Resume vs CV: What's the Difference?
Resume and CV get used interchangeably in casual conversation, but they're genuinely different documents with different expectations depending on the country and the role.
Length and depth
A resume is typically one to two pages, focused on relevant experience for a specific role. A CV (curriculum vitae) is longer and more comprehensive — covering full academic history, publications, and career details without the same trimming for relevance.
Where each is expected
In India, the US, and most corporate hiring globally, "resume" is the standard document for job applications. "CV" is generally reserved for academic, research, or medical positions, and is the default term used in Europe for what Indians would call a resume.
Content differences
A resume is curated — you choose what to include based on what's relevant to the job. A CV is closer to a full record: every degree, publication, presentation, and academic position, without much filtering for relevance to a specific application.
When you might need both
Academics and researchers applying to both industry and academic roles sometimes maintain both versions — a trimmed resume for industry applications and a full CV for academic ones. Most other job seekers only need a resume.
If a posting says "CV" but means resume
Especially in the UK and parts of Europe, "CV" is often used to mean what Indians and Americans would call a resume — a standard one-to-two-page document, not a full academic CV. Context and region should guide which version to send.