Every professional knows the importance of a nicely drafted resume or a Curriculum Vitae (CV). They are among an essential document which helps you while getting a job or while shifting it. Although a CV and a resume may sound interchangeable but they are not. They have some major points of differentiation and the dilemma of Curriculum Vitae vs Resume always flares up while you are looking for a job. It is very important to choose the right document depending upon the type of situations you are in.
Curriculum Vitae vs Resume – The Pointing Differences
Depending on where you live, where you are applying and for what you are applying, the document which needs to be submitted differs. So, let’s see a fair differentiation for Resume vs Curriculum Vitae and figure out which is the perfect one for your situation.
Length
When we consider a choice between CV vs Resume, the major difference is of the length. While a CV can be very long and extensive, a resume is often short and brief. A CV includes all kinds of information regarding your skills, expertise, educational background and much more. On the other hand, a resume is just a small document that talks in brief about your skills and qualifications for that particular job. Both of them include personal contact details along with some other necessary information. A CV will always be the same and all the changes will be included in a cover letter. A resume can be customized for each job you apply.
Purpose
While you think about Resume vs CV and decide upon which to send, you must give a lot of importance to the purpose of the occasion. Different jobs have different requirements which you must cater to. Most of the times, the HR manager or Recruitment personnel will let you know about which one is preferred but you need to do your own research as well. The resume making is a skill in which you need to stick to the purpose and send it to the employer wherever it’s demanded. The same stands true for a CV.
Layout
Both of these professional documents have a separate layout and it must be known precisely to be able to draft them while seeking a job. For a CV, you need to maintain a chronological order and list all the qualifications and achievements in that order. In a resume, you can simply shuffle the order of the content to suit the needs of the job. Don’t confuse them with each other and create a layout as they are meant to be made. Maintain the structure and make them look clean no matter how much or how less the information is.
Usage
Finally, in comparison for Curriculum Vitae vs Resume, you need to know about their particular usage. Each country has their own system in place to accept jobs on the basis of either CV or a resume and in some cases, both. In countries like UK, Ireland, New Zealand and major countries of Europe, CVs are used, whereas, in other countries like Australia, India and South Africa, both can be used interchangeably with each other. Most of the employers accept both.
The Last Words
So, you need to be really careful before sending your resume or curriculum vitae to the company who is recruiting you. You must choose among them depending on different situations. A resume must be specific while a CV should be designed in a descriptive manner.