CV or Resume: Which one is the best or fits your qualifications?

Ever thought of which among the two well fits you? Some people have written to us emails asking the difference among the two documents and which one fits their profile.

When you are entering the real world (after college or university), you actually begin your job hunting experience with mixed emotions. You are finally ready to apply what you have learned and stand on your own feet. One of the most essential documents that will be demanded by any employer or placement agency is a resume or sometimes a CV. If you are under the impression that a CV and a resume are the same thing, you have been certainly misinformed. The aim of this article is to clarify the difference between CV and resume, for all those of you who think that they are one and the same thing.

Creation of a resume or CV is an essential skill that you need to learn. It is the most important part of your job application. To do that, you must firstly be aware of what a resume is and what a CV. Is. That way, you will know what to include when a resume or CV is demanded from you. In the following lines, you will find a CV vs. resume comparison which will point out all the similarities and differences between the two documents.

Some time back we carried out an article on a winning CV and soon we will react to the demand of a winning resume. Take a look at the following comparisons.

The difference between a CV and a resume?

So how exactly is a resume different from a CV?

While both serve the function of introducing a person, there are many differences. Let us see why these two words are not synonyms and stand for two different types of documents.

1.   Purpose: While a resume is used when applying for a job in any sector, a CV (Curriculum Vitae) is mostly needed when applying for any position in a research and academic field, including a research position or a teaching position. Let us continue these curriculum vitae vs. resume comparison further. 

2.   Content: The difference between CV and resume is obviously related to content. While both CV and resume will have the basic personal details of an individual like name, age, sex, address and educational qualifications, the rest of the things specified may vary. A resume will contain educational qualifications and job experience details along with personal goals and information about your skill set.

A CV on the other hand, being written for an academic position will include information about research work, research papers if any, details of workshops and conferences attended or conducted, awards and medals if any, along with a synopsis of doctoral thesis even. All this could be a part of a CV. Check out some tips on how to assess your CV or resume.

3.   Length: Considering that the number of details included in a CV or a resume varies, the length in both cases is different. While a resume may be restricted to one or two pages at the most, a CV can be more than 2 pages and can extend up to ten pages and beyond. Making a resume is easier, compared to a CV, which is a review of your work, presented in excruciating details. 

Hope that after reading this article, there is no doubt in your mind about what is the difference between CV and resume. As mentioned before, the difference lies in the kind of personal details included in these documents. To sum it all up, while a resume is a short introduction or summary of your personal details, a Curriculum Vitae or CV is a much more lengthy and detailed account of your personal details and achievements.

I suggest that you write a resume, as well as a CV and keep them ready for use. Don't be casual about creating your CV or resume as it makes the first impression in the mind of a recruiter. Let the CV or resume be thorough and to the point. Resume writing is a skill that you must master. That will ensure that the first impression is not the last one about you!

I know what you are thinking but believe me, if you are not sure of what you should have, don’t state it on the details. You may write a resume but on the heading state a CV, avoid such things.

We at HCC wish you all the best in your resume development.