This article about difference between a resume and a CV has caused a lot of confusions amongst fresh graduates around the world especially from the US, Canada, UK, and New Zealand.
READ ALSO: WHAT ARE THE INFORMATION TO INCLUDE IN A CURRICULUM VITAE
Important Documents for Job Application
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You see a job application offer and you read through the publication to know the requirement, only to see ‘’upload a resume’’ or ‘’ upload a CV’’ at this point you begin to wonder the difference between a resume and a CV.
Too many emphases has been made on writing a quality CV or resume with little or no emphasis on the major difference between a CV and a resume.
In this article you are going to know the difference between a CV and a resume and the content in a CV and a resume.
What is a résumé?
The French word ‘résumé’ means literally ‘to sum up’. It originates from an English Lord around the year 1500.
On his travels, he used his handwritten summary of abilities as a professional introduction whenever entering a new town.
Since then, there have been many résumé trends like including hobbies or technologies. The appearance constantly changed.
However, the intention has always been the same: giving a quick and relevant overview of the candidates’ qualities.
A résumé is a brief document that summarizes all work experience, education, accomplishments, skillset and volunteer work that are directly relevant to the desired job position.
What is a CV?
Curriculum Vitae means literally ‘the course of one’s life’.
The CV was invented by Leonardo da Vinci in 1492. He listed all his abilities in a large letter and send it to the Duke of Milan.
For a long time, the CV was used as a static document containing the complete biography of the person.
Every single job experience was listed in full detail in a reversed-chronological order (in contrast to a résumé where it is filtered on relevance).
However, as recruiters are now flooded by digital CVs, the CV is becoming more and more like a résumé.
In fact, writing your CV the old way can be FATAL nowadays.
The major difference between a CV and a resume
- Country use
- Contents
- Purpose
1.Country use:
For American English speaking countries, a resume is used for any job application. For UK English speaking countries, a CV is used for the same function. The difference here is the connotation and the acceptable name based on countries.
2. Contents:
In terms of the content on a CV and a resume, a resume is usually short, and not a detailed document, it is a one-page document that contains a brief summary of your information. Whereas a CV is usually a long document of usually more than two pages containing all your information in details without omitting any.
3. Purposes:
Here the resume is written in accordance with a specific job application; a resume is customizable and usually tailored to specific job details. Whereas a CV is a general document for any job type as it contains all your information in details.
Summary, of it all, is the need to generalize the similarities between a CV and a resume, many companies demand a resume from applicants.
