The Key Differences between Resume and CV

If you are planning to apply for a job outside academia, the first thing you need is a resume. A curriculum vitae or CV is generally more appropriate for an academic job search. A resume, in contrast to a CV, presents your experiences and skills in a short, concise and clear way which is accessible to the employers. If you have already prepared a CV, you’re done with the difficult part of compiling your work and educational qualifications. Let’s check out the key differences between a resume and CV and how you can consolidate the information you have to transform your CV into a resume.

Differences between Resume and CV

• Length - A CV can be several pages long. A resume should not ideally exceed one page and should be a maximum of two pages if you have extensive experience. CakeResume is a lovely way to introduce yourself with a single webpage.
• Emphasis - Instead of highlighting your research or coursework, a resume focuses on your work experience and particularly your transferable skills relevant to a specific job. To this end, it might be appropriate to include some project or research experience.
• Format - Resumes have a general structure and includes specific headings such as Education, Experience and Skills.

What to Include in Your Resume

• Education - Make a list of all your educational institutions and degrees. You can include your grades, majors and minors, honors and even a short list of relevant courses.
• Experience - Illustrate your work experience in a precise and short manner, ensuring that they are relevant to the post you are seeking. Emphasize the duties which demonstrates your strongest skills. Use active voice and action verbs. Highlight your achievements and accomplishments instead of putting up just a summary of your responsibilities. Depending on the type of job, you can also include “Project Experience” or “Research Experience”.
• Activities - A number of activities which you have completed during your academic years, such as teaching or working as the head of a student organization, can be presented as work experience in your resume. This section can be titled as community involvement or volunteer works.
• Skills - Think for a while about the skills you have developed over the years and which are transferable to the work place. These may include managerial skills, computer operations or even language proficiencies.

What Not to Include in Your Resume

• References - Your resume should not directly include the names and contact information of your references. They should be provided upon request.
• Publications - Publications section is not an integral part of your resume and should be avoided where possible. However, if the job position demands such experience, they may be included in a separate section by the name “Selected Publications”.
• Extensive Course Work - In this section, you should include only the courses which you deem to be the most important in your education and also the most relevant to the seeking job.

5 Steps for Transforming Your CV to a Resume

• Select a resume format from thousands of online resume templates and builders. To make this job easier for you, we have sorted these Top 15 Undiscovered & Recommended Resume Builders.
• Analyze and identify your strongest skills and the qualifications sought by potential employers and specific job postings.
• Make a list of your transferable skills and fields of expertise.
• Organize and arrange all your information to emphasize experience and skills which are perfectly aligned with the requirements of the job you’re seeking.
• Make use of action verbs for describing your skills and experiences to grab the attention of a prospective employer or client.

A resume is a summary of your skills and experiences. When you’re looking for a job, you need to present yourself in the best possible way to impress the employers and also to materialize your inherent qualifications on paper. With just a few tips and tricks, it is possible to produce the perfect resume to seize that once-in-a-lifetime shot at your dream job!