Resume versus curriculum vitae (CV) - What is the difference?

Throughout the course of any job search you will be asked to provide either a resume or a curriculum vitae (CV). Many people assume that the terms resume and CV are interchangeable, but there are differences between the two and it pays to make sure that you are sending the right one for each job that you apply for. 

What is a resume?

A resume should briefly summarise your work and education experiences in a clear and easy to scan format. Your resume should include only your work experiences that are most relevant to the role you are applying for. You should also strive to tailor your resume to the position you are applying for, so be certain to exclude anything that is irrelevant

Because HR managers and recruiters often receive a lot of resumes for each job opening, a brief, easy to scan resume of less than two pages that highlights all of your best skills and attributes will help them to quickly determine a smaller group of candidates to select for the interview round.

The term curriculum vitae translates to “course of life” in Latin. This means that a CV can be significantly longer than a resume because you will need to include your entire work and education experience, accomplishments, and publications on a CV, even if they aren’t relevant to the job you are currently applying for. 

The most common way to order a CV is to make a list of everything you need to include, group all of your employment and academic experiences and accomplishments into categories, and ensure each category is clearly labelled and presented in chronological order. 

A resume is the most common document required for job seekers in the United States and Canada. You can assume that a resume will be the option in most situations, unless a CV is specified in the job listing.

A CV is usually required from job seekers in the academic, medical, or scientific fields. Publications, teaching experience, and education can all play an equally important role in improving your employment prospects, so the longer and more detailed CV format will be the best option.