Did you ever think why a British person always goes with a CV to apply for a job? On the other hand, an American will always go with a resume. However, an Australian person may use anyone or both of these. The answers to all of these lie in the concept of a resume vs CV, which you will learn through this article.
In the discussion regarding a resume vs CV, the first thing you must know is that both are types of application documents. Moreover, you must know where in the world people use which one. In the next section, we will answer all your questions.
Resume vs CV: details about the CV
CV or a Curriculum Vitae is more like an in-depth account. This document may include two or more pages containing all the big and small details about a person. The word ‘Curriculum Vitae’ is in Latin that translates to ‘course of life.’ Besides, a CV is not merely a person’s career biography.
It will contain a lot regarding your personality, personal and professional achievements, qualification, and degrees. In a CV, you may include your goal in life, hobbies and interest, and personal details. Moreover, many people prefer adding their publications, honors, and awards to a curriculum vitae. Well, that is completely legit!
a CV format is usually chronological. The main goal here is to include an overview of a person’s overall career in a straightforward sequence. Besides, there is one primary feature of a CV, and it is to be static.
It means that a person’s CV will not change based on the position he is applying for. However, all the tricks will be in the cover letter that comes with the CV. You will find a good CV template on the internet whenever you want a reference. You will find that the cover letter may vary every time a person wants to apply for a different job profile.
Resume vs CV: details about the Resume
A resume, also spelled as a résumé, is a compact document that is usually not longer than a page or two. The primary understanding regarding a resume is that the person reading it should not feel bored. Also, a resume is easier, as a job seeker must be aware that an employer is a busy person. So, there is no way in which he will spend extra time on an individual. The primary goal of a resume is to portray uniqueness or stand out in a crowd.
A resume is tailor-made and ensures that a candidate must ensure that it adapts to a job post specifically. Besides, it may change along with the job profile or requirement that you are applying for.
The usual differences include the list of skills and interests according to a specific set of requirements. Moreover, there is no mandate that a resume should maintain a particular chronology or layout. Also, a resume does not necessarily have to give an overview of your entire career. Overall, it is highly customizable all the time.
Resume vs. CV: Summation
You must highlight three differential points in the discussion of a resume vs. cv. These are the length, layout, and purpose. All other attributes will revolve around these essential points only. While you already know which document is called a curriculum vitae or CV, it is now time for the Resume. The latter is a summary containing a person’s experiences and skills over a maximum of two pages.
Now, the length aspect is covered because you can clearly understand that a CV comes with more details than a resume. Moreover, when it comes to the purpose, a resume is tailor-made. It means that unline a CV that remains static. The same is not the case with a resume. It usually changes depending on which profile you are aiming to secure.
On the other hand, when you talk about the layout, the CV is usually in chronological order, and the Resume is not. The content in a resume can shuffle as and when required depending on a job profile. Besides, CV targets to include all essential details associated with your career, education, skills, and background. However, a resume includes selective points, including remarkable achievements and skills only.
Take a look around the world.
As mentioned in the beginning, a CV and Resume is used differently in various regions across the world. It means that job applicants will carry a CV in some of the places, and in others, people carry a resume. There are regions such as Australia, where you will find job seekers providing both. Overall, a resume is more common in places like Canada and the USA. Canadians and Americans prefer using a CV only if they are applying for a position abroad. Otherwise, they will use a CV only for research or academic-oriented projects.
On the other hand, a CV is standard in New Zealand, the UK, and Ireland. In fact, in these places, people do not use a resume at all. The CV prevails in the majority of the European continent. Moreover, there is a special CV format that belongs to the European Union only. You can find a similar CV template on the internet too. When you are in Germany, the native term for a CV is Lebenslauf, originally Latin. Here, the CV is only one of the several job application documents.
On the other side of the world, the words CV and Resume are interchangeable. We are referring to Australia, South Africa, and India in this case. In these places, the usual trend is that people use a resume to apply for a private job and a CV for public positions. However, that is not the case all the time and may depend on various aspects.
We hope that you found this article informative and useful and are now clear about the concept of Resume vs. cv.
