Can I Replace CV With Resume

It is common for people in job hunting to use CV and resume as the same thing. Many individuals are confused because English is spoken differently around the world and because work traditions are not always the same. But even though these documents are similar, showing your skills to future employers, they are not precisely the same. Deciding whether CV or resume is more suitable isnt cut and dry. The amount varies with the country, the industry, your level of responsibility and how your employer expects you to work. This discussion covers the main differences between them, when its okay to use them the same way and when not and how to choose between them for a job application.

Becoming Aware of How a CV and a Resume Are Different

A Curriculum Vitae (CV) outlines everything about a persons employment history. You should list items such as a persons education, work history, studies or papers, any prizes, certifications, memberships in organizations and occasionally their personal details. People who want to work in the academic, education, research or medical field usually use their CV. Depending on the applicants resume, it can span from a few pages to many pages. However, a resume is a brief outline of what you can do, your achievements and job history that is adjusted for a specific job. It tends to be no longer than two pages. You include only the most relevant things in your resume, based on the position you are applying for.

People in the private sector find it useful, and it is particularly widespread in the United States and Canada. Although the needs of families stay constant, the terminology and requirements can be very different from place to place. Corporate job applications in the United States and Canada often use the word resume. Resume Services Canada only needed when you look for work in academic, research or medical fields. Employers want the resume to be short and targeted for every job application. In those parts of the worldEurope, the Middle East, Africa and Asiaa CV is often understood to mean the same as an American resume. CVs for these areas are usually either a single page or two pages and are used for almost all work applications, no matter the industry. In the UK, for example, the standard term for a career application is still CV, but it should be short and act similarly to a resume.

There Are Times When Only a Resume Is Needed

Always use a resume instead of a CV when sending your application to corporate roles in the US or Canada. When the job advertisement says to submit a resume, that is what you should send. If this happens, including too much information on your CV could cause recruiters to ignore you, as they often dont have time to read everything. If applying for a place where your skills and achievements matter most for example, a marketing manager, graphic designer or software developer you should use a resume. It helps you bring attention to your strengths that are relevant for the job.

Times When You Should Not Replace Your CV with a Resume

It is important to know when not to use a resume in place of a CV. In academic, research and medical areas, you are generally expected to have a detailed CV. They are interested in full details about your studies, research, writing work, grant-giving and receiving, experience teaching and your memberships in professional groups. A short resume is likely not going to be enough.

Tailoring Your Application: The Smart Way

Seeing education as something that must be replaced is not as useful as understanding it as something that can be adapted. Making your application materials fit the job and location is the optimal approach. Read the details of the job very carefully. If they require a CV, make sure to deliver it. If you find you need to provide a resume, submit an adapted short one. If the job notice doesnt indicate this, study the average practices in that country and industry. Usually, employers review applications for international or online jobs by accepting either template, and the more detailed version is usually noticed first. It helps to keep both files regularly. Its a good idea to have a master CV that details your whole background. With this, youre able to adapt and build a resume specific for each unoccupied position. It allows pages to remain the same, yet still be tailored to users.

Conclusion

In which context you are applying plays a major role in deciding between a resume and a CV. Though both are meant to help jobseekers, the formats, length and purposes are not the same. For most job applications in the US and Canada, applicants will use resumes. When you apply for positions abroad or in universities, a CV could be expected. Pay attention to what the employer wants and the work environment.

Knowing when to use each document is more useful than just interchanging them without thinking. If you present your strengths and qualifications flexibly, you increase your opportunity of being called for an interview. The most important thing isnt which document you chooseits how well you show your value to a prospective employer.