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CV vs. Résumé: Which Document Do You Need?
A résumé is a focused account of the experience relevant to a particular job. An academic curriculum vitae, or CV, records scholarly work in greater detail. The first step is to check what the recipient means by CV and what the application actually requests.
Keith Lawrence Miller’s original guide distinguishes a concise employment document from a fuller academic record. That distinction is useful, but terminology varies by employer and location. Follow the application instructions before choosing a format.
What a résumé is designed to do
A résumé helps a reader assess your suitability for a defined role. It selects relevant responsibilities, accomplishments, education and skills from a larger professional history. The reader should be able to identify your function and level of experience quickly.
Many professional résumés are one or two pages, but length is a practical decision shaped by the role, experience and application requirements. Do not remove essential evidence simply to meet an arbitrary rule, or include an entire career history when it obscures what matters.
Use the language of the work accurately. Translating an internal title or academic term for an unfamiliar audience is different from changing the facts.
What an academic CV is designed to do
An academic CV provides a fuller record of scholarly activity. Depending on your actual background, sections may include research, teaching, publications, presentations, grants, awards and professional or academic service.
Columbia University’s CV-to-résumé guidance identifies fellowships, grants, postdoctoral work, higher-education teaching and research, some advanced industry research roles and curatorial work as contexts in which a CV may be appropriate.
The document can grow as the record grows. It still needs organization and relevance: a teaching-focused application and a research-focused application may place different sections first. Keep dates and publication status accurate, and distinguish published, accepted and in-progress work.
The word CV does not always mean an academic document
Some employers use CV to mean the ordinary employment document they expect from applicants. A request for a CV therefore does not automatically call for a long scholarly history.
Look for clues in the instructions: required sections, page limits, supporting materials and the nature of the role. If the requirements remain unclear, ask the recruiting contact which format is intended. Avoid assumptions based solely on a country label.
Turning an academic CV into a résumé
Start with the target role and identify the experience that addresses its requirements. Research can demonstrate analysis, project planning, technical work or communication, but the résumé must explain the relevant contribution to a reader who may not share your academic specialty.
- List the responsibilities and capabilities the role actually requires.
- Select evidence from research, teaching, employment and projects that addresses those needs.
- Explain your role in plain language, preserving accurate titles and dates.
- Summarize lengthy publication or presentation lists when a few relevant examples are sufficient.
- Organize the document around the reader’s decision, then proofread the details.
A project description should explain what you did, how you approached it and what you produced. Use measures of scope or results only when they are accurate. See five résumé quality checks for a final review.
Expanding a résumé into a CV
Return to your records rather than stretching short résumé bullets into an academic history. Gather verified education, research, teaching, publications, presentations and relevant service. Include the sections that apply to your background; an empty or invented publications section adds no value.
Use consistent citation and date formats suited to the application. Review the completed document against the recipient’s instructions and keep a master version updated for future use.
Before you submit
Confirm the requested document, file type, length and supporting materials. Make sure the résumé or CV agrees with the application form and your public professional profile. Then check the exported file itself for legibility and missing text.
Review the current résumé-writing services if you need help presenting your experience for employment. For an academic CV or a specialized application, confirm the requested scope with Keith before purchasing; do not assume every document is included in a résumé package.
About the original author
Keith Lawrence Miller is the founder of Ivy League Résumés. His Columbia Career Coaches Network profile documents an M.A. in Organizational & Business Psychology and an Advanced Certificate in Collective Intelligence in Organizations from Teachers College, Columbia University. Academic credentials do not imply university endorsement of this independent business.
Read Keith’s background and named client feedback. Individual experiences are not promises of interviews, offers, or compensation.