Career Planning

CVs

Three major differences between a CV (curriculum vitae) and a resumé are the length, the purpose and the layout. A resumé is a brief summary of your skills and experience over one or two pages; a CV is more detailed and can stretch well beyond two pages.

A CV has a clear chronological order listing the whole career of the individual, whereas a resumé’s information can be shuffled around to best suit the applicant. The main difference between a resumé and a CV is that a CV is intended to be a full record of your career history, while a resumé is a brief, targeted list of skills and achievements.

Most students do not have enough experience, publications or presentations to justify creating a CV, but we are available to assist in this process if you feel you need one.

Cover Letters

The cover letter works as a complement to your resumé. It articulates your skills and experiences in a more personable way through letter-writing. Usually, the best cover letters have good grammar and are short and straight to the point.

A good cover letter format should include three components:

• Salutation paragraph: Creates interest and states why you are writing
• Connection paragraph: Connects the job requirements with your experience on your resumé
• Call-to-action paragraph: Wraps up your letter by giving the employer their next steps in contacting you.