CV
CV vs Cover Letter: Difference and Benefits of Each
CVs and cover letters are used to apply for jobs, posts and academic positions. There are differences between CVs versus cover letters, though. Here, we’ll explain both and give tips to nail each!
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Differences + benefits of CVs vs cover letters
Cover letters and CVs are documents used to apply for jobs or academic roles. However, they have different approaches, formats and content.
A cover letter is concise, whereas a CV is extensive and can run anywhere from two to eight pages. Your CV provides in-depth details about your professional history and educational qualifications, whereas a cover letter briefly outlines your motivation for applying.
Check out this chart, which gives a side-by-side comparison and examples to help you better understand each.
Cover letter vs CV: the differences
CV
Cover Letter
See more: CV and cover letter examples.
Next, we’ll get into the fine details about what you need to include in each document to impress employers.
However, if you’re ready to launch into creating your documents, check out our best tool for the job, our CV Builder. It can help you make resumes and CVs, plus it comes with access to our Cover Letter Builder.
Since the builder is fully automated, it can help you complete your documents in 15 minutes!
What is a CV vs. a cover letter? Parts of each + tips
CVs and cover letters work in tandem to make a convincing case for why you deserve a job. Next, we’ll look into more detail about what each document consists of and what each should achieve to be successful, starting with the CV.
What is a CV?
A CV (short for curriculum vitae) is a detailed document that outlines your skills, educational background and work experience. It’s similar to a resume but longer and contains more sections and a greater focus on your academic history.
In many countries, CV and resume mean the same thing. However, in the U.S., CVs are primarily used for academic, research and scientific positions and have more sections.
Like a resume, what you include in a CV consists of the five primary sections:
- Your contact information
- Professional summary or objective statement
- Skills
- Work experience
- Education
CVs often include additional sections:
- Awards and Honors
- Languages
- Research Projects
- Publications
- Conferences
- Grants
- Teaching Experience.
You can see how other candidates customize their CVs by checking out some CV examples.
Similarly, if you need help finding a design you like, we have a collection of CV templates. Professional designers created these templates so you can skip formatting and jump straight to plugging in your information.
What is a cover letter?
A cover letter is a standard business letter highlighting the key points and accomplishments in your history that prepared you to be a good fit for the role.
Moreso than a CV or resume, a well-written cover letter expresses your personality and allows you to explain why you’re a great fit for the position. It lets you tell a story about what motivates you or how you’ve made significant achievements in your career.
The general cover letter format follows this organization:
- Header featuring your contact information
- The recipient’s address
- A salutation and greeting
- An introduction paragraph
- Two to three main body paragraphs
- A closing paragraph
- Professional sign-off phrase
- Your name or signature
Seeing their parts, it’s clear that a cover letter and CVs are very different. However, how they fit together can powerfully impact your job chances!
CV vs cover letter: similarities + how they complement each other
CVs and cover letters are similar in that they aim to help impress the person deciding to give you a chance. They work together to do so.
You could think of the relationship between a CV and a cover letter as a map and compass.
The CV serves as the map, laying out the terrain of your professional journey listing your skills, experiences and achievements. Meanwhile, the cover letter acts as the compass, guiding the reader through the CV by providing direction, purpose and a personalized narrative explaining why you want this opportunity.
Make sure that your CV and cover letter work hand-in-hand to portray you as the perfect candidate! One good strategy is to have a cover letter to tell a story about one of the achievements your CV mentions.
It’s also good to ensure the documents have matching designs to show your attention to detail and professionalism.
Example of a matching CV and cover letter:
Cover Letter
Our resume builder comes loaded with 6 pairs of matching CV and cover letter templates!
Key takeaways
- CVs and cover letters are documents used to apply for jobs and opportunities.
- Understanding the distinction between a CV and a cover letter is vital for optimizing your application.
- A CV outlines your skills and experiences comprehensively, while a cover letter shares your motivations and personality.
- CVs typically include more sections than a resume or cover letter.
- In contrast, cover letters follow a standard business letter format, highlighting key points from your history.
- Just as a map and compass work together, a CV provides the roadmap, while a cover letter offers direction.
- Ensure both documents complement each other and have matching designs to convey professionalism.
Our Cover Letter Builder makes crafting the perfect cover letter and CV easier.
This automated tool guides you through the process, ensuring your letter highlights your unique strengths and captivates employers.
Don’t miss out on your dream job because you didn’t use the best modern tools.
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