Many people use the terms résumé and CV interchangeably, not realizing that both documents are very different. While both are ideally used to apply for jobs, their contents and lengths differ a great deal.
Résumé (or resume) comes from the French word “résumé”, which means “summary”. It is typically a 1-2 page document summarizing a candidate’s skills and achievements along with relevant job experience and education, and is usually customized for each job application.
A curriculum vitae (or CV) means “(the) course of (my) life” in Latin and hence, tends to be longer than a résumé. An Australian CV can be around 3-5 pages long, while medical, scientific and Academic CVs around the world can be much longer, as they list items such as publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other similar details. Additionally, a CV tends to be static, where the details are not tailored for every application it is used for.
A résumé or CV is usually the first document a recruiter sees (if submitted without a cover letter). It is widely believed that time-pressed managers and recruiters spend an average of 15-20 seconds per résumé before deciding whether to reject it or accept it. Hence, it is imperative that the document is void of fluff, easily readable, cut into identifiable sections, and 100% accurate.
The need of a résumé/CV starts while applying to graduate programs in universities, and then progresses to job applications for fresh graduates, entry-level, mid-level, career change, senior-level and C-level or Executive-level positions. Depending on the seniority and experience of a candidate, the document should ideally concentrate more on accomplishments and achievements, and less on responsibilities. When multiple candidates with similar backgrounds and responsibilities apply for the same job, what sets them apart are their quantifiable achievements – what they accomplished from those responsibilities. Companies wish to see results and numbers, and are least interested in job descriptions of all previous roles of the candidates.
Many candidates believe using colors, tables, columns, objects, pictures and complex formatting makes their résumé “pop-out” or “sing”. Unfortunately, unless the CV is for an Arts degree or job, aesthetics are less important when compared to readability. What many do not realize is that fancy formatting faces multiple hurdles:
1. It distracts the reader from the actual contents of the document. This is disastrous, especially if the reader can spend only a few seconds to skim through the content.
2. Companies today are increasingly using HR software to scan and shortlist résumés. Except for the really expensive software being used by large multinational organizations, most of this software cannot read pictures or objects. The software is usually programmed to find specific sections in defined areas of the document, and when it cannot do so, it tends to send the document to the discard pile.
3. To save costs, a lot of companies use black and white printers. When text in light colors such as yellow and cyan is printed in black and white or greyscale, it is not legible.
The aim of the résumé or CV is to get all the boxes ticked:
· Readability and legibility
· Length of the résumé/CV
· Lack of fluff and unnecessary information
· Relevant, factual and correct data
· Identifiable sections and sub-sections
· Clear, concise and chronological points
· Minimum white space
· Professional language with ZERO errors
And most importantly, it should address the responsibilities and expectations of the job being applied for.
A curriculum vitae (or CV) means “(the) course of (my) life” in Latin and hence, tends to be longer than a résumé. An Australian CV can be around 3-5 pages long, while medical, scientific and Academic CVs around the world can be much longer, as they list items such as publications, presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and other similar details. Additionally, a CV tends to be static, where the details are not tailored for every application it is used for.
A résumé or CV is usually the first document a recruiter sees (if submitted without a cover letter). It is widely believed that time-pressed managers and recruiters spend an average of 15-20 seconds per résumé before deciding whether to reject it or accept it. Hence, it is imperative that the document is void of fluff, easily readable, cut into identifiable sections, and 100% accurate.
The need of a résumé/CV starts while applying to graduate programs in universities, and then progresses to job applications for fresh graduates, entry-level, mid-level, career change, senior-level and C-level or Executive-level positions. Depending on the seniority and experience of a candidate, the document should ideally concentrate more on accomplishments and achievements, and less on responsibilities. When multiple candidates with similar backgrounds and responsibilities apply for the same job, what sets them apart are their quantifiable achievements – what they accomplished from those responsibilities. Companies wish to see results and numbers, and are least interested in job descriptions of all previous roles of the candidates.
Many candidates believe using colors, tables, columns, objects, pictures and complex formatting makes their résumé “pop-out” or “sing”. Unfortunately, unless the CV is for an Arts degree or job, aesthetics are less important when compared to readability. What many do not realize is that fancy formatting faces multiple hurdles:
1. It distracts the reader from the actual contents of the document. This is disastrous, especially if the reader can spend only a few seconds to skim through the content.
2. Companies today are increasingly using HR software to scan and shortlist résumés. Except for the really expensive software being used by large multinational organizations, most of this software cannot read pictures or objects. The software is usually programmed to find specific sections in defined areas of the document, and when it cannot do so, it tends to send the document to the discard pile.
3. To save costs, a lot of companies use black and white printers. When text in light colors such as yellow and cyan is printed in black and white or greyscale, it is not legible.
The aim of the résumé or CV is to get all the boxes ticked:
· Readability and legibility
· Length of the résumé/CV
· Lack of fluff and unnecessary information
· Relevant, factual and correct data
· Identifiable sections and sub-sections
· Clear, concise and chronological points
· Minimum white space
· Professional language with ZERO errors
And most importantly, it should address the responsibilities and expectations of the job being applied for.