Potato or Potahto, however you pronounce it, is still a starchy tuber used to make the chips and fries we enjoy.

Does this apply to Resume/CV? Is the difference only in the name?

Is one better than the other?

Will a resume get you a less-paying job?

In most European countries, including the UK and some African countries like Ghana, a CV and a Resume refer to the same thing.

Universally, these two documents are also similar. They are essential for getting our foot in one door or the other.

Despite these similarities, they have their technical differences.

The CV is a detailed document which contains a detailed account of everything you have ever accomplished. In contrast, a resume is a 1-2 page document which contains experiences and achievements focused and tailor-made to apply for a particular job.

In today's episode of The Sharp Times, we will examine the meaning and difference between these two.

A CV, the short form of Curriculum Vitae, is a Latin word that means "Course of Life".

It makes sense - because a CV is a document that contains a detailed account of everything you have ever accomplished. All your proudest accomplishments and all your published works.

So, it is indeed a course of your life.

A CV can vary in length.

It can be as short as 2 pages and as long as 8 pages (It could even be more, but at that point you should consider writing an autobiography).

Your CV needs to be updated every time you get a new job or a new certificate, etc.

A CV is usually used when applying for academic positions, fellowships and grants.

What should I put on my CV?

Here is a good example of a CV.

In our publication on how to grab a recruiter's attention in 6 seconds, we discussed what your resume should include and what it should not.

For those who missed that class, A resume should generally not be more than two pages.

You are wrong if you started working at 10 years and think your experience is too much to fit on two pages.

Unless all that experience can be tied one way or another to the one you are applying for, leave it out.

Your resume should concisely overview your skills and qualifications for a particular position.

This is not the right place to outline the course of your life.

The resume is borrowed from the French and means, to sum up. That is one-page minimum and two pages maximum.

We must not leave out our companies, who are also doing their best to ensure that working remotely is as less stressful as possible.

Some companies have schedules to remind their workers to take 5 minutes breaks. Others have also instituted daily standup reminders to ensure their workers stand up from their laptops.

What Should My Resume Include?

Here is a good example of a resume. Also pictured below.

Now to quickly resume (sum up) this post so we can go about our busy day, let's run through the main differences between these two documents.

• The number one distinguishing factor is the length - A CV could be as long as possible depending on the course of your life. In the same vein, a Resume should be concise, at most 2 pages, relevant to the job you are applying for.

• While a CV is used to apply for academic positions, scholarships, grants, research fellowships etc. A resume can be used to apply for any job.

• Your CV should emphasise your academic accomplishments, while your resume should highlight your industry skills.

Now that we know the differences between these two documents, we can use the appropriate names or just go with the flow.

The fish is in your net now, so whichever choice you make, at least you know.

The Looksharp Career Center is up to support your job search, whether CV or Resume related.

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