Difference between CV and Resume

There is a difference between a Curriculum Vitae (CV) and a Resume. Many people mix the two concepts and struggle to differentiate between both. Many city planning firms ask for a CV, but if they want to know more information about you and your background or work experience, then they will ask for a Resume. In many cases, they might ask for both in a city planning job. A CV is a brief list of your work experiences and your qualifications that can help the employer to understand your background. A CV is a brief account of your education, qualifications, and previous occupations, that is generally sent with a job application. A Resume is more detailed and lists all your personal achievements and professional achievements. For instance, you wouldn’t put your detailed assignments in a CV but you can do it on a Resume. Sometimes the information in a CV is included in a Resume as well so you have to be careful about how you go about writing both.

Shortlisting Resume

The following are a few tips to understand the difference between a CV and a Resume

  • A Resume is more detailed than a CV: If you want to make a good first impression, then you will need to work on your CV because most firms will ask for your CV as a first step to recruit you. If you fit their requirements, then they will take the matter further and maybe ask for a Resume. You can list your hobbies, awards and detailed results in your Resume whereas in a CV these would not be required.
  • A CV is shorter than a Resume: Your CV would normally be around 2 to 3 pages whereas a Resume will be around 5 pages. For academic jobs, it is better to send your Resume than a CV because they will want to know more about the types of conferences or general interests you have that would suit you as a staff member. But in any form, it’s better to keep it concise and brief as you cannot list all of your hobbies in a Resume. It is good to use bullet points to explain what you have achieved and what your interests are.
  • Look online for what is required in a CV and Resume: There are many online articles about what is needed in a CV and a Resume. Some articles explain in detail and even give samples of CVs so that people know how to write it. Carrer websites, in particular, are more interested in giving you more tips about CV and Resume. It would be good to look at these websites to gain a better understanding of the difference between the two.
  • Tailor your Resume or CV for the job: Many people send the same CV to many jobs but this is not a good idea because the employers will look at whether your experiences are suitable for the job. Highlight the main skills that are needed for the specific job rather than generalizing it for all jobs. This means you will need to take more time to think about what you need to include in your CV. As CVs are more widely used than a Resume, it is good to draft many CVs that fit city planning descriptions, for instance, if you have GIS skills and AutoCAD skills, then it is better to list them if you are applying for a technical or design based planning job.
  • The above are a few tips to reduce the difference between CV and Resume. Like I said, a Resume is not as widely used as a CV. It is only when the employer wants more information about your background or interests that they will ask you for a Resume. Most of the jobs are applied online these days and so you wouldn’t need to give a physical copy. Some jobs might ask for both a CV and a Resume. Another difference is that you might not need to give details of referees on your CV, but you will need to do that in your Resume, as universities and other jobs will contact your previous employers to understand if you are capable for the job.

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