Curricula Vitae (CVs) versus Resumes
What this handout is about
This handout explains what a curriculum vitae (CV) is, how it differs from a resume, and how you can decide which one to use. It also includes a list of campus resources, helpful online tips, and recommended reference books. (Please note that this handout covers American usage of the terms “CV” and “resume.” The word “resume” may also be spelled “résume” or “résumé.”)

Before you start
To decide whether to submit a CV or a resume, you will need to determine which of them most appropriately fits the criteria provided by the employer, grant agency, or scholarship or internship committee who will be reading your application. Often, the application instructions for a particular position will state whether a CV or resume is requested. If you are unsure, it is worth your time to contact the agency and ask which would be most appropriate for the position.

What is the difference between a resume and a CV? What do they typically include?
Let’s start with a quick overview of resumes, since they are more familiar to most American writers than CVs. A typical resume is a general and concise introduction of your experiences and skills as they relate to a particular career or position that you are aiming to acquire. As such, a resume may have to be altered for each position that you are applying for so as to emphasize those skills and experiences most relevant to the work. Resumes are usually no more than one page in length. They are often accompanied by cover letters, which provide a permanent written record of the transmittal of the resume (what is being sent, to whom it is being sent, and who sent it).

A typical resume will include the following information:
Name and Contact Information: your residential address might be most appropriate,
especially if you do not want your current employer to know that you are looking for
another job!
Education: a listing of your degrees or certifications and educational institutions or
programs.
Work Experience: names of the companies or organizations that you have worked for, the
location of each company, the dates worked, your job title, and duties performed.


In contrast, a CV is a fairly detailed overview of your life’s accomplishments, especially those most relevant to the realm of academia. As such, these documents have their greatest utility in the pursuit of a job in academia or research. Because academic researchers are often working on and completing many projects and teaching responsibilities simultaneously, it is wise to think of a CV as a living document that will need to be updated frequently. A typical CV for someone in the beginning stages of his or her graduate school career might only be two or three pages in length, while the number of pages of a more seasoned researcher’s CV may run into the double digits. In both CVs and resumes, information within sections is usually organized chronologically.

A typical CV will include the following information:
Name and Contact Information: contact information for your current institution or place of employment may work best, unless you do not want your colleagues to know that you are job-hunting.
Areas of Interest: a listing of your varied academic interests.
Education: a list of your degrees earned or in progress, institutions, and years of graduation. You may also include the titles of your dissertation or thesis here.
Grants, Honors and Awards:[b] a list of grants received, honors bestowed upon you for your work, and awards you may have received for teaching or service.
[b]Publications and Presentations: a list of your published articles and books, as well presentations given at conferences. If there are many of both, you might consider having one section for publications and another for presentations.
Employment and Experience: this section may include separate lists of teaching experiences, laboratory experiences, field experiences, volunteer work, leadership, or other relevant experiences.
Scholarly or Professional Memberships: a listing of the professional organizations of which you are a member. If you have held an office or position in a particular organization, you can either say so here or leave this information for the experience section.
References: a list of persons who write letters of recommendations for you, which includes their contact information.

Additional considerations
Use common sense when formatting. There are no universal guidelines for how to format or organize a resume or CV. However, some commonsense guidelines may apply. If you are concerned that your resume or CV might appear too busy or misaligned, click on Print Preview in your word processing program and evaluate the consistency of your use of space in the document. Fonts and font sizes: go with the flow It is a good idea to stick to commonly used fonts such as Times New Roman or Arial when creating a resume or CV. Fonts such as Bauhaus or Old English Text might have their place in other writing projects, but these might distract the reader and pull their attention away from the content you want them to read. Perhaps with the exception of your name, the use of a uniform font size throughout the document will also keep the reader focused on your accomplishments.

Cover letters
In a cover letter, keep your remarks brief. Your opening should explain what you are sending and why. In an optional second paragraph, you might include a summary of the information you are sending. A letter accompanying a proposal, for example, might point out sections in the proposal that might be of particular interest to the reader. The letter could then go on to present a key point or two explaining why the writer’s firm is the best one for the job. The closing paragraph should contain acknowledgements, offer additional assistance, or express the hope that the material will fulfill its purpose.

The following are samples of cover letters. The first letter (Sample #1) is brief and to the point. The second letter (Sample #2) is slightly more detailed because it touches on the manner in which the information was gathered.
(Sample #1)

Your Company Logo and Contact Information(Not mandatory)
January 23, 2015
Brian Eno, Chief Engineer
Carolina Chemical Products
3434 Pond View Lane
Durham, NC 27708

Dear Mr. Eno:
Enclosed is the final report on our installment of pollution control equipment at Eastern Chemical Company, which we send with Eastern’s Permission. Please call me collect (ext. 1206) or email me at the address below if I can answer any questions.


Sincerely,
Nora Cassidy
Technical Services Manager
ncassidy@company.com



(Sample #2)

Your Company Logo and Contact Information
January 11, 2005
Brian Eno, Chief Engineer
Ecology Systems, Inc.
8458 Obstructed View Lane
Durham, NC 27708


Dear Mr. Eno:

Enclosed is the report estimating our power consumption for the year as requested by John Brenan, Vice President, on September 4. The report is the result of several meetings with Jamie Anson, Manager of Plant Operations, and her staff and an extensive survey of all our employees. The survey was delayed by the transfer of key staff in Building A. We believe, however, that the report will provide the information you need to furnish us with a cost estimate for the installation of your Mark II Energy Saving System.

We would like to thank Billy Budd of ESI for his assistance in preparing the survey. If you need more information, please let me know.

Sincerely,

Nora Cassidy
New Projects Office
ncassidy@company.com
Enclosure: Report



Fellow Nairalanders, I hope this helps in framing your Resume, CV and Cover letter.
I wish you successes in search of your dream job/alternative or auxiliary that meets your cognitive criteria.

Best Regards

Itulah.

Nice one Itulah. Well done.

This how i write mine. I drafted it myself on February 2015 without any copy and paste and has been getting interview invite this March 2015. Give it a shot

Dear Sir,

Is your company's philosophy meant to promote the culture of excellence through Operational supports? Then, you have yourself a result-oriented Chemical Engineer who would improve on the existing platform.

I'm passionate about new challenges of which i have always been able to rise to and perform effectively despite tight deadlines and little support. I've also got transferable skills and want to contribute greatly in promoting your company's culture of excellence and help deliver superior value as the new PRODUCTION ENGINEER.

I'm the best candidate for this role as detailed on my CV. As well, i'm cheaper and can offer more worth to the company than someone who is experienced. Therefore, i believe that a lower investment with high potential is better than someone who gets paid lots of money whose full capabilities are unknown.

Thanks for your consideration.

Yours Sincerely,
Elsevier