What’s the difference between a CV and a resume?

You have probably heard the terms CV (curriculum vitae) and resume when applying for research positions, internships, or jobs. But what exactly do they mean, and why are they different?

Resume

</aside>

A resume is a brief, targeted summary of your skills, experiences, and accomplishments.

Length: Usually 1 page (sometimes 2 pages for people with more experience).
Purpose: Tailored specifically to the job or position you’re applying for.
Focus: Highlights only the most relevant experiences, skills, and achievements.
Content: Work experience, internships, relevant coursework, leadership roles, technical or language skills, certifications.
Style: Uses bullet points, action verbs, and clear formatting to make key details easy to skim.

When to use it:

Applying for jobs in industry, nonprofits, government, or internships.
When the application asks specifically for a resume.

Curriculum Vitae (CV)

</aside>

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a detailed and comprehensive document that provides a full history of your academic and professional achievements.

Length: No strict page limit — often 2–4 pages for undergraduates, and much longer for graduate students, faculty, or researchers.
Purpose: To showcase your entire academic, research, and professional journey.
Focus: Includes all relevant academic and research activities, not just those tailored to a single job.
Content: Education, research experience, publications, conference presentations, posters, grants, honors and awards, teaching experience, academic service, affiliations, and sometimes outreach or volunteer work.
Style: Still uses clear formatting, but goes into much greater detail than a resume.

When to use it:

Applying for research positions, academic jobs, graduate or medical school, postdocs, fellowships, or grants.