Skip to main content
All CollectionsHow to write a perfect resume?
What is the difference between CV and resume?
What is the difference between CV and resume?

Understanding the difference between a CV and resume can help you write a better resume. Or a CV. 😉

Tomas Ondrejka avatar
Written by Tomas Ondrejka
Updated over a year ago

If you only want a short answer, resumes are usually short, focused, and tailored to a specific job and employer. CVs include everything.

Resumes revolve around skills and competencies. These personal marketing documents showcase your skills, notable achievements and work experience in a concise and powerful way.

On the contrary, CVs are based on your credentials. Job seekers usually use them for positions in academia, scientific research and medical fields.

The curriculum vitae (CV)

  • An in-depth career document that provides extensive information about your academic and research background.

  • Chronological order that shows candidate’s full career path. Everything is as detailed and comprehensive as it can be.

  • Tends to run much longer than a resume. Anything between 1-10 pages is perfectly acceptable.

  • Unlike resumes, CVs are static. Tailoring them to different positions is not an option.

The resume

  • The most common career document that job seekers use.

  • A concise summary of your education, work history, credentials, achievements and skills. Should be tailored to a job description. 

  • Usually one or two pages long.

  • Includes visual aids - bulleted and numbered lists, bold fonts, different font sizes and multiple columns.

  • There are three options to choose from — chronological, functional or hybrid resume.

For more information on what to include in a CV or in a resume, you can check our article CV vs Resume - Is There Even a Difference?

Did this answer your question?