What is the Difference between a Curriculum Vitae and a Resume?

For higher education positions, employers frequently want curriculum vitae (otherwise known as a vita or CV) instead of a resume.

A resume is an individually designed summary (usually one or two pages) of personal, educational, and experience qualifications intended to demonstrate fitness for a particular position or type of position. A resume focuses attention on an individual's strongest qualifications and develops them to fit the specific or general purpose for which the material is provided. (For more in-depth information see the UCS handout "Writing Resumes.")

A Curriculum Vitae is a document generally used instead of a resume for an academic audience. Therefore, it is a summary of education and experience qualifications as related to the interests of academia. Ph.D. candidates generally have a two to four page document, due to their limited experience. It develops over time into a comprehensive and lengthy statement detailing professional qualifications and activities. You can easily create a one- or two-page, tightly drawn version and a complete version to use for different purposes.

There are other audiences that will seek a CV (adapted for that audience and purpose) instead of a resume. For instance, a Ph.D. in Organic Chemistry seeking a position as a research scientist in a pharmaceutical company would typically use a vita. A Ph.D. in Economics seeking a position at the Commerce Department would also use a vita. If you are uncertain whether to use a CV, ask yourself “Am I sending this document to other Ph.D.s? Is my Ph.D. required for this position? Is my scholarship relevant for this position?” If the answers to those questions are yes, you are probably going to use a CV, which provides more detail about your academic background than a resume.