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Resume or Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

What's the difference between a resume and a CV? The primary differences are the
length, the content and the purpose. A resume is a one or two page summary of your
skills, experience and education. A goal of resume writing is to be brief and concise since,
at best, the resume reader will spend a minute or so reviewing your qualifications.

A Curriculum Vitae, commonly referred to as CV, is a longer (two or more pages), more
detailed synopsis. It includes a summary of your educational and academic backgrounds
as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations, awards, honors,
affiliations and other details.

When to Use a CV

In the United States a Curriculum Vitae is used primarily when applying for international,
academic, education, scientific or research positions or when applying for fellowships or
grants. As with a resume, you may need different versions of a CV for different type of
positions.

What to Include in Your CV

Like a resume, your CV should include your name, contact information, education, skills
and experience. In addition to the basics, a CV includes research and teaching experience,
publications, grants and fellowships, professional associations and licenses, awards and
other information relevant to the position you are applying for. Start by making a list of
all your background information, then organize it into categories. Make sure you include
dates on all the publications you include.

When to Use a Curriculum Vitae

When should job seekers use a curriculum vitae, commonly referred to as CV, rather than
a resume? In the United States, a curriculum vitae is used primarily when applying for
academic, education, scientific or research positions. It is also applicable when applying
for fellowships or grants.

When asking for a job in Europe, the Middle East, Africa, or Asia, expect to submit a CV
rather than a resume. Keep in mind that overseas employers often expect to read the type
of personal information on a curriculum vitae that would never be included on an
American resume, such as date of birth, nationality and place of birth. United States law
on what information job applicants can be asked to provide does not apply outside the
country.
The Differences between a Resume and a CV

There are several differences between a curriculum vitae and a resume.

A curriculum vitae is a longer (up to two or more pages), more detailed synopsis of
your background and skills. A CV includes a summary of your educational and academic
backgrounds as well as teaching and research experience, publications, presentations,
awards, honors, affiliations and other details. As with a resume, you may need different
versions of a CV for different types of positions.

Like a resume, a curriculum vitae should include your name, contact information,
education, skills and experience. In addition to the basics, a CV includes research and
teaching experience, publications, grants and fellowships, professional associations and
licenses, awards and other information relevant to the position you are applying for. Start
by making a list of all your background information, then organize it into categories.
Make sure you include dates on all the publications you include.

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When applying for jobs, internships, fellowships, and academic programs, you will often
be asked to submit a resume or curriculum vitae (CV). These documents chronicle your
prior work history, highlight awards and academic achievements, and assert your
qualifications. A resume or CV is often the very first thing that a prospective employer
reviews. Therefore, it is important to include the most impressive and pertinent
information.

The terms "resume" and "CV" have very similar meanings and are sometimes used
interchangeably. In the United States, a "resume" is a document that is often not much
longer than one page. Each time a person applies for a job, his or her resume should be
tailored in order to reflect skills and experience that will be of particular use in that
position. For example, if a person were to simultaneously apply for a jobs as a biology
teacher and a biking tour guide, he or she would likely highlight different professional
and academic qualifications in each resume.

A CV is longer than a resume and includes a complete listing of a person's professional

history. A CV should include, every position that a person has ever held, a comprehensive
list of academic credentials, as well as information on publications and other significant
achievements. In some cases, CVs are many pages long. In general, CVs are required
when applying for positions in the medical and academic field. Resumes, on the other
hand, are preferred when applying for business positions.

The terms "resume" and "CV" are used in different ways all over the world. In the United
States and in the English-speaking areas of Canada, the word "resume" is used
predominantly. Furthermore, these regions have begun to accept longer "resumes" that
reflect CVs.

Therefore, in these regions, the term "CV" is not particularly necessary. The term "CV" is
used more often in Ireland, England, Scotland, New Zealand, and French Canada. In
India and Australia, however, the terms are generally interchangeable.

When applying for a job, it is most important to put your best foot forward. Whether your
prospective employer uses the term "resume" or "CV", make sure that you know what he
or she is looking for in the document. Once you have this information, you can work on
creating a knock-out resume or CV that will help you land your job.

Curriculum Vitae Format

Your Contact Information

Name
Address
Telephone
Cell Phone
Email

Personal Information
Date of Birth
Place of Birth
Citizenship
Visa Status
Gender

Optional Personal Information

Marital Status
Spouse's Name
Children
Employment History
List in chronological order, include position details and dates
Work History
Academic Positions
Research and Training

Education
Include dates, majors, and details of degrees, training and certification
High School
University
Graduate School
Post-Doctoral Training

Professional Qualifications
Certifications and Accreditations
Computer Skills

Awards

Publications

Books

Professional Memberships

Interests

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On the Interview day

1. Non-verbal Messages: Non-verbal language speaks larger than words. As you

walk in the interview room, here are a few things that you must keep in mind:
Start it off like a winner.
• The handshake: Offer your hand, and give a firm handshake, a pleasant
smile and a positive and confident attitude. Introduce yourself.

• Posture: Stand and sit erect

• Don't Fidget: There is nothing worse than people playing with their hair,
clicking pen tops, tapping feet or unconsciously touching parts of the
body.

• Eye Contact: Look the interviewer in the eye

• Move your hands: Gesturing or talking with your hands is very natural,
but keep it in moderation.

2. Be comfortable. Take a seat facing the interviewer, however, slightly off center.
Be sure that you are in a comfortable position

3. Listen attentively. Look at the interviewer directly, but don't get into a stare
down! Sit up straight. Try to relax. It's okay to take a few notes if the questions
are lengthy, or you need to remind yourself of something you want to stress

4. Avoid nervous mannerisms. Pay attention to nervous mannerisms. Everyone is

nervous to some extent, the key is to appear calm and composed

5. Speak clearly. Use good grammar and a friendly tone. Never answer just "yes" or
"no" to a question. Always clarify, expand on your answers. Be sure not to go on
rambling

6. Be positive and enthusiastic.Pump up your enthusiasm prior to the interview.

Never whine, gripe or complain about past employers, jobs, classes etc

7. Ask pertinent questions. Be prepared to ask a few questions. Do not monopolize

the interviewer's time, particularly if you know they have appointments scheduled
following your interview. Do ask thoughtful questions. Don't ask about salary and
benefits, this can be discussed when the company is definitely interested in you

8. While giving answers to questions:

• Be Concise: Listen to the questions carefully and answer to the point. An
interviewee rambling on is likely to turn off the interviewer.
• Provide Examples: Support your contentions with examples. Think of
recent strong strategic examples of work you've done, then when the
question is asked, answer with specifics, not in generalities.
• Be Honest: It is always better to state the truth than beating about the
bush. If you don’t know something then state the fact.
• Keep Your Guard Up: Always maintain your professionalism. Don’t get
swayed by the friendly behaviour of the interviewer and disclose
everything. For all you know it might be a trap laid out by him.

General Tips and Advice

Before your interview find out everything you can about the company (read their annual
report which can be obtained by telephoning them). Re-read your application, thinking
through your own career and the questions they might ask you. You should try to
anticipate the general questions which they will ask and also prepare some questions to
ask them.

To do well at the interview you will need to convince the interviewer you are technically
qualified to do the job. You will also need to show that you are sufficiently motivated to
get the job done well and that you will fit in with the company's organisational structure
and the team in which you will work.

You should dress smartly for the interview and should leave home earlier than you need
to on the day of the interview - you may be delayed by traffic or for other reasons. Be
courteous to all employees of the company. At the interview itself you must be positive
about yourself and your abilities - but do not waffle.

Techniques:

: How to dramatically improve your CV, salary negotiation tips, job hunting secrets
Psychometric Test - find out the interview questions that will catch you out and how
to answer them

Interview thank you letters

Group interview tests
Panel interviews
Body language
Interview problems
Afterthoughts

Interview techniques

Competence-based interviews

In these interviews, the organisation works out the necessary competences needed for the
job and then examines whether you match the criteria. Find out how to match your skills
to the job.

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First impressions

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interview is of critical importance. Find out how to leave a lasting impression right from
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Getting feedback after your interview

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a few days later saying that you haven’t got the job. The trick is to learn from your
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Getting to your interview

A little forward-planning is essential if you’re going to arrive fresh as a daisy and ready
to wow interviewers. Follow our advice on how to plan ahead for a stress-free journey.

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Pane interviews

Occasionally you will push open the door to discover two or more people waiting to
interview you. Don’t panic! Here are our top tips for when you're facing several
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Questions about the employer

Talking about the organisation can be a tricky business. Use our sample questions to help
you research prospective employers and you’ll be ready for anything they throw at you.

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Questions about the job

Telling the interviewer what interests you about the position can be harder than it sounds.
Take a look at our example questions to get an idea of the things you might be asked.

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Researching an employer before interview

Where to look for details on a possible employer

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Technical interviews

Showing off your expertise

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Telephone interviews made easy

What’s so scary about a telephone interview? You use the phone every day. But a
telephone interview is far more than just a phone call. Here are some tips to get you
through what could be the most important call of your life.
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What not to wear: dress for success at your job interviews

Do clothes really make a difference to how interviewers respond to you? We asked an

expert: Sandy Ruddock, an image consultant for Public i, the specialists in training,
communication and personal presentation skills. Here's how to choose the right interview
attire.

Behavioural Interview
Behavioral based interviewing is interviewing to discover how the interviewee dealt a
specific employment-related situations. The logic is based on the principle that your past
behaviour will predict your future behaviour i.e. past performance predicts future
performance.

In a behavioral interview, an employer has decided on the skill sets required in the person
they are to hire and will ask questions to find out if the candidate has those skills.

Instead of asking how you would behave, they will ask how you did behave. The
interviewer will want to know how you handled a situation, instead of what you might do
in the future.

Questions in a Behavioral Interview

Behavioral interview questions are more pointed, more inquisitive and more specific than
traditional interview questions:

A previous occasion when you used logic to solve a problem.

A goal you reached and describe how you achieved it.
An unpopular decision made by you and how you handled its implementation.
Have you gone above and beyond the call of duty? If so, how?
If your schedule is interrupted how will you react and handle it.
How did you convince a team that was not excited about working on a new project
How would you handle a difficult co-worker.
How would you work under pressure, elaborate upon an earlier situation.

Follow-up questions will also be detailed. You may be asked what you did, what you
said, how you reacted or how you felt.
Preparation for the Potential Behavioral Interview

What's the best way to prepare? It's important to remember that you won't know what
type of interview will take place until you are sitting in the interview room. So, prepare
answers to traditional interview questions.

Then, since you don't know exactly what situations you will be asked about if it's a
behavioral interview, refresh your memory and consider some special situations you have
dealt with or projects you have worked on. You may be able to use them to help frame
responses. Prepare stories that illustrate times when you have successfully solved
problems or performed memorably. The stories will be useful to help you respond
meaningfully in a behavioral interview.

Finally, review the job description, if you have it, or the job posting or ad. You may be
able to get a sense of what skills and behavioral characteristics the employer is seeking
from reading the job description and position requirements. Take a look at what
employers are advised about developing the job posting for a behavioral interview on the
About Human Resources site.