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Curriculum Vitae vs Resume

Your Resume and CV are two important documents that represent your professional identity. However, many people make the mistake of submitting a Resume when a CV is expected, or vice versa. Below you may find the main differences between the two documents.

The Curriculum Vitae

  1. A Curriculum Vitae includes a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other details

  2. The Curriculum Vitae is ideally two pages in length, though it can sometimes go up to three to five pages.  (e.g. for senior level candidates, academic CVs etc.) The structure is very systematic and is generally drawn in a specific order.

  3. The Curriculum Vitae includes everything that you have done and can be classified as work - paid or unpaid. It may contain voluntary and honorary positions and work done in such positions.

The Resume

  1. A Resume is a precise and very brief document representing at-a-glance your key skills and main achievements. Resumes tend to focus on work experience and skills only.

  2. A Resume should not be longer than one page.

  3. A Resume would contain only what is strictly relevant to the job applied and nothing else, within one page.

  • In Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, employers may expect to receive curriculum vitae.

  • In the United States, a curriculum vita is used primarily when applying for academic, education, scientific or research positions. It is also applicable when applying for fellowships or grants.
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