Confused if your CV or resume should be detailed or concise? Well, every individual will give you information according to their knowledge or experiences, or some might even suggest it’s the same thing.
But did you know that CV and resume are two different documents and should not be mixed together?
Unfortunately, only a few percent of people might know the actual difference between two documents. The reason might be lack of professional studies or teaching of professionalism in our educational sector and lack of attention to minor details.
Main purpose of this article is to clear the confusion between a CV and resume. So, next time you apply somewhere, you should know if you need to drop your CV or resume in the given organization. Or, if you are an employer, you should clearly state what you are looking for.
CV:
CV is, basically, an abbreviation of Curriculum Vitae, which means “course of life” in Latin. It’s a detailed document – minimum of two pages, which includes all your academic and educational qualifications, including your publications, awards, affiliations and other relevant accomplishments. You should also state your work experience, interests and skills in concise manner.
Curriculum Vitae is sent to apply for any academic posts such as teaching or for internship posts; it is also used for fellowship, grant or scholarship applications.
Here’s a checklist for you, when writing your curriculum vitae:
• Professional licenses or certifications
• Listing of relevant course work to match career or academic objective
• Scientific or academic research, laboratory experience, grants received
• Description of Thesis or dissertation (if you have advanced degrees)
• Papers, books and other related publications you have written
• Academic or professional presentations delivered
• Travel / Exposure to cultural experiences
• Related extracurricular activities, professional and association memberships
• Additional information that may support objective or qualifications
• Letters of recommendation or a list of references
• Professional development you have undertaken
Resume:
A resume is a concise document, not more than two pages – about all your work experience, professional achievements and skills. One needs to alter resumes according to the job posts you are applying for because every organization has different selection criteria. So, you should design a resume according to their requirements to get an interview call.
The goal of a resume is to make an individual stand out from the competition. So, a job seeker should make changes in the resume as per employer’s requirements.
A typical resume includes the following information:
• Name and Contact Information: your residential address might be most appropriate, especially if you do not want your current employer to know that you are looking for another job!
• Education: a listing of your degrees or certifications and educational institutions or programs.
• Work Experience: names of the companies or organizations that you have worked for, the location of each company, the dates worked, your job title, and duties performed.
• Skills and Interests.
It is highly recommended to carefully see the criteria and job description given by the employer and take your time to decide if they wants to see your CV or resume, if not mentioned already. And if you are unsure, it is worth your time to contact the agency and ask which would be most appropriate for the position.
In Pakistani organizations, resumes are usually required which should contain all the relevant work details and experiences. But if you are applying for an internship, opt for curriculum vitae.