Resume vs curriculum vitae (CV): what’s the difference?

Navigating the job application process can be tricky, especially when it comes to deciding between a CV and a resume. Both documents are designed to showcase your skills and qualifications, but they serve different purposes. 

Broadly speaking, a CV (or curriculum vitae) gives a much more detailed look at your entire career, including your academic achievements and work history. In contrast, a resume is a brief summary that highlights your most relevant skills and achievements based on the job for which you are applying.

But that’s just the start of learning how a CV and a resume are different. Before we can fully clear up the confusion we must answer the questions: 1) What do the words mean? and 2) What do the words mean where? 

What is a resume?

A resume is a short document with a job applicant’s contact info, profile, work history, education, and skills. Typically, a resume is only one page, although two-page resumes are also acceptable.

A resume is most often accompanied by a cover letter unless a target employer specifically notes they don’t want one. Every resume should be tailored around the specific job you are applying for, but each version should include the following:

• Header. Name, address, phone number, and email.
• Profile/Summary. Identifies a job objective and summarizes a candidate’s suitability for the job.
• Employment history. Relevant work experience and accomplishments in the field.
• Education. Brief list of educational credentials.
• Skills. The candidate’s job-related skills.

References, publications, certifications, and other relevant information are sometimes included. However, it’s important to keep information concise, so they are often omitted.

What is a curriculum vitae (CV)?

In many parts of the world, the terms ”resume” and “CV” are used interchangeably. In the U.S. and Canada, however, there are significant differences between the two. 

The documents serve roughly the same purpose: providing a brief summary of a candidate’s employment history, education, and skills. Here, however, the resume is meant to be much more concise (often a single page), but the CV is expected to go into much more detail (multiple pages). 

One field in North America that uses this form of CV is academia. For example, you would submit an academic CV if you’re a college professor seeking a job or fellowship, or if you’re a student applying to graduate school and or for scientific research positions.

An academic curriculum vitae (CV) provides a much more exhaustive list of achievements, including educational credentials, publications, and awards.

Here’s a list of some of the components a CV may contain:

• Contact information
• Objective, profile, or summary
• Detailed educational background
• Employment history
• Research and teaching experience
• Published works
• Honors and awards
• Grants
• Fellowships
• Memberships in academic or professional associations
• Conferences attended
• Languages spoken and other skills
• References

If you’re unfamiliar with what an academic CV looks like, there are two good examples included with this primer prepared by the University of Illinois Graduate College. 

CV vs. resume: what do I call it?

For the most part, you’ll probably refer to your application document as a resume. However, you should always follow an employer’s lead. If they refer to the document as a CV in the job description, you should use that term instead. 

If you are ever in doubt, you can always ask for more specific instructions. For example, you may want to inquire whether you should submit a traditional, one-page resume or the long-form curriculum vitae if you are applying for an academic position that doesn’t specify which application type is preferred.

Academic CV vs. resume: what are the differences?

These are the main differences between a resume / "ordinary" CV and an academic CV:

CV vs. resume: which is better?

The question “Which is better, CV or resume?” arises primarily from the confusion over the difference between the documents. If you’re applying for a job in the U.S. or Canada, you’ll submit a resume. 

Generally speaking, you’ll only submit a long-form CV if the field calls for it (academia or science) or if it’s specifically requested. Ultimately, however, take your cue from the hiring manager or the reviewing individual.

What is the difference between a CV and a resume throughout the world?

We can thank this same geographic divide for any confusion over the difference between a “resume” and a “CV.” Except for specialized academic CVs, what’s called a resume in the U.S. and Canada is the same thing that’s called a CV almost everywhere else. 

Some researchers have tried to spell out specific regional differences in the meaning of “resume” and “CV” in various English-speaking countries outside the Americas. It’s been suggested, for instance, that the understanding of the two terms is slightly different in New Zealand than in Australia, reportedly because Australia leans more toward South Africa’s definitions.

What does a good CV look like in 2024? 

Whether you need a resume-type CV or a long-form list of all your academic achievements, you want a professionally designed document that looks as good as it sounds. Appearances, fonts, font sizes, margins, visual balance, and appropriate use of white space all matter. 

You should be able to glance at your resume/CV at arm’s length without reading anything it says and get a good visual impression. This requires an attractive layout and smart use of typography. 

Some points to consider:

• Choose a modern font that is easy to read and looks good in bold, italic, or all caps. Avoid exotic fonts that call attention to themselves, and avoid mixing different fonts.
• Use a font size of 10 to 12 points, justified left. It can be tempting to reduce font size to make more text fit on the page, but it’s usually best to just trim the text. Georgia, Verdana, and Arial are examples of fonts with excellent readability.
• Establish a “type hierarchy” where similar headings and text are the same fonts and sizes, and use it consistently. Adopt a consistent style, including any use of bold or italic text.
• Strive for visual balance on every page. Develop an eye-pleasing style and use it consistently. Your resume/CV should look good at a glance.
• Don’t forget about white space, including adequate margin size.
• Unless the employer requests otherwise, send your resume/CV as a PDF, which will preserve your formatting so that the document looks the same on any device.
• Your best bet is to use a professionally designed, field-tested resume template, like those we offer at Resume.io. We’ve done all the formatting for you—fonts, font sizes, margins, white space, an attractively designed header, and a visually balanced page. All you have to do is add your information, and your resume is done.

Key takeaways

• Curriculum vitae (CV) and resume both refer to documents that summarize qualifications, skills, employment background, and education.
• "Resume" is the most familiar term in Canada and the United States. In the UK and most English-speaking countries outside the Americas, the word “CV” is usually used.
• A long-form "academic" CV is a document that usually has no length restriction and provides exhaustive detail on scholastic achievements as required for academic positions, fellowships, and research positions.
• For the majority of job seekers, the long-form CV is neither necessary nor desirable. Short resumes/CVs are most often preferred by employers.