What’s a CV?

The word ‘CV’ is an abbreviation of ‘Curriculum Vitæ’ which is Latin for ‘course of life’. Some definitions of 'CV' describe it as a very long and detailed document covering career, education, accomplishments, etc.

What’s a résumé?

This is a quick and stand-out summary of your highlights, classically just a one-pager. It should catch the eye and make you stand out from the crowd.

What does ‘resume’ mean?

‘Resume’ is a word meaning restart or continue. Try not to use it in this context. Write résumé with those little accent symbols because that proves you have good attention to detail.

Is it a disaster if you always had them confused?

Definitely not. In modern Australia, the terms CV and résumé are pretty much interchangeable. So, the above definitions don’t really apply.

But whatever you call it, you can pick up details for writing one here.

Need more advice?

The TAFE NSW Counselling and Career Development Service is free for current and prospective students. They can help you choose a career direction and succeed in your studies at TAFE NSW

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