So, you are scouring the internet looking for potential job opportunities and you are asked to submit your resume or CV on job boards. Maybe you’re thinking, do I need to submit a resume or a CV. If you’re going through this dilemma, you’re not alone. The main purpose of a resume or CV is to encourage a recruiter or employer to contact you regarding a possible job. But the million dollar question is – what’s the difference between resume and a CV? Why do you need both of these and when do you have to use either of those? Read on to learn more.

What is a Resume?

A resume is called a CV in English outside North America, and refers to a formal document that casts a wide net to attract the attention of many employers. Resume is a marketing tool to sell yourself to potential employers, showcasing your skills and professional background. A resume is a career document that lists your background and educational qualifications in a systemized manner. A resume should be no more than two pages long and mainly includes only the details about your work experience and skills that are most relevant to the job position you’re applying for.  Everyone needs a resume that tells the employer or recruiter that why you are an ideal fit for the job and what skills you bring to the organization.

What is a CV?

A CV, short for Curriculum Vitae, is a comprehensive career document that showcases a full history of your academic qualifications, experience, and skills. CV is a well-documented summary of your career, qualifications and education. This is a common term used in North American and British English. A CV is an exhaustive list of all your academic achievements. It basically has everything you have ever done in your professional life ever since high school. It is culmination of the full history of your professional career in a nutshell. Unlike a resume, CVs are used for academic purposes and do not have a set length limit.

Difference between Resume and CV

Document 

– A resume is a formal document that lists your background and educational qualifications in a systemized manner, particularly the details about your work experience and skills that are most relevant to the job position you’re applying for.  A CV, or curriculum vitae, is a comprehensive career document that showcases a full history of your academic qualifications, experience, and skills. A CV basically has everything you have ever done in your professional life ever since high school.

Purpose

 – A resume is mostly a competency-based document that serves as a marketing tool to showcase your notable skills, achievements, and work experience that are most relevant to the job position you’re applying for. The idea is to create a concise resume targeted at a specific job with the goal to provide the recruiters with a brief summary of your work history. A CV, on the other hand, is credential-based, providing an in-depth history of the whole course of your career, including certifications, education, experience, achievements, and professional affiliations. 

Length 

– A resume is pretty much targeted for each position that interests you. It is basically a small cloned version of the job description intended for each job you target. A resume lists your skills and qualifications in a relevant and concise manner for a targeted position, so length tends to be shorter, generally 1-2 pages long and no more than that. A CV is more comprehensive and you don’t personalize it in so many ways, so this document can get quite long depending on your academic achievements.

Resume vs. CV: Comparison Chart

Summary

In a nutshell, a CV can get quite long but then, it also depends on at what career level you’re in. For example, if you’re in high school, it can be a one-page document, which is totally fine. Your CV gets long as your start to progress in your career counting years. There is no standard format of a CV because unlike a resume, it provides an in-depth history of the whole course of your career. A resume, on the other hand, is pretty much competency-based marketing document that showcases your most relevant skills and work experience targeted for a specific job.

Do I need a CV and a resume?

If you’re targeting a specific position at some company or organization that requires specific set of skills and work experience, a resume is your best bet because it is tailored to each position. If you’re applying for a job in academia or a graduate program in the U.S., you should submit a CV.

Can I submit resume instead of CV?

Yes, you can send a resume instead of a CV. For international job positions, you can submit either of the documents, because they are essentially the same document with two different names.

Is a CV just a resume?

Yes. You can say that a CV is a resume, but much detailed and comprehensive. CV is an exhaustive list of all your academic achievements.

Can a resume be 2 pages?

A resume is pretty much targeted for each position that interests you, so it should be no more than 2 pages long. A resume is a formal document that tends to be shorter and dictated by your work experience.

Which is better for fresher CV or resume?

A resume is a 1-2 page formal document that presents a concise picture of your relevant skills, experience and background targeted for a specific job position. So, a resume would be the most appropriate option for a fresher.

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