Before we dive into a powerful strategy for writing a convincing CV, we need to clear up one common source of confusion: the difference between a CV and a résumé.
The Curriculum Vitae
A CV (curriculum vitae) is a detailed, comprehensive record of your professional life.
It is often used in academic environments and in medicine. It lists everything: education, work history, publications, awards, conference presentations, teaching experience, and more.
Length is generally not an issue; some academic CVs run over 10 pages.
The Résumé
A résumé, on the other hand, is short (often just one page) and highly selective.
It’s a targeted application document designed to show why you’re the right fit for one specific job. Instead of listing everything you’ve done, it highlights the most relevant skills, experiences, and achievements for that role.
| Aspect | CV | Résumé |
|---|---|---|
| Length | No strict limit; can be 2–20+ pages depending on experience. | Usually 1 page for early-career, 2 pages max for experienced candidates. |
| Scope | Delivering an overview of the applicant and his/her potential; including a complete career history | Summarizing relevant information for quick assessments |
| Detail | Lists everything – every position, paper, talk, course taught, affiliation.. | Selective – only includes experiences that demonstrate qualification for the job at hand. |
Why “CV” Often Means “Résumé”
The phrase curriculum vitae has been used since the 19th century in academic and medical circles to describe a formal, detailed record of someone’s professional life.
Résumé, French for “summary,” was adopted into English in the early 20th century, especially in the US. It became established and popularized as business culture grew, where employers preferred a quick, focused snapshot rather than a full biography.
Here’s where it gets tricky: trends from the US have influenced hiring language globally.
As a result, in Europe or Asia, companies often use the word CV even when they’re really looking for a résumé-style document.
In other words, if you submit a 12-page academic-style CV for an industry role, your key points will likely get lost.
Why Brevity Is Key
If you apply for an industry job anywhere outside the US or Canada, you may need to read between the lines to determine whether they want a résumé-like CV — which is very likely. The reason this shorter format is so widely adopted is:
- The first screen is fast — hiring managers often take only 20–60 seconds to decide if you move forward.
- Relevance beats completeness — your document should show why you fit the role, not everything you’ve ever achieved, especially because business roles are often focused on one function.
- Industry values productivity — they care about practical experience and measurable achievements, not publications, presentations, or posters.
What Each Contains
To drive the point home, here’s a list of what a common CV and résumé should contain:
| Résumé / Industry CV | CV |
| Name & Contact information | Name & Contact information |
| Summary or objective (often only when no cover letter or statement is requested) | Education (all degrees, with details like thesis title & advisor) |
| Work experience (only what is relevant to the role, achievements quantified when possible) | Academic positions & employment history (including internships) |
| Education (brief, often only latest) | Publications (books, journal articles) |
| Skills section (no soft skills, only what is directly applicable to the role) | Grants, fellowships, and awards |
| Conference presentations and invited talks | |
| Professional affiliations and memberships | |
| Service roles or Volunteering (editorial boards, committees, peer review) |
Some Nuances
Academic CVs usually list sections chronologically – earliest education, publications, and positions first.
Industry résumés use reverse chronological order, highlighting the most recent and relevant experience for quick scanning.
That said, even an exhaustive CV in reverse order is unlikely to hurt your chances (it didn’t for me when applying at Max Planck).
A Photo?
In countries like Germany, France, Spain, China, and Japan, professional headshots on CVs are common and often expected.
In some regions, they’re part of standard application culture, though modern non-discrimination rules sometimes discourage them.
In the US, Canada, UK, and Australia, photos are generally discouraged for most roles
How to Create an Outstanding Résumé/CV
Start by avoiding basic mistakes. If you’re applying for an industry position in the US, read the job specifications carefully — and don’t send an eight-page list of every conference you’ve attended.
My top 3 tips:
- Focus on relevance. Only include what directly supports your application for this role. Even if you’re an excellent fit, if the hiring manager can’t spot your key qualifications in 10 seconds, you’re unlikely to get an interview.
- Dig deep, but don’t be overly creative. If you’ve never worked in industry, you may struggle to list qualifications. Adding related skills can help, but keep your document concise rather than forcing connections that don’t exist.
- Show measurable impact. In an academic CV, you can simply list publications or research topics. In industry, back up achievements with metrics: Did you design a complete workflow? Attract a certain number of attendees? Secure funding? Quantify what you accomplished.
> Putting together your first industry application can feel overwhelming — it’s the same for everyone.
That’s why, in our course, we guide you step-by-step through creating a strong résumé/CV. We’ve collected examples and best practices to help you feel confident and save time.
If you’d like to join, just let me know here.