Curriculum Vitae (CV) is Latin for "course of life.

" In contrast, resume is French for

"summary." Both CVs & Resumes:

 Are tailored for the specific job/company you are applying to

 Should represent you as the best qualified candidate
 Are used to get you an interview
 Do not usually include personal interests

If you are applying for both academic as well as industry (private or public sector)
positions, you will need to prepare both a resume and a CV.

Curriculum Vitae vs. Resume: Format and Content

The CV presents a full history of your academic credentials, so the length of the
document is variable. In contrast, a resume presents a concise picture of your skills
and qualifications for a specific position, so length tends to be shorter and dictated by
years of experience (generally 1-2 pages).

CVs are used by individuals seeking fellowships, grants, postdoctoral positions, and
teaching/research positions in postsecondary institutions or high-level research
positions in industry. Graduate school applications typically request a CV, but in
general are looking for a resume that includes any publications and descriptions of
research projects.

In many European countries, CV is used to describe all job application documents,

including a resume. In the United States and Canada, CV and resume are sometimes
used interchangeably. If you are not sure which kind of document to submit, it is best
to ask for clarification.

 Resume
 Emphasize skills
 Used when applying for a position in industry, non-profit, and public sector
 Is no longer than 2 pages, with an additional page for publications and/or
poster presentations if highly relevant to the job
 After 1 year of industry experience, lead with work experience and place
education section at the or near the end, depending upon qualifications
 CV
 Emphasizes academic accomplishments
 used when applying for positions in academia, fellowships and grants
 Length depends upon experience and includes a complete list of publications,
posters, and presentations
 Always begins with education and can include name of advisor and
dissertation title or summary (see examples). Also used for merit/tenure
review and sabbatical leave

a short written description of your education, qualifications,

previous jobs, and sometimes also your personal interests, ...
Curriculum Vitae
A document that showcases the academic and
professional accomplishment of a job applicant

What is a Curriculum Vitae?

A curriculum vitae, often abbreviated as CV, is a document
that job applicants use to showcase their academic and
professional accomplishments. It is used to apply for
positions within areas where a person’s specific knowledge
or expertise is required. A curriculum vitae is usually longer
than a resume and must include the information that the
recruiter needs to verify the skills, experience, and
educational qualifications of an applicant.

In many countries, a CV is usually the first document that a

prospective employer looks at when screening candidates
for job interviews, scholarship programs, grant applications,
or bursaries. When sending a curriculum vitae and other
application documents to the employer, some applicants
may choose to send physical copies of the document
through registered mail, or electronically through email,
depending on what the prospective employer indicated on
the job advertisement.

What to Include in Your CV

The information included in the CV may vary from one
applicant to another, since some applicants may choose to
include only the information that is relevant to the job they
are applying for. The following are the typical components of
a curriculum vitae:

1. Personal information

At the top of the curriculum vitae, write your full name and
contact information such as phone number, email address,
registered mail address, etc.

2. Education

Education information includes a list of the education

programs you pursued and the years and name of the
institution you attended. Ideally, you should include
information on college, graduate school, and post-graduate
schools you attended, the courses you pursued, and the
year when you graduated from the program.

Some employers may also require you to indicate the

grades/awards you obtained at various education levels.
Employers use the education information to determine if
your professional qualifications match the job requirements
of the position you are applying for.

3. Work experience

The work experience section requires you to list your recent

work experience that is relevant to the position you are
applying for. For each position you’ve previously held,
indicate the name of the employer (company), your specific
roles, and the duration of the employment.
Also, make sure to give a summary of the duties you
performed at each company and any
accomplishments/awards given by the employer. List the
relevant work experience starting from the most recent
positions you held.

4. Honors and awards

If you’ve been given any awards either at the academic level

or during your previous employment, list them here. The
awards may include dean awards, honorary degrees,
presidential awards, professional certifications or awards, or
awards given by an employer for excellence.

5. Skills

If you possess certain skills and you have not mentioned

them in the other sections in the curriculum vitae, list them
here. The skills may include language skills, computer skills,
driving skills, advanced software skills, etc. They should be
relevant to the job you are applying for.

6. Publications and presentations

If you’ve published academic or conference papers, you

should list them in this section. You should include papers
that you have solely written, those co-authored with other
people, as well as those you have contributed to. Remember
to indicate the name of the papers, year of publication, and
names of co-authors, if applicable.

Also, include papers that have been presented during

conferences and associations, and indicate the name of the
paper, the name of the conference, and the date when the
paper was presented. This section is included when applying
for an academic position.

7. Professional memberships

The prospective employer may require the applicants to be

members of specific professional bodies. This section mostly
applies to select positions such as accountants, engineers,
surveyors, IT professionals, etc. List all the professional
bodies and associations that you belong to and the status of
your membership.
How to Format a CV
The following are some of the rules that you should follow
when formatting your curriculum vitae:

1. Length

The CV should not be too long and not too short. The length
of the CV depends on the education and working experience
you have amassed over the years. For entry-level positions,
the CV length can be one to two pages, while the length can
go up to 10 pages for positions that require higher
qualifications and more experienced personnel.

2. Font size

When writing a curriculum vitae, use a font that is easy to

read and apply it to the whole document. The recommended
font styles include Arial, Calibri, Cambria and Times New
Roman. The font size should be between 10 to 12 points.
The headings should be boldened to distinguish them from
the other information and make the CV organized.

3. Proper grammar and spelling

Sending a CV that has spelling, tense, or grammar errors

would only serve to spoil your chances of getting shortlisted
for an interview. Before sending the CV to your prospective
employer, make sure to check it several times to correct any
errors. Alternatively, ask a friend to review the CV for any
errors.

Curriculum Vitae vs. Resume

While both CVs and resumes are used by people applying for
jobs, a CV is most often used by someone with published
works and research. A resume, on the other hand, is usually
only one page long, and the information included is not as
detailed. A resume still includes the individual’s work
history, educational background, skills, career objectives,
and other personal information.

Admittedly, even knowing the differences and similarities

between the two documents, deciding which one to use for
what still seems to be difficult. So here are some points to
remember:

1. Anyone who is from the US and Canada knows that most

employers and recruiters require a resume. After all, not
everyone wants to spend the time delving into a three-
page curriculum vitae when they can ask questions
during the interview itself. Anyone applying for a job in
the US and Canada is expected to submit a resume.
2. Most European countries, such as the UK and Ireland, use
the curriculum vitae extensively, taking the European
Union CV format as a template. New Zealand also prefers
to use it more than the resume.
3. Australia, South Africa, and India adhere to a different set
of “rules” on the use of the two documents, citing that
the curriculum vitae and the resume can be used
interchangeably. However, it is common to find in these
countries that the CV is used when applying for a job in
the private sector and the resume for jobs in public
service.