Difference between a CV and resume

Difference between a CV and resume

Although sometimes we use the terms CV and Resume interchangeably, but in reality there is a difference between a CV and and a Resume. The reason it is important to know the difference is simply because if a particular job advertisement has asked the applicants to submit a CV and they instead submit a resume, this could leave a very bad impression. And they may not even take a second look at your CV/Resume.

CV

Curriculum vitae is a Latin expression which can be loosely translated as course of (my) life. The traits of a CV are following:

• It can be several pages in length.
• It is more general, more broad and not job specific.
• Job Experiences
• Skills Relevant to the job
• Education
• Awards/Honors
• It contains information such as professional associations/affiliations, social work, co-curricular activities, training attended, references, research papers/publications, etc.
• It can contain a wide range of experiences, even if they are not relevant to the job you are applying too.

Resume

The word résumé comes from the French word résumé meaning “summarized”.*

• Resume is 1-2 pages in length.
• Contains experience (relevant to the job).
• Education (relevant to the job)
• Awards/Achievements (relevant to the job).

Common traits of a CV and Resume

• Job Experiences
• Skills
• Education
• Awards/Honors
So, next time you see a job opening, carefully try to see whether you need to submit a CV or a Resume. If they are asking for a resume, try to update your resume specific to that particular job before applying. This will not only leave a good impression on the recruiters and help their job, but also maximize your chances of getting shortlisted for the interview.