CURRICULUM VITAE (CV) The term CV is an abbreviation of the Latin word Curriculum Vitae, which is literally translated to “the course of your life”. A CV is a very in-depth document that describes the career journey step-by-step, including all sorts of personal information. It is a comprehensive description of everything a person has ever done including all the achievements & publications that bear his/her name. A CV summary is a way to quickly and concisely convey one’s skills and qualifications. Sometimes large organizations will initially ask for a one-page CV summary when they expect a large pool of applicants. A CV is updated for every new academic or professional accomplishment. For Example; whenever you get a new job, publish something new, obtain a new certificate, and so on. There is no rule of thumb on how long a CV should be - depending on the amount of experience, it can generally range from 2 to 8 pages. A CV includes: 1. Full name 2. Contact information 3. Professional title, resume summary, or resume objective 4. Research interests 5. Education 6. Publications (both academic papers and books) 7. Teaching or lecturing experience 8. Work experience 9. Conferences and courses 10.Skills 11.Certificates 12.Languages 13.Grants of fellowships 14.References RESUME A resume is a short, straight-to-the-point, document created for the purpose of applying to a specific job. Unlike the CV, a resume is kept as short as possible. In 99% of the cases, it is one page max. If you have 15+ years of experience, or really believe that the extra information you can mention can add value to your application, a resume may extend up to two pages. In a resume, you only mention the aspects of your work experience and skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying for. A good resume highlights specific contributions you have made in your previous work and showcases how your different skills can be useful for the position you are applying to. There are also optional sections, including a resume objective and career summary statement. The resume is usually accompanied by the submission of a cover letter which states your intent for applying to the job. The cover letter builds upon the skills and experience you have touched upon in your resume, explaining how they’re going to help you excel at the job you’re applying for. A typical resume includes: 1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. Full name Your job title, or the name of the position you’re applying for Contact information Resume summary or objective Work experience Education Relevant skills Languages and proficiency Relevant certifications and interests (if any) CV vs. Resume - What’s the Difference There are some basic differences between the curriculum vitae (CV) and resume: • • Length - The first and most notable difference between a CV and a Resume is how long each one of them is. A resume is kept short and brief (usually 1 page), whereas the CV is more comprehensive (it can go up to 2+ pages depending on your experience). Function - The CV is mainly used for academic purposes, such as applying for a research program, a Ph.D., or joining the staff of a university. The resume, on the other hand, is written for a regular job in a company. • Type of information you include - The CV is an academic diary where you include all your academic qualifications, achievements, and certifications. It is universal in nature as it can be updated as you go. Whereas, a resume has to be created (or at least customized) for each job you’re applying for, and has a bigger focus on your professional achievements, rather than academic. However, in all of Europe, the word CV is essentially just a synonym for the resume. So, if you’re applying for a position in the EU, and the job asks for a CV, you should know that it actually means a resume. CONCLUSION • A resume is a one page summary of your work experience and background relevant to the job you are applying to. • A CV is a longer academic diary that includes all your experience, certificates, and publications. • The differences are: ➢ ➢ ➢ ➢ A resume is one page (max. two) whereas the CV can be longer. A resume is used for job hunting in industries whereas the CV is used for jobs and admissions in Academia. The resume is tailored to the specific job you are applying to, whereas the CV is a comprehensive overview. In the EU, both terms mean the same thing. TYPES OF CV The Chronological CV A chronological CV focuses on presenting the candidate's experience on an employer-by-employer basis, with the posts being listed in reverse chronological order. Chronological CVs should also contain a brief personal statement at the front which sets out the key skills and strengths of the candidate. This is the most common type of CV. Structure • • • • • • • Personal Details (i.e. name and contact details) Personal Profile Career History in reverse chronological order unless you are a graduate or you have very little work experience, in which case, it may be best to start with your Education and Qualifications Education and Qualifications Professional Memberships Other Information Interests Advantages • • • Particularly useful for those applying within the same industry as it will demonstrate your career progression It is the favourite format for most employers, who simply want to easily identify the roles and responsibilities in each job If you do not have many achievements or significant highlights across your career, taking a job-by-job approach can detail your main responsibilities and take the emphasis away from key achievements which is more expected in a functional CV Disadvantages • • If you have gaps in your employment which you would rather not highlight, a chronological CV will make them more obvious If you are changing career direction, a chronological CV may not be so relevant to a recruiter who will be more concerned about the transferable skills that you are bringing rather than the detail of your experience in an unrelated sector The Functional CV Unlike a chronological CV, a functional CV places the emphasis on your skills and expertise rather than the chronology of your employment to date. Although not generally the preferred choice by most recruiters, some senior executive positions would require that a functional CV accompany a chronological one so that their key skills and achievements can be clearly identified. Structure A functional CV typically starts with a personal profile which highlights the achievements, skills and personal qualities that you possess. This is then followed by a succession of sections, each relating to a different skill or ability. These should be ordered in decreasing order of importance. Instead of focusing on any particular job, you should describe your experience in its entirety. Since you are not detailing any specific role, this means you can include any skills or experience gained in voluntary or unpaid work. Advantages • • • If you have changed jobs frequently, or your experience is a combination of seemingly unrelated posts or if you have several career gaps, a functional CV will help place the emphasis on what you have to offer as a whole rather than your career progression If you are changing industry, a functional CV will help the recruiter focus on your transferable skills If you are a more mature applicant, a functional CV will take the spotlight away from your age Disadvantages • • • If you do not have much work experience, you may struggle to highlight achievements in a separate section Most employers do not like this type of CV as they prefer to clearly see what the candidate has done and it also raise questions around whether the candidate is trying to hide something A functional CV will not enable you to highlight consistent career progression. If you wish to convey career progression, you should adopt a chronological format To conclude the CV, you should list your employers with the employment dates, as well as a section on your qualifications. The final section should focus on any other relevant information and hobbies/interests. The Combined CV A combined CV follows both the chronological and functional format, which makes the CV slightly longer than normal. However, it does offer the best of both types of CV and is becoming a more popular structure to use. Advantages • • Perfect format if you have a strong career progression with many achievements Enables you to sell your strengths as well as your experience Disadvantages • • • Lengthier than a functional or chronological CV so may put off some employers Not suitable for those with little experience or achievements Not suitable for those with employment gaps The Creative CV : A creative CV is popular choice of candidates who are looking jobs in creative fields such as graphic designing, media, marketing, and brand consulting. These types of jobs require highly skilled creative people. Therefore, a creative CV is right choice to showcase your skills and past work to grab the attention of the employer. As the name suggests creative CV is quite different from the traditional chronological and functional CVs. A creative CV not only mentions a particular skill but also back it up with the example of the work done using that skill. In addition to that, a candidate can also include the links to the work done. This type of CV is difficult and tricky to make. One should see some samples of creative CVs before making one for him/ herself. There are various types of creative CVs such as infographic, visual and Prezi CV that one can use. The tools like visualize.me, Zety, Ineedresu.me, and visual CV can be used to make a creative CV. The Academic CV : This type of CV is suitable when applying for post-graduation, doctoral degree, research fellowship, Lectureship. This type of CV gives more emphasis on the subjects studied, papers published, details of research expertise projects undertaken. It should also include teaching experience, professional associations, awards, grants and fellowships and licenses relevant to the post you are applying for. It can also include your interest in organization which you want to work for in future. TYPES OF RESUMES There are several basic types of resumes you can use on the basis of your current circumstances to apply for job openings. Chronological Resume A chronological resume starts by listing your work history, with the most recent position listed first. Below your most recent job, you list your other jobs in reverse chronological order. Employers typically prefer this type of resume because it's easy to see what jobs you have held and when you have worked at them. This is the most common resume type. This type of resume works well for job seekers with a strong, solid work history. If you are starting your career, or if you are changing career fields, you might consider a different resume type. Functional Resume A functional resume focuses on your skills and experience, rather than on your chronological work history. Instead of having a “work history” section at the top of your resume, you might have a “professional experience” or “accomplishments” section that lists various skills you have developed over the years. A functional resume also sometimes includes a resume summary or headline at the top, which details a person’s skills and achievements. A functional resume might not include one’s employment history at all or might have a concise list of work history at the bottom of the resume. Functional resumes are used most often by people who are changing careers or who have gaps in their employment history. It is also useful for people who are new to the workforce, have limited work experience, or who have a gap in their employment. By highlighting skills rather than work history, one can emphasize that he or she is qualified for the job. Combination Resume A combination resume is a mix between a chronological resume and a functional resume. At the top of the resume is a list of one’s skills and qualifications. Below this is one’s chronological work history. However, the work history is not the focus of the resume and typically does not take up much space on the resume. With this type of resume, you can highlight the skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for, as well as provide your chronological work history. After all, most employers want to see your chronological work history, even if that history is not very extensive. This kind of resume helps you highlight what makes you the best fit for the job, while still giving the employer all the information he or she wants. Infographic Resume Infographic resumes include graphic design elements in addition to or instead of text. A traditional resume uses text to list a candidate's work experience, education, and skills, while an infographic resume uses layout, color, design, formatting, icons, and font styling to organize content. Resume With Profile A resume with a profile section includes a concise summary of an applicant’s skills, experiences, and goals as they relate to a specific job. This summary (typically no more than a couple of sentences long) helps the candidate “sell” his or herself to the company to which he or she is applying. Adding a profile is helpful for almost any applicant. If you have extensive experience, a profile can concisely explain that experience to the hiring manager right away. If you have limited work experience, a profile can help you highlight the skills that you do have. Targeted Resume A targeted resume is a resume that is customized to specifically highlight the experience and skills you have that are relevant to the job you are applying for. It takes more work to write a targeted resume than to click to apply with your existing resume. However, it's well worth the effort, especially when applying for jobs that are a perfect match for your qualifications and experience. Try to write a targeted resume for every job. Employers can easily see when you submit a generic resume, rather than thinking about why you are qualified for that specific job. Nontraditional Resume A nontraditional resume is a unique version of your resume that may include photos, graphics, images, graphs, and other visuals. It might be an online resume, or a physical resume with infographics, as mentioned above. It could also be a video or a resume on a social networking website. Nontraditional resumes are ideal for people in creative fields, who want to demonstrate their ability to create visually engaging designs or to create web pages. It can be a good way for a job candidate to stand out from the crowd in professions like design, web design, journalism, and more. Mini Resume A mini resume contains a brief summary of your career highlights and qualifications. It only contains the information that relates to the position you are applying for or the industry you would like to work in. In most cases, your traditional resume will be appropriate. A mini resume, however, can be useful at job fairs or career networking events when you're meeting with many people and want to leave them with something more than just a business card. You can also use a mini resume when you're networking and would like your contact to pass on your information to a hiring manager or recruiter. Name: Description: ...