Professional certification (PMP)
Test of English as a Foreign
Language (TOEFL)
Teaching license
6. Conferences and Courses Attended
List of conferences, seminars, and
professional development courses you attended.
What to Include:
Event name
Event date (year)
Note whether you helped organize
the event, or participated in any way
7. Funding
Includes scholarships, grants,
bursaries, fellowships, or any type of funds you were awarded for work,
conferences, and research projects.
What to Include:
Name of awarding institution
Amount
Date given
How the funds were used
Your role in securing said funding
Undergraduate prizes or funds won
8. Professional Affiliations
List all the memberships you hold for industry associations
and academic or school related groups.
What to Include:
Name of organization
Position in said organization, if any
How Do You Know When to Use Each Format?
The document you use is largely dictated by your
industry’s common practices.
It’s when you go abroad that things get a little tricky,
as some countries use ‘resume’ when
they’re actually referring to a CV.
In general, use a resume when you’re applying for most jobs
in the U.S. and Canada, except for academic, research, and clinical work. Those
in the creative profession may prefer using a portfolio to show tangible proof
of their work.
For more information, check out these Tuts+ guides for making professional resumes:
Resumes
How to Make a Resume
Laura Spencer
Resumes
How to Write a Professional Resume Summary Statement
Charley Mendoza
Resumes
How to Write a Functional or Skills-Based Resume (With Examples + Templates)
Charley Mendoza
What is a CV and When Should I Use One?
Specific Industries That Require the Use of a CV
Uses of CVs are not limited to these industries, but it’s
where this document is commonly expected in job applications.
What Is a Curriculum Vitae Used for in Academia?
CVs are popular among academics, specifically professors and
graduate students, as they are constantly learning and publishing new works.
“Publish or perish”
is a popular motto among many graduate students. An applicant’s number of
published—and well received—articles and books signal competency, and validate
their work in their respective fields.
Dr. Babb says there
are two more CV sections specific to academia:
1. Teaching Philosophy:
Babb says your teaching philosophy, “explains why you want to
teach and how you go about doing it.”
It describes your passion for teaching, preferred
methodology, and evidence of the value you provide as an educator.
Below is an excerpt of a
Teaching Philosophy from Dr. Babb:
Professional mentor and coach, I have successfully served
students in numerous capacities, including faculty mentor, dissertation and
comprehensive examination committee member. I have a solid background and
firm understanding of the process required to develop program objectives and
map course curriculum to achieve desired student outcomes, and have put this
into practice as a course developer and review committee member. My goal is to help
students see the applicability of course room objectives in their own lives and
careers and foster a classroom where critical thinking, professionalism and
sharing is the norm. My belief that every learner has a unique story and
professional goals that education can help them accomplish drives my desire
to engage with students and model professional practices.
The example above explains the candidate’s teaching style
and methodology, while providing a summary of the educator’s teaching
experience in different subjects and capacities.
2. Learning Management System (LMS) Experience:
Refers to a “platform
that online learners and educators use to conduct a class,” says Dr. Babb. It’s
what many schools use to facilitate distant learning and open learning courses.
Moodle, Edmodo, and Blackboard are examples of popular LMS.
What Is a CV Used for in Different Research Jobs?
Researchers work both in universities and different
industries through private or government funded projects. But their CVs will
emphasize their research skills and results instead of classroom experience.
“For
junior researchers with minimal experience, listing who you collaborated with
in your projects is extremely important. Big names in your field add to the
credibility and importance of your research work”, says Michella Chiu, Admissions Consultant and
Chief Language Advisor at PROFEDVICE.
Emphasizing Research
Skills, the Right Way
Realize that the HR manager or recruiter first assigned to
weed out CVs from research applicants may not know enough about the sciences—or
your specific field. They’re given a set of keywords to look for—skills, tools,
or courses—to gauge whether an applicant meets their primary requirements.
Listing the projects you worked on, details on the species
and theories you tested, and your results is just the start of a good CV. It
should also include the research methods, tools, techniques, and other industry
related skills you have.
Avoid writing about the minute research details, so you
don’t sacrifice space for the keywords recruiters and Applicant Tracking System
(ATS) look for. Learn more about the best format to use for ATS systems.
Compare the following lab experiences for a research job in
Microbiology.
Applicant A
Applicant B
The first CV focused on the specie the research applicant
used on a specific project, narrowing down her experience in the eyes of the
person reviewing the CV. The only other research skill mentioned is the use of ‘protoplast transformation methods,’
which may or may not be valuable for the recruiter.
And even though it mentioned a breakthrough, it wasn’t
elaborated. So instead of impressing the recruiter, the applicant didn’t
provide details where it counted.
The second example, while generic in stating “disease-causing bacteria,” clearly
described the applicant’s skills in microbiology research, such as bacterial
culturing and DNA isolation. This list gave the recruiter a better idea of the
candidate’s wide range of research and laboratory skills.
What is a Curriculum Vitae Used for in Medical Jobs?
For clinical researchers or non-practicing medical jobs,
your laboratory skills, peer-reviewed articles, and presentations matter more.
But the focus shifts on your licenses, clinical experience,
and certifications when you’re applying to be a physician. Hiring hospitals and
clinics want to know if you have applicable skills, outside the ivory tower.
For resident physicians, surgeons, general practitioners, and
other medical professionals, your publications and other research work are
better suited at the end of your CV, or as a separate file so it doesn’t get in
the way of your license information and clinical experience.
For work experience, list your internships, residency, and
other experience in clinical practice.
Include the Following:
Areas of specialty for all
positions held
Facility: Was it a stand-alone
clinic, ER, or hospital network?
The facility’s location
Start and end dates
If you’re still in residency, just include the date you
started and when you expect to complete it.
Then list certifications and university degrees in different
sections. Include your license number, the month and year you received it, and
its renewal date. Don’t forget to list qualifications for your subspecialties.
For example, an Ob-Gyn’s may be trained in both Obstetrics and Gynecology, and
Maternal/Fetal Medicine.
Undergraduate degrees can also be included, but only the
GPA, dates, and majors. Provide a summary of the course only if it’s related to
medicine.
After your licenses and education, it’s a good idea to summarize
your skills into two categories, such as medical and management, so recruiters
can easily see what you can do without slogging through a long CV.
Include professional affiliations, academic awards, teaching
experience, and publications only after you’ve enumerated your value in a
clinical setting.
Specific Situations
What Is a CV Used for in Fellowship Applications?
Professional organizations, like the Mildred S. Friedman Design Fellowship and KPCB Design and Engineering Fellows, and
graduate offices of different universities hold fellowship programs for
students and professionals in their industry. Because these programs sponsor
participants for a few months—to a year—just to focus on their professional
growth, the selection process is competitive.
Application requirements vary per fellowship program, but in
general applicants submit the following:
Letter of interest explaining
their reason for joining the fellowship, and why they think they deserve to be
accepted
Their curriculum vitae
At least two letters of
recommendations from former professors, industry professionals, or work
supervisors.
What is a CV Used for in Immigration?
Immigration lawyers sometimes ask clients to prepare a CV to
provide evidence of their professional history and working capacity. It’s not
required but it’s a good way to show an applicant possess the skills needed to
find a good job after emigration.
According to Chiu, who also works at an immigration law
firm, these are the groups that may be requested to provide a CV when
migrating:
EB-1 visa applicants: outstanding professors, researchers, and executives
EB-2 applicants: advanced degree holders
EB-3 applicants: skilled professionals
L-1 applicants: work visa for executives and non-managerial employees being
sent to the U.S. by their employer
CVs for immigration purposes have more personal information
because they need your date of birth, nationality, number of dependents, and
marital status to confirm your identity, and eligibility for a visa.
CV Use in Certain Countries: E.U. and Parts of Asia
Resume and CV refers to the same document in Europe, parts
of Africa, Australia, and many Asian countries, such as Japan, Singapore, and
Philippines.
In Europe, there are slight differences for CVs in different
countries to reflect the country’s customs and HR standards.
In Germany, CV’s list personal details and education first,
before work history. Hobbies and personal interests are also included.
Unless you’re fluent in German, having your CV translated
into a “Lebenslauf” or a German CV,
is a bad idea. The interviewer might assume you speak the language fluently,
and conduct your interview in German.
You can still make your resume feel local with a simple
compromise: use the Germantranslation for your CV’s subheadings.
“Personal data: Persönliche Angaben
Work experience:
Berufserfahrung
Education: Ausbildung
Skills’ and extracurricular activities: Qualifikationen
und Kenntnisse
Hobbies and personal interests: Private
Interessen”
In France, it’s common for people to write their surnamebefore their first name on formal documents like CVs. Some French nationals
have surnames that seem like first names. To avoid awkward situations, applicants
write their surname on all caps followed by their first name, for instance,
“MARTIN, Richard.”
The Europass
helps applicants do away with these tiny differences. This document is accepted
by employers operating in countries that belong to the E.U., and consists of
five parts:
Europass Curriculum Vitae (CV)
Language Passport
Europass Mobility – records time spent training, working, volunteering and studying
in other European countries, besides where you’re from.
Certificate Supplement – details
about a candidate’s vocational training certificates. You can get it from your
country’s National Inventories of Certificate Supplements.
Diploma Supplement – provides additional information about the skills you learned
from a specific degree. Your alma mater
issues the diploma supplement along with your transcript and diploma, so it’s
not a substitute for the latter.
It’s
easy to create a Europass CV and cover letter, just fill out the online
template here.
The mobility, certificate and diploma supplements are issued by authorized
schools and training centers, and is handled by National Europass Centres throughout Europe.
In
France, as in most of Europe, the educational system is different from the U.S.
and Canada so you’ll need to find the equivalent of your degrees and GPAs in their system. For instance a grade of A+ in the US
translates to ‘mention très honorable’. Use the
website Foreign Credits to translate your GPAs and other credentials.
What Is a Curriculum Vitae in Parts of Asia
In
Japan, a CV includes a professional looking photo, sometimes a passport photo.
The traditional 'Rirekisho'
or Japanese CV is handwritten in black ink with no corrections, as traditional
Japanese employers believe handwriting gives them an insight into a candidate’s
personality and work ethic. It also shows your dedication to the job
application process.
Tradition
dictates the form shouldn’t be folded; it should be placed inside an A4 or B5
envelope instead.
Applicants
in Japan are also expected to list an emergency contact person, and their reasons for leaving a previous
employer. Most applicants, however, just write “isshinjouu no tsugou ni yori Taisha,” which translates to “I left for personal reasons."
In
the Philippines,
applicants often include their graduation photo; along with a very detailed
personal data section that often include their parents name, weight, height,
and religion. Some applicants even include their tax identification number and
social security number. Not all applicants include all this information but
it’s still common among those applying for local and provincial employment.
Should You Have a CV?
If
you’re from any of the countries mentioned above, then yes. Same goes if you
work in any of the industries mentioned.
But
what if you work in IT, marketing, video editing, design, or finance? What if
your job doesn’t put much value in publications and research work?
The
HR experts I talked to still recommend having one, in case you chance upon a
great opportunity to work abroad, or decide to work elsewhere one day. It also
helps if you don’t think of it as a CV you’ll only use when a job application
requests one.
Think
of it as a ‘master resume’ that has
all your details—extensive work history, awards, media mentions,
extra-curricular activities, personal information, and more. Creating your own
CV will give you a running list of everything you’ve ever done as a student and
professional, so you don’t spend hours thinking of your accomplishments when
applying for a new job or promotion.
Now that you know what is the difference between a cv and a resume, you can make your's in the correct format needed.
For information on how to make a traditional resume, refer to our ultimate guide on the subject. Also, jump over to Envato Market to find great resume template designs to make a stand out resume design quickly.