Many people do struggle with how to come up with a professional resume for a successful job search. People asked questions on the ingredients of a professional resume, and in addition, some wonder whether there is any difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae (CV).  This article answers the above questions and many more. Thus, at the end of this article, you will be able to address the following major points.

1. What is a resume?
2. What is the difference between a resume and a curriculum vitae?
3. Features of a professional resume.
4. How to prepare a professional resume.
5. When to prepare a professional resume.

What is a resume?

A resume is a short written description of one’s education, qualifications, employment history, and personal interests that you send to convince an employer on your capabilities and hence build a justification for why you are the best fit for the position in question.  On the other hand, a curriculum vitae (CV) presents a complete history of your academic credentials. In most cases, you send a CV

What is the difference between a resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A resume and a CV are used interchangeably in some countries like the United States of America and Canada. Yet, many people ask about the differences between a resume and a CV. The following are the main differences between the two terms.

• A CV is a detailed statement of one ‘s life and education credentials, while a resume is a concise picture of your skills and qualifications for a specific position.
• The length of a CV and a resume is different.  CV is 2 to 8 pages depending on your level of education, while a resume is 1 to 2 pages.
• A CV is mainly used for academic purposes, while a resume is primarily for a specific job application.
• A CV is universal and can be updated as you go on, while a resume is customized for each job you do apply for.

Features of a professional resume

A professional resume contains all the necessary information that a potential employer needs in making a decision as to whyou are a candidate that can be invited for an interview. Thus, A professional resume should be able to provide a potential employer with a quick overview of your experience, background, and skill. Such information entails the following:

• Your personal information such as contact address, date of birth, marital status, and children.
• An opening statement that briefly presents your overall objective.
• Your soft and technical skills. In this area, you should indicate your soft and technical skills acquired. List the skills relevant to the job in question. Do not forget to include appropriate software and computer programs you have mastered. Indicate the level of proficiency along with the respective skill.
• ether work history is a must put information. To present your work history, start with your most recent jobs by listing the positions held and the duration of that job.
• Your achievements and awards, if any. For the employer information on achievements, provide him/her your skills in action. A well-written achievements and awards section explains why the employer should pick you up for the job. In case you worked with projects, list the projects that you worked with and the role you had.
• If required, provide your leisure interests and hobbies. Leisure activities tell the potential employer something about your personality.

How to prepare a Professional Resume

You should note from the outset that writing a resume is an art and not a science. This means writing a resume is not forging your information in a certain template but rather putting the information in the right style. It would help if you further consider that through your resume, potential employers get what you are and what you have done in life through information on skills and work experience. Thus, it would help if you considered the following:

• Put yourself in the shoes of a potential employer and imagine the kind of style you love to see and read in a resume. The focus here is on clarity of information on why you would be a good fit for the position.
• When describing your accomplishment, you should use concrete examples.
• It would be best if you considered consistency in presentation, clarity, professionalism, and focused.
• You should always review your resume to fit the job you are applying for.

When to prepare a professional resume

For a successful job search, you need a well-prepared resume instead of an all-purpose CV. A professional resume is prepared when you know the type of the job with the specific requirements.