Difference between CVs and Cover letter - Where to use

CVs and Cover letter – When we go for a job interview, few documents really confuse us. In this blog, we will see the difference CVs and Cover letter.What is the difference?When to use, which document?What is the format of the documents?

Let see the difference between CVs and Cover letter and where to use them.

Is CV a Cover letter?

A cover letter is a brief of the profile, whereas a CV is a detailed and long document. A CV is a document that includes detailed information about your work experience and academic background. A Cover letter is a brief document that explains why you want to apply for the given job.

What is a CV?

This is a big question which generally confuses us. CV depends on where we are using this document.In the U.S., a CV or curriculum vitae is a long, detailed document. It enlists your work experience, skills, educational background and other academic achievements. This is used by people pursuing a career in academia. In the rest of the world, a CV is for any job. It looks exactly like an American resume. This document contains information about your experience, skills and educational background in regard to a specific job you are applying for. As the CV contains so much information, this document can go to several pages.

An academic CV consist of the following components:

Contact information
Research profile
Education details
Publications
Awards and Honors
Grants and Fellowships
Conferences
Research
Experience
Language and skills

What is a Cover Letter?

A cover letter is just like the way its name suggests. It is a letter that consists of the key points related to your experience and the skills that you possess. This cover letter will help you prove you as the suitable candidate for the job. A cover letter looks like a letter and gives you the opportunity to mention a real life examples of your expertise.

A general cover letter consists of following items:
Cover letter header
And Cover letter salutation
Cover letter introduction
Second paragraph that highlights experience and expertise
Third paragraph shows how you are a great fir in the company and the role
Cover letter ending with a call of action
Sign-off

What is the difference between CVs and Cover letter?

The main differences in the CV and Cover letter are as follows:

CV focus on your value, strength, expertise, skills, whereas cover letter focus on how you are fit for the job.
The content is very specific in CV and general in the cover letter.
The format of CV has lists and bullet points, where as cover letter is in the form of paragraphs and sentences.
The CV may be of several pages, whereas the cover letter is of 1 page.
The purpose of the CV is to apply for the jobs, whereas cover letter provides background information.

What is the similarity between CVs and Cover letter?

A CV and cover letter are complementary to each other. The CV lists the skills and experiences and cover letter describes the skills with the help of examples. All in all, if both CV and the cover letter are used together, it can have a great impact of yours on the employer. They help the employer to have your positive impact. I have got more career and communication advice and inspiration for you at www.anjujindal.com.

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About the Author: Anju Jindal

Anju is a trainer, entrepreneur, and career growth specialist who helps students, working professionals, women, and Job seekers to reach out to their goals by implementing a Career Growth plan