The difference between a CV and a resume

Main difference between CV and resume

First of all, it's worth mentioning that these two documents are quite similar, for the simple reason that they have the same basis (your background and profile) and the same objective (to demonstrate that you're the ideal candidate for the job). However, CVs and resumes differ in one major respect: their length. While a curriculum vitae details your career path and can run to several pages, a resume is in fact a summary of your profile and should be as concise as possible, fitting onto one page. To be more precise, a resume is, as its name suggests, a non-exhaustive summary of your profile, including only the most important information.

The American CV: characteristics

With your CV, or curriculum vitae, you present a detailed overview of your professional career. It includes a wealth of information, which you write up along with examples of your achievements. It is generally used in the U.S. and Canada for academic and research positions.

• 1- The content of the American curriculum vitae is static: this means that you can't modify your profile and adapt it in many ways, as you would in a conventional job search. The framework used remains the same.
• 2- The American CV retraces your career: it's a comprehensive document that should provide a potential employer with information about your entire career.
• 3- American CVs are used for academic positions: they are specifically requested from candidates working in academic, scientific and research environments because of their completeness.

You can - and should - enrich your curriculum vitae with academic publications, conferences you've attended, or anything else that shows your involvement in the field in which you practice. It's a kind of portfolio of your achievements. As a result, you'll need to update it every time you've done something to add to the portfolio. This will ensure that your document is as complete as possible, so that your future employer is kept fully informed of where you are in your career and what you're up to. To complete this CV, you'll also need to mention any extra-professional activities or internships you've completed.

Sections to include in an American CV

• Personal Information: In this section, you will mention your name, surname, and contact details, including address, phone number, and email address. Ensure that all this information is spelled correctly and that phone numbers and email addresses contain no errors so that you can be easily reached.
• Work Experience: To respect cultural differences, you need to pay attention to this section. While in France we tend to list the activities, tasks, or missions carried out during an experience factually, things are different for Anglo-Saxons. Their discourse is more results-oriented, which is also reflected in the CV. To meet recruiters' expectations, you need to detail the missions by indicating your successes and achievements without holding back. This is a way to show what you can bring.
• Education: This section is important, so don't just list the name of a degree. First, you need to fully detail the acronyms of these diplomas, then mention the institution and the year the title was obtained. You can also detail the content of the courses you have taken and insert the projects you have worked on during your studies to give a clearer idea of the qualifications you have acquired during this period.
• Skills: Whether it's software or specific tools, this is where you mention the skills acquired to highlight them on your CV. Know that you don't need to have followed specific training to highlight your skills. If you have learned to use Excel by yourself or if your passion for graphic design has led you to master the Adobe suite, it is entirely legitimate to indicate it on the CV. What matters is that you are able to use them in the context of your future position.
• Languages: Indicate the languages you master. If you have certifications such as the TOEFL, for example, or other diplomas attesting to your practice of a language, do not hesitate to mention it, indicating the score received for more impact. Even if they are not required in the job offer, providing information about foreign languages ​​always represents an asset for an application. Furthermore, if you have stayed abroad and improved your level, it is also worth mentioning it at this point in your CV.
• Publications, Awards, Grants: This section provides indications of your achievements and the projects you have worked on. It is a particularly important category if you are targeting research positions or academic positions. Your successes and awards will give you the opportunity to stand out from other candidates, giving your application a certain advantage.
• References: You can choose to add one or two contacts or simply insert the following mention: References available upon request. It is not mandatory to indicate your references since if you are selected, they will be requested from you.

The Resume in Detail:

• The resume is a dynamic document: It needs to be tailored to each job application to make your candidacy more effective and impactful in grabbing recruiters' attention.
• The resume should be concise: Aim for one page ideally. Remember, it's a condensed summary to demonstrate you're qualified for the position and have the right profile. Focus on being precise and crafting short, impactful sentences (using bullet points) for better results.
• The resume is used for non-academic positions: It's a tool you can use for any job you're interested in, as long as you're not aiming for an academic career. These positions require a more detailed application, which isn't suitable for most job postings.

In summary, it's best if your resume fits on one page. Of course, if you have many years of experience, two pages may be acceptable. Unlike a curriculum vitae, which is a comprehensive document of your academic background, the resume needs to be tailored to the job you're applying for. In other words, it should demonstrate how your profile matches the job requirements. The information doesn't need to be presented chronologically, as the structure can vary for a resume, which can be functional to better adapt to the job posting and your background.

CV or resume, when should you choose one or the other?

Generally speaking, employers indicate their preference for one or other of these documents in the job advertisement. However, recruiters are more likely to expect a resume from you. It should be remembered that there are marked geographical distinctions in this respect. In Canada and the United States, for example, the curriculum vitae is generally reserved for research or scientific positions. Otherwise, recruiters prefer the resume. To avoid making any mistakes, find out in advance so you can send the right document.