
Your Ultimate Guide to the Best Resume Formats
Want to choose the best resume format? First, you must understand the differences between the three main types. See examples of various resume formats and make an informed choice.
To land that dream job, you must submit the right recruitment documents. So, if the employer requires a CV rather than a resume, you’d better make sure you know what a CV is.
There are three recruitment documents every job seeker should be familiar with:
A resume, a cover letter, and a CV.
While the first two are rather well known to most, the last one tends to be confusing. All the more so as it refers to something different in various countries.
Not to worry.
We’ll show you exactly what a CV is.
In this guide you’ll learn:
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Are you looking for some CV/resume examples? See:
Haven't found what you're looking for? Check all our Resume Samples to Land any Job.
Here’s a curriculum vitae definition:
The “CV” abbreviation stands for curriculum vitae which means “course of life” in Latin. In the US and Canada, a CV refers to a recruitment document detailing your academic and employment history, along with your skills and achievements.
In contrast to resumes, CVs can be very extensive and include detailed lists of your academic awards, grants, scholarships, publications, research projects, or coursework.
This is why a CV is a standard document when you’re pursuing a career in academia. Not so much so when seeking employment in a non-academic role.
A typical CV form can consist of such sections as:
If you’re looking for more detailed information, as well as CV examples and templates, head straight to our guide on how to make a US curriculum vitae for academic positions.
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Here’s the thing—
The definition of a CV differs depending on geography.
As we’ve already established, in the US and Canada a CV means a recruitment document you’d normally use when applying for academic positions as well as grants, fellowships or scholarships.
The situation looks different in Europe and New Zealand, though.
In these regions, a curriculum vitae, or CV, refers to a document that’s very much like an American resume.
In other words:
In Europe and New Zealand, a CV is a document that briefly outlines your work experience, skills, education, and professional achievements, and you use it to apply for regular positions.
So even though in these countries the word “resume” isn’t used at all—
A United Kingdom curriculum vitae will be very much like an American resume, both in terms of its function and form.
In fact—
You can learn the ins and outs of writing a job-winning CV from our dedicated guide.
In other anglophone countries such as South Africa and Australia, both terms CV and resume are used interchangeably to refer to a document similar to a US resume.
Expert Hint: Check out our collection of CV writing guides for 50+ professions. Each guide comes with a CV example and template you can copy and adjust for your needs.
Now, let’s go back to the US and have a look at how to distinguish a CV from a resume, and how not to confuse either with a cover letter:
Resume | CV | Cover Letter | |
Length | Usually 1-2 pages | No limits | 1 page, 4 paragraphs, up to 350 words |
Focus | Experience and skills | Education and academic achievements | Motivation behind applying for the post |
Use | Standard, non-academic positions | Academic positions, grants, fellowships, research programs, etc. | Complementary to a resume |
Purpose | Shows relevant experience that proves you fit the role | Offers a detailed account of your academic career | Introduces you to the recruiter, offers the whys and wherefores of your application |
Form | Bullet points arranged in sections | Paragraphs grouped in sections | Coherent and cohesive paragraphs, a letter format |
As you can see, the CV and resume aren’t the same, and they also differ from a cover letter.
However, the table above only highlights the most prominent aspects of the three recruitment documents.
If you wish to learn more about the CV vs. resume difference, we have a separate in-depth guide explaining each and every discrepancy.
If you decide you don’t need a CV as much as a resume, you can head straight to our guide on how to write a job-winning resume.
And obviously—
To give your career a serious boost and improve your chances of landing a job, learn how to write a cover letter that impresses recruiters.
Double your impact with a matching CV and cover letter combo. Use our cover letter generator and make your application documents pop out.
Want to try a different look? There’s 18 more. A single click will give your document a total makeover. Pick a cover letter template here.
Here’s all you need to know about what a CV is:
Do you have any other questions about what a CV is? Would you like to share your opinion on the subject? We’re always happy to hear from you. Give us a shout out in the comments below!
Want to choose the best resume format? First, you must understand the differences between the three main types. See examples of various resume formats and make an informed choice.
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