CV vs Resume

Are they different? Yes, I did not realize the difference until the second year of my PhD degree, and was using the two terms interchangeably. So, here is a quick summary of the two.

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a collection of your entire education, skills and experiences. It is long and expands over time, but the existing content does not change. It has a standard format, and follows a chronological order.

A resume is a 1-2 page document that describes your objective, education, skills and experiences relevant to the job position that you are applying. It needs to be edited with respect to the job position that you are applying for, specifying how you are a good fit for that job opportunity. It has no specific format. Always use active voice. For example, I developed a web application, instead of, a web application was developed by me.

Pleasing Words for a PhD Student

I decided to share my thoughts over this topic, after I received a notification email today, about my paper being accepted for publication in a conference. I am sure many would agree with me on the following two words as the most pleasing to the eyes and ears of grad students.

1. Congratulations!

Every time I open a notification email-- before I read anything else-- I scan the magical word 'Congratulations'. If I am lucky enough to find it-- before even reading the rest of the email, I reach the state of Euphoria, shoot for my phone and flood my friends and relatives with the news. Only after an hour or so when I am satisfied with the compliments and applause from everyone, I relax and read the whole email :-).

2. Free!

This word has much more importance and power, keeping in mind the low salary of PhD students. I and my fellow grad students are usually aware of any event or talk where free food is being served. We consider it our obligation to attend events with free food and stuff, even if they are not remotely useful to us.