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Whether you’re applying for academic roles, research positions, or medical jobs, understanding what a CV is and how it differs from a resume is essential.
Learn what a curriculum vitae is, when to use one, and how to create a CV that clearly shows your experience, education, and achievements.
A CV, or curriculum vitae, is a job application document that tells your full career story, from your work history to your academic achievements. CVs are long documents. You should update them often to show your new accomplishments, skills, and experience.
Depending on the country, a CV can mean different things and fit different job seekers.
In the United States, a CV is a job application document similar to a resume, but it's typically reserved for certain roles. In the U.S., CVs are mainly used to apply for jobs in medicine, law, academia, or entertainment, where your full education and experience are relevant.
Outside the U.S., a CV is the standard document job seekers use to apply for jobs across industries. Sometimes, "resume" and "CV" are used interchangeably, depending on the country where they apply. For instance, an employer asking for a one- or two-page CV generally means a resume-like document.
Although the resume and the CV share the same purpose of helping you land a job, in the U.S., they differ in many aspects.
A resume is a short job application document. It highlights your most relevant work experience, skills, and accomplishments. Unlike a CV, a resume is usually one to two pages long and tailored to each job application.
You can read more about CVs and resumes or skip ahead and get a customized curriculum vitae tailored to your target job with our CV Maker.
CVs and resumes are job application documents used in the U.S. and other countries for different purposes. Use this comparison below to see which document fits your needs.
If a resume seems like a better fit for your needs, check out our resume builder, which creates a customized resume tailored to your job's needs.
Although the resume is the most widely accepted job application document in the U.S., a handful of industries will expect you to apply with a more traditional curriculum vitae.
Those pursuing an MD or applying for physician roles may benefit from submitting a medical CV that highlights research, publications, lab experience, and work completed during residency.
In law, CVs are common for students, graduates, and attorneys. They highlight cases, research, conferences, and key publications that firms expect.
Education professionals may benefit from an academic CV that highlights their degrees, achievements, and teaching experience for roles like principal, professor, or superintendent.
Research roles often require a CV that showcases research experience, publications, fellowships, and grants in academia, a lab, or a research firm.
If you're applying in one of these fields and need to write a curriculum vitae, explore our customizable CV examples for the job you want.
Choosing a CV format depends on your job or industry. Unlike resumes, which have three resume formats to choose from, you can mix any of the 12 standard CV sections to create many custom CV formats.
Build your resume effectively with these key sections.
Contact information
Include your basic details, as shown in the curriculum vitae example.
In clear sentences, mention your best skills and qualifications, like in the example, on your CV.
However you title this section, it lists your top skills and abilities.
Highlight specific achievements from previous jobs using numbers and active language.
List your school background here, and keep only the basic details you see here.
If you have notable academic achievements, list them in a separate section.
Feature any books or articles you’ve published in papers or academic journals.
Presentations, lectures and exhibitions
Note any events that you’ve facilitated, presented, or helped to organize.
certifications, professional licenses and affiliations
List accreditation and group membership that show your industry skills.
If you want to write a CV from scratch, follow these tips to make the most of your curriculum vitae and improve your chances of landing the role you want.
First, place the needed contact details clearly at the top of your CV. Add the following:
Write a CV summary that highlights your most relevant qualifications. For example, you can include:
Check out this CV summary example for ideas:
"Economics professor with 9 years of service in higher education. Demonstrated expertise in economic theory, curriculum development, and teaching methods. Proven record of research and publications in academic journals such as the Quarterly Journal of Economics. Passionate about mentoring students in their education and career goals. Adept at interdisciplinary collaboration and strong communication for clear knowledge sharing."
Include a work history section that lists the jobs you've had in your field.
This section should include the following:
To strengthen this section, learn the difference between responsibilities and accomplishments. When you write your CV's work experience section, replace general job duties with specific achievements that set you apart.
You can also improve your CV by adding numbers, such as dollar amounts and percentages, to support your achievements. These are called quantifiable accomplishments.
Here's how these tips look in a CV work experience section:
Research Assistant | IU Health University Hospital – Indianapolis, IN 03/2018 – 9/2025
When you're comparing a resume vs CV, one key part of the curriculum vitae is the core qualifications section. Like a combination resume format's summary of qualifications, this section gives employers a quick look at your most relevant professional skills.
This section includes a few professional skills or short phrases that describe your skill set and how you used it in past roles.
Consider using this section to add relevant keywords from the job description. Identify the skills and qualifications listed there that you have. Then place them near the top of your CV.
Check out this example of core qualifications in a CV:
Core Qualifications
In a CV, the education section is very important and should give a clear view of your strongest accomplishments.
Your CV's education section should include the following:
If you have multiple degrees, list them in reverse chronological order. Start with your most recent degree and work backward.
You can also add these details to tailor your education section:
Check out this example of a CV's education section:
Education
Master's of arts in Caribbean Literature
Harvard University — Cambridge, MA
Honors: magna cum laude, Recipient of The Lurcy Fellowship 2022
Bachelor's of arts in Women's and Gender Studies
University of Puerto Rico — San Juan, PR
Minor in Literature
Once you complete these five main CV sections, you can tailor your CV with sections that fit the role.
For example, a lawyer might add sections for publications, research experience, and teaching experience. A translation professor might benefit more from sections for languages, conferences, and affiliations.
Here are some of the sections to include in a CV:
Need more ideas? Check out these CV samples for different jobs and career stages.
Economist
Lab Director
Lawyer
Librarian
Nurse Practitioner
Physician
Principal
Professor
Research Assistant
Teaching Assistant
Television Writer
Translator
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