Ever wondered why a Brit applies with a CV and an American with a resume? And why does an Aussie apply with both? There are a few differences between the two types of application documents and this article will straighten out your queries as well as tell you where in the world you are likely to use which document. Let me kick off the bonanza by introducing the contender in the blue corner…
CV:
A CV (Curriculum Vitæ, which means ‘course of life’ in Latin) is an in-depth document that can be laid out over two or more pages, and it contains a high level of detail about your achievements, a great deal more than just a career biography. The CV covers your education as well as any other accomplishments like publications, awards, honors, etc.
The document tends to be organized chronologically and should make it easy to get an overview of an individual’s full working career. A CV is static and doesn’t change for different positions; the difference would be in the cover letter.
RELATED: What Recruiters Really Want to See on Your CV
Resume:
A resume, or résumé, is a concise document typically not longer than one page as the intended reader will not dwell on your document for very long. The goal of a resume is to make an individual stand out from the competition.
The job seeker should adapt the resume to every position they apply for. It is in the applicant’s interest to change the resume from one job application to another and to tailor it to the needs of the specific post. A resume doesn’t have to be ordered chronologically, doesn’t have to cover your whole career, and is a highly customizable document.
RELATED: 7 Resume Mistakes You Probably Didn’t Realize
Differences:
As stated, three major differences between CVs and resumes are the length, purpose, and layout. A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages, whereas a CV is more detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages. The resume will be tailored to each position, whereas the CV will stay put, and any changes will be in the cover letter.
A CV lists the individual’s entire career in clear chronological order, whereas a resume’s information can be shuffled around to best suit the applicant. The main difference between a resume and a CV is that a CV is intended to be a full record of your career history, while a resume is a brief, targeted list of skills and achievements.
Let’s revise:
CV – long, covers your entire career, static
Resume – short, no particular format rule, highly customizable
Usage around the world:
In the US and Canada, a resume is the preferred application document. Americans and Canadians would only use a CV when applying for a job abroad or if searching for an academic or research-oriented position.
In the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand, a CV is used in all contexts and resumes aren’t used at all. The CV prevails in mainland Europe and there is even a European Union CV format available for download.
In Germany, the CV is more commonly known as a Lebenslauf (true to the Latin origins) and is only one of many application documents poor German job seekers must produce to get an interview.
The terms resume and CV are used interchangeably in Australia, India, and South Africa. The term resume is used more for jobs in the private sector and CV is more commonplace when applying for public service positions.
Question:
So what happens if you apply for an American company in Europe or vice versa? The jaded folks in HR will accept both types, although I recommend you use the local version. It’s not that hard to convert your document after all, and if you hit a brick wall, just ask me for help.
Which do you prefer, the CV, the resume, both, none? Please share your experience in the comments below!
