Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae

Is there really a difference? Who should write a curriculum vitae?

Dawn Rosenberg McKay of About.com sums up the description of a curriculum vitae nicely:

"A curriculum vitae is a written description of your work experience, educational background, and skills. Also called a CV, or simply a vitae, it is more detailed than a resume and is commonly used by those looking for work outside the U.S. and Australia. A curriculum vitae is also used by someone looking for an academic job, i.e. in a college or university."

The biggest difference is that a CV will have course lists, project descriptions, publications, and much more detail than a resume.

Here's an excerpt from a CV I wrote for a client (with identifying information and formatting removed to protect confidentiality and to allow the text to post on the blog):



Internal Medicine Resident 07/2004 – 06/2007
United States Army, Army Hospital ▪ Somewhere, Virginia

Serve as primary physician for patients during all ward rotations. Provide quality care for patients in an ambulatory setting through active participation in outpatient clinic. Perform knowledgeable consultations in a timely manner and present at annual conferences.

-Honored with three Army Achievement Medals and The Army Commendation Medal.
-Delivered award-winning presentations at American College of Physicians meetings and actively served as an associate member within this organization.
-Participated in development of protocol for original research.
-Published in a nationally recognized, peer-reviewed journal as co-author:
Albert, B., Reynolds, K.I., Victor, C..A.. Incidence and clinical significance of elevated hormone levels. Endocrine Practice, 14(35), 270-290.
-Received repeated commendations from supervising attendings for fund of knowledge and empathetic, quality care. Consistently earned high marks from medical students on training/mentoring strengths. Cited for excellent care by patients.



If you are published in peer-reviewed journals or make regular academic presentations, then a CV will work best for you. Otherwise, a resume will usually suffice.

Professional resume writers can work with you to compose a resume or CV that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Have a question for a Certified Professional Resume Writer or an interview coach? Post it in the comments below or check out www.epikosinc.com. You may also email andrea@epikosinc.com