Curriculum Vitae vs. Resume Format

Have you always presented your experience in a curriculum vitae using a CV format when applying for positions in the past?

Do you want to move from an academic or medical position to the corporate world? 

Do you live outside the US, but want a job in the US or with an international office of a US company? 

To be successful in these endeavors, you will need to convert your existing curriculum vitae or CV format to a standard US resume format.  

There are several point to consider when converting your curriculum vitae to a resume.  Here are some guidelines to help you.

Standard Format for a Resume

Here’s the standard format for a resume:

  1. Contact Information
  2. Objective
  3. Professional Summary
  4. Work Experience
  5. Education
  6. Skills

If you are a recent graduate, your Education section would proceed your experience section and you would delete the Professional Summary section.

Ways A Resume Differs from a Curriculum Vitae

There are several ways in which a resume differs from a curriculum vitae.  Follow these additional points to prepare your resume in the expected format.  Each of these points relate to key areas where resumes differ from curriculum vitaes:

  1. Do not include personal information like height, weight, or marital status

  2. Use a bulleted format to highlight your accomplishments rather than lengthy paragraphs

  3. Avoid using first person “I” and “my” in your bullets, i.e. use “prepared report” rather than “I prepared a report”

  4. Limit the length of your resume to 1-2 pages

  5. Eliminate positions that you held 15-20 years ago from your resume to meet the resume length requirement

  6. Avoid listing hobbies and personal interests unless they relate to your target position