Text: Resume or Curriculum Vitae (cv)

A resume (US) or curriculum vitae (GB) is a summary of your previous experience, education and qualifications. In Europe, when people say ‘CV’, they are commonly referring to what is known in the U.S. as a ‘resume.’ But is there any difference between a curriculum vitae (CV) and a resume?

The primary differences are the length, the content and the purpose. A resume is usually brief – no more than a page or two. A curriculum vitae may be longer (at least two pages) and more detailed including your academic background, research experience, publications, awards, honors, and other details. That is why a CV is used mainly when applying for academic, education or research positions and fellowships. However, very often, CV and resume are used interchangeably.

When writing a resume, try to determine your main ‘selling points’ and include enough information for the employer to feel that you are worth interviewing. Some important tips for your resume:

• Match your skills and experience to the needs of the organization.

• Stress what sets you apart from the crowd.

• Remember that the primary aim is to rouse the employer’s interest, not to provide a biography.

• Be brief and to the point. At best, the resume reader will spend a minute or so reviewing your qualifications.

Here is a list of the most common kinds of resume information.

Personal data Name and address, e-mail, phone number, date of birth

Job objective State exactly what you want. It may be useful to give not the position you would like (e.g. a sales manager), but the area and the general level of responsibility (e.g. a management position in marketing)

Summary of qualifications or Profile A personal profile at the beginning of your CV is your chance to attract the reader’s attention directly to your most important attributes for the job, for example, ‘an energetic and skilled communicator with a record of leadership and initiative’.

Work experience Give dates of your employment (in reverse chronological order), name of the enterprise you worked for, position title, description of the duties you performed, including all volunteer and part-time jobs for students. Use action verbs in your job description (e.g. organized employee training seminars, prepared budgets, supervised, administrated, analyzed, coordinated, etc.). If you are still employed in this position, write: ‘2005 to present’.

Education For students whose job experience is little or nonexistent, this section usually comes first. Begin with your most recent or your most advanced degree or diploma, give the date and the name of the institution that granted it. It’s not necessary to include secondary school, unless you have a particular reason. Make sure to list any additional courses, including specific company training programs or language courses.

Special skills and interests Include such categories as language fluency, specific computer skills, and hobbies if they demonstrate qualities relevant to the job. Most personal information is unnecessary. However, being single might be an advantage for a job requiring a lot of travelling.

References The names and addresses of two referees are often required. You don’t need to include references until the employer is really interested. So just write: ‘Supplied upon request’.