Curriculum vitae vs. resume: tips, tricks and templates

March 3, 2026

By: The Capella University Editorial Team

Reading Time: 11 minutes

OK, this is it: you’re ready to take the next big step in your career. But how are you going to show prospective schools, academics or employers what sets you apart from everybody else?

With an outstanding CV or resume.

Both a curriculum vitae (CV) and a resume are invaluable tools that help you showcase your skills, experiences and goals. But there are some core differences between these two documents, and sometimes a job application or research position requests one over the other.

Read on to find out the differences between a CV and a resume, tips on creating them and customizable templates to help you transform your resume.

What is a curriculum vitae?

A CV is a detailed chronological story that tells employers about your knowledge, experience and accomplishments, with a heavy focus on academics.

Curriculum vitae is Latin for course of life, which aptly describes its purpose in the job market.

You’ll often be required to provide a CV when you’re applying for an academic job or a research position. That’s because CVs offer a comprehensive picture of your academic range, interests and achievements.

The information in a CV generally includes:

Name and contact: Include basic contact information such as your cell number, email and website, so employers know how to reach you.

Education: List your degrees, institutions, areas of focus, academic achievements and other relevant educational details.

Teaching experience: Highlight your teaching roles, subjects taught and key accomplishments in educational settings. This is especially important if you’re applying for an academic position.

Research experience: Describe the research projects you’ve contributed to, including your role, methods used and outcomes achieved.

Work experience: Include relevant work-related skills and professional accomplishments for each position.

Accomplishments: A CV will often break accomplishments down by section, creating space for publications, presentations, awards, honors and affiliations.

CVs essentially provide a comprehensive overview of your professional and academic life, more so than a typical resume.

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So, what is a resume?

A resume is a concise document focused primarily on relevant work experience gained from previous jobs.

Think of it as your professional marketing flyer. Its main purpose is to grab the attention of a hiring manager or human resource professional so that you are considered for a job interview. It should be easily scannable and include details that set you apart from the competition.

A resume is normally the preferred document if you’re applying for a non-academic job or an internal promotion. That’s because it gives busy hiring managers a super-concise picture that showcases your relevant experience and top skills.

There’s no fluff, and every detail is tailored to the position to quickly illustrate why you’re a great candidate.

Here are the details you’d expect to see on a resume:

Name and contact: Include your full name and contact information so employers can reach you.

Summary paragraph: Provide a brief, one- or two-sentence overview highlighting your core goals or expertise.

Work experience: List your positions, dates of employment, relevant work-related skills and accomplishments for each position.

Education: Note your degrees and institutions, keeping this section concise and relevant.

Optional sections: Add relevant details such certifications or licenses, military experience or volunteer experience.

CV vs. resume: what’s the difference?

A CV and a resume might look similar. But there are three key differences that can help you decide which one to prepare when applying for your next role.

Content of a CV vs. a resume

A CV’s contents are a detailed record of your academic and professional background.

By contrast, a resume’s contents offer an overview of your most relevant skills and experiences for a specific role. A resume strips it down to the basics and normally only includes information that’s relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Length of a CV vs. a resume

Since a CV is a comprehensive chronicle of your professional life, it’s usually at least two pages long, and often more. There's no set limit – the document should be as long as needed to capture your full education and career experience.

Meanwhile, a resume is a one- or two-page document, depending on the amount of relevant work experience you have. That makes it easy for employers to gauge whether you’ve got the appropriate qualifications for consideration.

Purpose of a CV vs. a resume

Resumes are the standard document for most job or internal promotion applications. In contrast, CVs are used mainly in academic, research and medical settings where detailed career histories and publications are required.

Choosing the right format depends on your field, experience and the expectations of the position you’re pursuing.

Geographic location

In the U.S., CVs and resumes are considered two distinct documents with two distinct purposes.

In many European countries, however, these two terms are often used interchangeably. The same document can be adapted for either academic or professional settings, depending on the role.

If you’re applying for a job overseas, employers often expect a document that looks more like a CV – longer and more detailed than a U.S. resume – so focus on tailoring your content to the position and its requirements.

When to use a CV vs. a resume

An employer will normally state explicitly whether a CV or a resume is needed. In general, you would use them in the following situations.

When you should use a CV: A CV is typically required when applying for international, academic, scientific or research positions. Many teaching positions in higher education will require a CV to highlight academic experience.

When you should use a resume: A resume is the preferred format for applying for most jobs in the U.S. and Canada. Unless the application instructions specifically ask for a CV, you’ll need an updated resume for your job search.

Ready to write your CV? Here’s what you need to know

Writing a strong resume or CV starts with understanding what to include and how to present it clearly. Below are tips for formatting and tone, along with templates to help you craft each document effectively.

Writing your CV

The content of your CV should appear in reverse-chronological order by section, starting with education and academic achievements, followed by professional experience. Group this information into categories with subheads for easy reading.

The categories you include in your CV can differ slightly to match your professional experience levels or align with the role you’re applying for. For example, you wouldn’t want to include a grants section if you haven’t secured any.

Focus on depth and accuracy rather than brevity. Include relevant details about your education, research, publications and achievements. Aim for a document that grows with your academic career rather than one you’ll rewrite for each role.

Get started with this CV template

Never put together a CV? Keep these best practices in mind:

Be detailed and organized: Use consistent formatting and clear headings for each section.

Highlight academic strengths: Include research, teaching and publications where relevant.

Keep it current: Update your CV regularly as you gain new experience or achievements.

Tailor to your audience: Emphasize the elements – research, teaching or leadership – that align with your goal or institution.

Use parallel structure: Write each entry in a consistent grammatical format to ensure clarity and professionalism.

Work your way through this template and customize it to your needs.

Need to write your resume? Here’s what you need to know

Capella’s Career Development Center, available to Capella students, offers some excellent resources to help you make your resume stand out for the jobs you’re seeking.

As a Capella University student, you can find the Resume Review Tool along with samples and tips about best practices in the Resume Section of our website. Our Resume Rubric even allows you to evaluate your resume against industry best practices.

Writing your resume

Start with your most recent experience and focus on measurable outcomes. Use bullet points and action verbs to highlight key accomplishments, and weave in keywords from the job description to help your resume pass applicant tracking systems (ATS). Usually education and achievements are last, but if you’re new to the field you might want to list your education first.

Keep your design clean and skimmable. Hiring managers spend only seconds scanning each document. Avoid re-listing your entire job history; instead, focus on what best demonstrates your fit for the role.

As you write, keep these resume best practices in mind:

Be clear and concise: Use short statements that highlight results.

Keep it relevant: Focus on the experiences and skills that match the job.

Show results: Use numbers or concrete examples to demonstrate your impact.

Be authentic: Stick to the facts. Confidence and honesty make a strong impression.

Customize for each opportunity: Adjust wording and order to reflect what matters most for the role.

Maintain consistent grammar: Use the same structure and verb style in each bullet for clarity and polish.

Get started with this resume template

If you haven’t created a resume yet (or your resume needs a refresh), start with a clean, structured format. A concise template helps you focus on the essentials while leaving room to tailor your details for each opportunity. Keep your descriptions consistent by starting each bullet with the same kind of phrase, such as an action verb, to make your resume easy to read.

Here’s a template we’ve created to help you get started.

Level up your CV or resume with these tools

Using a CV or resume template is a great way to get started putting together a winning document. But there are also some essential tools you can use to jazz up your CV or resume and make it stand out from the crowd – particularly when it comes to visual presentation.

Some useful tools include:

Canva: Canva is an easy design tool with templates to create a visually striking resume or CV that pops. When using visual-heavy documents, consider excluding photos to prevent bias.

Grammarly: Grammarly is a next-level grammar app that ensures you avoid pesky spelling mistakes so your CV or resume isn’t thrown in the trash on arrival.

Zety Resume Builder: Zety is an AI-powered tool that combines design templates with content suggestions and keyword checks to make sure your CV or resume ticks all the right boxes.

Linktree: Linktree is an easy way to pool together digital copies of your resume, CV, conference appearances and published works in one place. It’s fast and easy to share if hiring managers get in touch to ask for more details about you.

(Capella does not endorse and is not affiliated with any of the tools mentioned in this article.)

This list isn’t exhaustive. There are loads of great apps and sites out there that can help you build a CV or resume that perfectly matches your career goals. So be sure to explore a few different tools, and don’t be afraid to combine different apps to help you create the ideal CV or resume.

Ready to start writing your CV or resume?

If you’re planning your next big move in academia or are looking to level up at work, you need to be able to showcase your achievements. That’s why it’s important for you to build and maintain a sterling CV or resume.

Regardless of which document you choose, remember to tailor your CV or resume to fit the position or course you’re applying for.

Both CVs and resumes should be accurate representations of your experience and education.

You can customize either document based on where you’re applying, what you know about the position, and relevant keywords and phrases from the job description.

Need help developing your CV or resume? Capella University students and alumni enjoy ongoing access to the Capella Career Development Center for career planning and advice.

Build your future with the skills that set you apart. Explore Capella’s career-focused online programs.

Frequently asked questions

Can I use a CV instead of a resume?

Yes. Sometimes you can use a CV instead of a resume, but it depends on what you’re applying for. A lot of employers prefer resumes, while CVs are expected for academic or research roles.

Is it better to write a CV or resume?

It depends on your career goals. A resume is ideal for most job applications. A CV is ideal if you’re applying for an academic, research or medical position that requires more detailed information on your qualifications and specialist knowledge.

What should you not put on a CV?

Don’t include irrelevant personal details like your age, marital status or photos. You should also exclude unrelated work experience, outdated skills or negative information.