Know Your Job Requirements: What’s The Difference Between CV And Resume?

Compiling your requirements for a job application is a grueling process, especially if you’re a fresh graduate. Employees at Rakuboss look for pieces of evidence that will prove your credentials, so you need to lay down all your achievements and experiences in one, organized document. But which would it be? CV or resume?

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

Although you may have only encountered this when applying for work, some academic institutions also require CVs for educational purposes. A Curriculum Vitae or CV is a summary of your skills, achievements, and experience in a detailed document. CVs usally come in two or more pages as it tells the complete history of a person’s career or background. For this reason, CVs are generally longer than resumes.

For starters, a CV should include your personal information, contact information, educational background, skills, and experience. Going into detail, your basic information should be followed by your research or teaching experience (if any), as well as notable publications, volunteered works, associations, and related awards. If you’re applying for a job position in other countries, you should include the following on your CV: birthdate, place of birth, nationality or citizenship, marital status, and visa status.

There’s no page limit in writing a CV. And since it contains a lot of information about a person, CVs have a technical and organized format. All the related information are under one section or heading, and they all look uniform.

Resume

A resume is not the opposite of CV. They are two different variants but have lots of differences and similarities. A resume also contains all your basic information, educational background, and professional experience. But they all come in brief descriptions and explanations. A resume is the epitome of the word ‘summary’; it is straight to the point.

A one-page resume is enough to tell a story, especially for fresh graduates. If a second page is necessary, it must include relevant experiences and achievements related to the job he or she is applying for. If not required, detailed information about research, publications, or associations need not be included.

Applicants can put all their information in whatever format they like in a resume. They can also be creative; graphic designers and multimedia artists even place colors and designs on their resumes to make a good first impression.

Bottomline

Regardless of their functions, it will all boil down to the company’s preference. If they’re asking for your resume, be brief. If they’re asking for a CV, lay down all your experiences and achievements. You can ask the HR manager about the company’s preference. However, if you’re free to submit any document you want, choose the right choice based on your professional experience, career, and job description.