Created by CakeResumeMany people often mistake the full meaning of a CV for a resume since they are both commonly defined as documents required for an application. While a resume is used for general job applications and is more common in the US, Australia, and Canada, a CV (Curriculum Vitae), on the other hand, is used for job application in academic, education, scientific, medical, or research fields. Hence, a CV is usually longer and includes more detailed information compared to a resume. There are more remarkable distinctions between these two documents - which will be explained further in this article. We'll walk you through everything CV in this article, from the full form of CV explanation to how to write aCVfor general and academic job applications.Without further ado, let's jump right in! TABLEOFCONTENTWhat Is a CV? – Full Form, Definition, Types, ExamplesWhat Is a Resume? – Definition, ExamplesCV vs. Resume – The Key Differences When to UseHow to Write an Academic CVHow to Write a CV for Job ApplicationsWhat Is a CV? – Full Form, Definition, Types, ExamplesThe full form of a CV is "Curriculum Vitae," a Latin term meaning "course of life." A CV is used to showcase a candidate's qualifications, experience, and accomplishments throughout their academic and professional career. By reading a CV, a hiring manager can determine whether or not an individual is qualified for the vacancy. In general, the term "CV" is used everywhere in the world, including the UK, New Zealand, the European Union, and Asia. A CV can also go under different names in different countries, such as biography, employment record, or "biodata" in India. There are two major types of CVs that you need to know: academic CV and job application CV. They are categorized based on the purpose of use. Let's have a quick look! Academic CV Anacademic CVis explicitly written for academic purposes and emphasizes your contributions to a particular field of study or practice. These contributions include publications, projects, achievements, awards, honors, etc.If you are applying for a position in education, science, medicine, or research, you must provide a comprehensive academic CV. And if you aspire to be a researcher or pursue higher degree programs such as a Master's or Ph.D., using this CV type is also advisable. Job Application CV A job application CV can be used for a job search and application in nearly all industries.It emphasizes the job seeker's work experience, skills, accomplishments, and educational background. This type of CV is particularly useful for executives and high-level professionals. What Is a Resume?The term resume is French for "summary," referring to a document used for summarizing one's experience that is relevant to the job they're applying for. A resume is usually paired with a cover letter to express motivation for the job and explain why the applicant is a good fit for the company. The purpose of resumes is to give your potential employer a brief overview of your competencies, work experience, and achievements in the field. In most cases, recruiters and employers prefer a concise resume without a lot of extraneous information. As they only spend approximately six seconds reading a resume, you should keep it short but still cover all necessary information.Read this article to learn more about resume. CV vs. Resume – The Key Differences When to UseNow that you understand the fundamental distinctions between a CV and a Resume, let's examine them in greater detail. Pay attention to the differences in content, length, and when they should be used.CVPurpose:Applying for academic positions.Content:Personal details, academic background, work experience, extracurricular activities, and accomplishments.Length:No limit, depending on the amount of information included in the CV.Design Layout: Minimal and simpleCountry Region:Globally, Asia, the EU, and New Zealand.ResumePurpose: Applying for jobs.Content: Information relevant to the specific position, such as areas of expertise, skills, and work experience.Length:1 to 2 pages.Design Layout: Vary from field to field with different resume formatsCountry Region:US, Australia, and Canada How to Write an Academic CV1. Contact Information The first thing you must include in a CV is your personal information and contact information. This includes your full name, mailing address, phone number, and email address. Additionally, you may want to include your LinkedIn profile or other professional social media accounts if they are relevant to your field. 2. Personal Statement A well-written personal statement is indispensable when pursuing higher education or applying for an academic position. It can help highlight the educational background and qualifications, personal traits, and other academic achievements in the first place. Personal Statement Example in a Master Program Application “Final-year law student at Florida State University with strong organizational skills and the ability to speak good English, Spanish, and French. Placed second in the Wayne Law 2020 Spring Moot Court In-House Competition. Eager to earn an LL. M. at Vermont Law School.” 3. Education This section is a crucial part of an academic CV, as school advisors and recruiters want to see whether you have obtained fundamental knowledge of the field or required courses. When writing this section, you should follow the standard format of anyeducation section on a resume. Another side note is that you should also include your relevant coursework or thesis title if related to the position you’re applying for. 4. Publications Here is the list of types of publications that you can include in an academic CV Research papersPeer-reviewed publicationsBooks/Book chaptersBook reviewsArticles For each type, provide all details, including the title, journal title, publication date, and page numbers (if relevant). 5. Awards Besides publications, you can also highlight your academic accomplishments from school to strengthen your position. A high GPADean’s ListScholarshipsHonor RollAwards won for a specific activity or course 6. Grants Fellowships It is important to includeresearch grants and fellowshipsin an academic CV since they are awards that graduate students and postgraduate scholars compete for. These awards are given based on their potential to make a positive and lasting impact in their academic field and can support graduate study, scholarly research, or professional development. Fellowships are available in all fields and for individuals at any career stage, from undergraduate study to executive leadership development programs. For these reasons, you can strengthen your CV with this section. Here's what to write in the grants and fellowships section in an academic CV: Program titleStart and end dateWhat you have done and accomplished 7. Conferences Presentations You can include a list of the presentations and talks you've given, includingposter presentations. Additionally, any conferences or panels you've organized can give you an advantage over others. 8. Experiences In your academic CV, you can include any relevant experience you have in teaching or research/lab work. When describing your teaching experience, highlight your skills and explain how they relate to the job you are applying for. If you are a science student or research scientist, showcase your knowledge and skills related to research or lab work in this section of your CV.You can refer to this teacher resume writing guideline to know what and how to write. 9. Non-Academic Activities In addition to academic experiences, sharing non-academic information can also showcase your capabilities. Here are some examples: InternshipVolunteer workPersonal projectsExtracurricular clubs/teams 10. Languages Other Skills In addition to providing a detailed CV, showcasing your language abilities is also helpful. Consider adding your proficiency level when mentioning your other language skills (intermediate, advanced, professional working, or native/bilingual).You can refer to this article for more details aboutlanguage skills and proficiency levels on your resumeand CV. When crafting a CV, it's crucial to highlight your computer skills and other transferable skills that you've gained through education, internships, volunteering, and previous work experiences. These highly valuable skills can be utilized in various job roles and industries.For more details on how to write an academic CV, we have a separate article to walk you through a writing guidelines onhow to write an academic CV.Now that you know everything about academic CV, let's move on to how to write a CVwhen applying for a job How to Write a CV for Job Applications 1. Contact InformationSame as the academic CV, you must include your contact information in a job application CV so that recruiters know how to contact you. Contact information must include: Full nameProfessional titleEmailPhone numberComplete address (optional)Social media page or personal website (optional) Make sure to provide accurate details and a professional email address to ensure a successful recruitment process. 2. Career Objective This can go by the name of a personal statement, career objective, or summary of qualifications. This part is placed at the top of your CV and provides a summary of your skills and qualifications relevant to the job opening. Think about it as a self-introduction to hiring managers in order that they want to read on to know more about you. 3. Work Experiences 4 basic elements to include in the work experience section are:Organization/company name and its locationJob titleYour employment periodJob responsibilities and accomplishments 💡 Tip: You could also include part-time, contract, and freelance work as long as you can illustrate your skills.Read this article to learn more abouthow to write a work experience section on your resume/CV. 4. Education If you're a fresh graduate, it's essential to include detailed information about your educational background, highlighting the key learning and skills you acquired during your education. Remember to put this part before the employment/work experience section. In this section, you should cover the following elements: School name (with location)Degree levelMajor minorGraduation yearGPA (recommended if it’s high)Relevant coursework (recommended if it’s beneficial for your application)Academic honors (award, scholarship, publication) And if you're an experienced professional, consider going brief on this section, especially if you have three to five years of experience.💡 Tip: Avoid listing your GPA unless you have 3.5 and above. 5. Awards Honors Awards and honors which you have earned for going beyond average either in your studies or on the job should also be mentioned. Here are some examples of career-related prizes that can make your CV stand out from the crowd:Employee of the Month/YearTop PerformerEmployees' Choice AwardStudent honors To make your CV even more specific and convincing, including measurable achievements/responsibilities that led to receiving the award or honor would be beneficial. 6. Publications When applying for academic, research, or science jobs, it is crucial to showcase your published papers and contributions. This will showcase your expertise and exceptional research and writing abilities.Learn how to list publications on resume with recommended formats and example. 💡 Tip: When listing publications in a CV, consistent formatting is key 7. Conferences Presentations As long as the presentations you've made or conferences you've attended are relevant to the job requirements, adding them to your CV is always a good idea. Here are some great examples of conferences and presentations listed on a CV:Constitutional Law Colloquium, Houston, TX, October 2021Business Analytics and Decision Sciences Conference, Chang Gung University, Taiwan, August 2020 8. Skills As a job seeker, it's important to showcase your skills on CV/resume to hiring managers. To increase your chances of being considered for a position, it's recommended to list both soft and hard skills. Aim for five bullet points for each category. There are also 3 ways to structure the skills section: Expanded bullet listIntegrated with work experienceCategorized skills sectionA job application CV is somewhat similar to a resume, if you want to know more, learn how to write a resume with our ultimate writing guide and tips! We also recommend you to look at this resume format to know which one to choose when creating a job application CV.So, we hope that this article has been helpful to you. Let's have a quick recap: 🔑Key Takeaways:A CV full form is "Curriculum Vitae";It focuses mainly on the academic aspect, but can also be use to summarize your whole career in detail;A CV and a resume differ in terms of length, content, and intended use.A CV is one of the most important application documents across the globe, including Asia, the UK, the European Union, and New Zealand.Don't let resume mistakes hold you back. Scan your resume with our AI checker and get personalized recommendations to land more interviews. Scan Resume Now--- Originally written by May Luong ---

Graduating from college is a significant milestone to many, but it’s also terrifying. Waving goodbye to the past 22 years of hard toil doesn’t mean your life ahead is any easier. When it comes to job options, it can be tough to embark on the next journey. As a fresher, you might spend most of your waking hours at your new job for about two or three years; therefore before you recklessly pick your first job, ponder carefully. Here is the classic startup-corporate duel, do you prefer working for a startup or a big company? But first and foremost, let’s define what constitutes a startup and an established company. Next, we’ll delve into some inherent differences in terms of working culture and perks, etc.. After fathoming these two options, you’ll have a clearer picture of which to pick and what suits you better. Without further adieu, let’s dive right in.Further reading:How to Write a Professional Resume?｜Ultimate Writing Guide TipsStartup vs. Corporates What are established companies/businesses? A corporate job might invoke images of employees wearing suits and bringing a suitcase like Barney from HIMYM, or maybe boring board meetings where everyone has acquired how to doze off with their eyes wide open. These are outdated stereotypes, big companies do not equate to a stagnant environment. More and more companies are moving towards a start-up-esque environment; for example, employees can play foosball during brainstorming meetings to spark creativity; team members can also show solidarity during the process. Some enterprises also encourage internal entrepreneurship by incentivizing them with benefits. However, working in a corporate is less diverse because labor is highly specialized, every member in established companies is assigned to specific job tasks.If you happen to be a specialist, and you prefer to work systematically and methodically towards your goals, mature firms can offer you that. Besides, established companies with brawny balance sheets might relatively manage CSR and ESG better and initiate more radical changes to our society. A large portion of millennials put these issues on a pedestal. In fact, startups are also increasingly geared towards solving societal problems. What are startups? Not every startup founder works in garages, and even if they do, only very few have the potential to create another Apple. If you choose startups for the sake of free refreshments and flexible hours, I suggest you think twice. Startups are always evolving and dynamic; therefore, employees are expected to be resilient and adaptable to various scenarios. With a smaller employee base, a “generalist” is more suitable in startups where one can dabble in different tasks, from PM to advertising to editing or PR. That being said, the smaller the company, the broader the work. Evidently, it can be pretty stressful for a fresher to take on so many roles, but surely one will be rewarded with a wealth of knowledge and experience. As was mentioned, startups are more turbulent. According to the report released by CBinsights in mid-2019, here are the top 3 reasons for startups to fail:No market needRun out of cashNot the right team These are the Achilles heels of startups, not to mention the gloomy 2020 is bad news for all, but startups take the hardest hit. With a dooming market outlook and plummeting consumer confidence, resiliency becomes one of the key indicators of whether a startup can survive or not. 3 Main Differences Between Startups and Big CompaniesNow that we’ve defined some traits of startups and established companies, let’s take a closer look at some intrinsic differences between established businesses and startups. In the following section, we’ll talk about responsibility and autonomy, culture, and perks in both businesses and startups. 1. Responsibilities and autonomy Responsibility and autonomy go hand in hand. Given the looser job descriptions in startups, you’ll be given a variety of responsibilities while at the same time, you also have the say to make major decisions on your own. More responsibility thrust on your shoulders. It’s either a blessing or a curse: you receive accreditation or you take the blame. For those who enjoy using their initiative and dislike following the orders of bunky company policies, more autonomy equals more freedom. In a dynamic environment like startups, every employee wears all hats and you can expect to have a steep learning curve. Therefore, skill sets also grow at a fast clip. For freshers, startups allow you to know your preferences before deciding which specific skill you want to develop. But for others, the aforementioned features could be an added layer of pressure, they’d prefer a clear chain of command and lists of duties. They might prefer to work at established companies. In enterprise careers, the environment is more “tepid,” you won’t need to shoulder tremendous responsibility, even if mistakes are made, consequences won’t be so severe. In established companies, the working environment is more rigid and less flexible since company policies should be strictly followed. As for what exactly you will work on, established companies go with more specific job tasks, a “specialist” as some may term; freshers can hone skills they need as opposed to spending a lot of time on numerous tasks at startups. 2. Startup culture vs. corporate culture Before landing on a job, 80% of job seekers would consider a company’s mission, culture, or core values. But what exactly are they looking at? Providing endless beers from the kitchen fridge or foosball is too narrow to define startup cultures, let’s not conflate perks with culture. According to Glassdoor’s survey, 65% of 18-to-34-year-olds are likely to place culture over salary. In a nutshell, a good culture sets the tone for how your startup interacts with customers, suppliers, and stakeholders. There have been quite a lot of resemblances between startups and established companies with the latter catching up to offer more freedom to employees, but they’re essentially very different. Take orientation for example, in established companies, newbies are gathered on their first week to receive guides, manuals, and structured on-the-job training. Mentorship is quite common in established companies, you can turn to savvy veterans for instructions. While at startups, set-in-stone rules have yet to be established, rookies won’t be instructed with concrete guides telling them what the SOPs are. They mostly learn from hands-on experiences. But it also implies that rookies could be contributing to shaping the startup’s products or goals, values, and culture.Further reading:4 Things You Should Ponder on Before Working at a Startup An ideal working atmosphere should value problem-solving, open communication, rapid response, transparency, and a flat hierarchy where everyone is equally involved and actively engaging. Some other key virtues include business agility and resilience to adapt to internal and external pressures. You can find these in both startups and mature firms, but to value every member’s voice, it’s probably more viable in startups given that the employee base is smaller. An established company has too many employees to reach fair engagement. Hierarchy helps businesses manage their employees, and SOPs, rules, or practices help to resolve problems when crises emerge. 3. Perks: Stability, compensation, and benefitsStability Statistically, about 70% of startups fail, and failure is most common during the first two to five years. The beginning stages of startups are risky and vulnerable because securing seed funding is a huge task. Needless to say, you can expect more security in your job and less volatility when you’re working for a more established company than a startup. Or, pick a startup in the scaling stage, profitability is more foreseeable compared to ones that are still conceptualizing innovative ideas. In terms of crisis management, predictions are always hard to call, but a company with a big war chest is unlikely to go out of business soon, even after being hit by pandemics or economic crises, they are more capable of taking the brunt. Compensation and benefits As one can imagine, established companies have the whole package, retirement plans, 401K, child-care assistance, dividends…, needless to say, their startup counterparts have difficulties catching up with these cradle-to-grave benefits. But for freshers like you, it’s less likely for you to stick to your first job for 40 years, so retirement plans and child-care assistance might not be your priorities at this stage. As for salary, there’s no guarantee that established companies pay higher than their startup counterparts. Let’s put it this way, once a company survives the odds of failing, its employees can enjoy the benefits of bonuses or dividends. In some cases, in face of a dilemma between retaining talents and jeopardizing the fragile finance, startups might also offer equity in addition to salary. What do you personally need to succeed? After sharing three intrinsic differences between startups and established companies, it’s time to think about what you need to succeed. What is success to you? You have to consider all the aforementioned things, be it lifestyle, benefits, or work-life balance. Certain personalities fit in different working environments. If you thrive on taking risks, taking initiative to get the resources you need, and learning from trial and error, you can easily accumulate these experiences in startups. On the other hand, if you prefer that available wealth of knowledge in a less volatile environment, you might find a corporate position more comfortable. The typical startup-corporate duel has no definite answer assuring you which is better. Of course, you can always go for a mixed type, startups for the first couple of years and corporate next, or vice versa. No matter what, you got to think thoroughly about all the questions listed here. In which environment will you fully realize your potential? What kinds of work can offer lots of opportunities that you can adorn your resume with? What will help you climb up the career ladder fast? In what settings can you strike a healthier work-life balance? After reviewing major differences between startups and established companies, you have to think about what suits you best. Takeaways This guide helps freshers pave the way to understand what to expect, the ups, and the downs in startups and established companies. Knowing what you need and whether your needs can be fulfilled in either startups or established companies is key to a good start. With these basic distinctions in mind, do not forget the importance of Google! Every company’s culture and perks are still very different, do your research on both avenues, and take your personality, work style, your expectation, unique needs, and career goals into consideration. Please bear with me to repeat a few points. When you come out of a startup, you come out as a Jack of all trades, dabbling in everything from ground reality to bottom-up. While at a corporate company, the environment is more regimented and more secured. Less responsibility and autonomy, but this kind of environment can equip you with specific specialties. Working at enterprises or startups have their pros and cons, so think thoroughly before landing your first job. Make this journey worthwhile. With the intention of helping job seekers to fully display their value, Cake creates an accessible free resume/CV/biodata builder, for users to build highly-customized resumes. Having a compelling resume is just like a piece of cake! ➡ Create my Cake