Explanation of the difference between the roles of a resume and a CV, and how to write each item.

2024.04.02

  • Career Advice
履歴書と職務経歴書の役割の違いから項目別の書き方まで解説

When changing jobs, it is basic to submit a resume and curriculum vitae to the company to which you are applying. However, many people may not understand the difference between a résumé and a curriculum vitae, and end up writing both in the same way.

Since the roles of a resume and a CV are different, writing them in the same way may not appeal to the right person and may result in the candidate being eliminated from the selection process. In this article, we will explain the differences between the roles of a resume and a CV, both of which are indispensable for job-hunting activities. In addition, we also explain how to write each document and what to keep in mind, so please refer to this article if you are planning to create one.

What is the difference between a resume and a CV?


履歴書と職務経歴書の違いとは?

While a resume and curriculum vitae may seem similar, they actually have very different roles. If you understand the role of each, it will be easier to convey your appeal to the hiring manager. We will explain in detail what the differences are.

Role of the Resume

 A résumé serves the role of "a brief summary of an applicant's profile. In addition to personal information such as name, address, and contact information, the resume should include information on education, employment history, qualifications, and motivation for applying for the position.

Through this information, the applicant's personality and basic information are confirmed. These documents are useful to get a general idea of the person. We will also get an idea of "why you chose our company" and "how much you want to work for us" from your resume, based on your motivation for applying.

Resumes are formatted in a standardized format, and although the format may differ, the content of the resume is almost the same. Some are commercially available, but you can also download templates from the Internet.

Role of the Curriculum Vitae

The role of the resume is to "confirm the applicant's past work experience and what he/she can do after joining the company. While a resume has a standardized format, a work history can be written in any format. Generally, it should include the work you have been involved in and the skills you have developed, the skills you can make use of when you join the company, and your personal PR.

This allows the hiring manager to determine if the candidate is the kind of person the company is looking for and to confirm that there will not be a mismatch after the candidate joins the company. Because of this role, it is important to clearly demonstrate your accomplishments and strengths through your past achievements when writing your resume.

How to write a resume [by item].


【項目別】履歴書の書き方

Now that you understand the difference between a resume and a CV, let's move on to creating each document. First, we will explain how to write each section of a resume. In this section, we will discuss academic and professional background, personal PR, and motivation for application, which can be particularly confusing to write.

Academic and professional background

When listing academic background, only the year of graduation should be written for compulsory education (elementary and junior high school), and the year of enrollment and graduation should be written for senior high school and above. All names of schools and departments should be written in their official names.

Many people may be confused as to whether the Japanese or Western calendar should be used when writing the year. Basically, it does not matter whether you choose the Japanese or Western calendar. However, it is necessary to make it consistent with either one or the other, otherwise it will be difficult for recruiters to read. Also, if the company you are applying to specifies the Japanese or Western calendar, be sure to write according to the specification.

In your work history, list the names of the companies you have joined or left and the year in which you joined or left them, using their official names. Detailed information can be written in your resume, so there is no need to go into detail in your resume, but if you have left a job, please include a brief explanation of why you left.

When you have finished writing all of your educational and professional background, conclude with "That's all.

Self-PR

The self-publicity section is used to promote your selling points, such as your strengths, skills and abilities that you may be able to utilize in the job, and so on. It can be written in a sentence or a bulleted list of your selling points.

If you choose to write in sentences, please be aware that you should not only briefly describe your strengths, but also include specific episodes that can prove them. If you use bullet points to summarize, briefly list the things that appeal to you and then supplement the content with text.

However, since a personal PR section is also provided in the resume, more detailed information should be written in the resume.

Reason for applying

The company you are applying for wants to know the following three points through your motivation.
 

  • Will you work for the company for a long time after joining?
  • Will you make the most of your strengths and play an active role in the company?
  • Are you highly motivated to work for the company?

It is important to include these three points in your motivation for application. You should also show that you are willing to take positive action after joining the company.

In addition, it is important to start with a conclusion when writing your motivation. After the conclusion, you can connect it to specific reasons and episodes to make it easier to convey the message.

The volume of the text depends on the space available on the resume, but 200-300 words is recommended. Too many words will make it difficult to convey the content of your message, while too few words will be seen as a sign of low motivation.

How to write a resume


【項目別】職務経歴書の書き方

Next, we will discuss how to write a resume. Although the items in a resume are the same or similar in some respects to those in a résumé, it is important to be more detailed than in a résumé.

Job Summary

The job summary is a brief summary of your work history. It is an easy-to-understand introduction from the beginning of your working career to the present. Since this section serves as a synopsis that leads to the next section, it is important to keep the text to about 100 words and to the main points.

Since this is the first sentence of your resume, it is important to be aware of the content that will attract the interest of the hiring manager. For example, you may want to include specific figures, such as "Sales increased by 20% over the previous year as a result of my proposal.

Work Experience

In the "Work Experience" section, you should describe what you have done and your achievements at each of the companies you have worked for.
 

  • Company name
  • Period of employment
  • Company size
  • Department and position you held
  • Details of the work you have done
  • Achievements

Since a long resume can be difficult to understand when written, it will be easier to read if the resume is written in bullet points. It is also important to include specific numbers to make it easier for the hiring manager to visualize your work history.

It is important to note that your work history is not a chronological record of your career. It is not enough to just write your work history. Try to write about work history that is central to who you are today and that appeals to the company to which you are applying in a way that is easy to read, while keeping other content brief.

PR points and innovations

In the section of "Ingenuity/PR points," you should write about the achievements you have made in your work history and the ways you have tried to improve your work to achieve results. By enhancing this section, you will be able to convey your approach and awareness to the job to the hiring manager.

However, there may be some people who do not have many achievements that stand out in the work history section, or have difficulty presenting achievements due to the basic nature of their routine work. Even if you do not have many accomplishments or find it difficult to present your accomplishments, it is possible to make them appealing by using creative ideas and PR points.

For example, if you do not have many accomplishments, try to emphasize how you worked on the job or project, even if it did not lead to major results. For example, "I tried to respond to each customer in a personalized manner," or "I made a notebook of the characteristics of customers who visited the store once and shared it with the staff so that they could respond appropriately the next time they visited the store.

If your work was based on routine tasks, show what you were aware of or worked on to improve the efficiency and accuracy of your work. For example, you can appeal in the direction of "I identified issues in routine work to improve efficiency, and as a result of implementing improvement measures such as XX, I was able to reduce overtime by about 10 hours per month.

Qualifications and Skills

Although there is a section for listing qualifications on your resume, in the section for qualifications and skills in your resume, please give priority to those that you can utilize in the company to which you are applying. Qualifications should be listed by their official names, and the date of acquisition should also be listed.

By writing qualifications and skills that are highly relevant to the job for which you are applying, you can show that you can make use of those qualifications and skills after joining the company. However, since this is only supplementary information, please be brief and use bullet points.

If you do not have any qualifications or skills that could be utilized in your work, it is acceptable to write "None in particular. Please note that if you submit a blank space, it may be suspected that you forgot to write something.

If you are currently studying for a qualification, you can show your positive attitude by stating that you are currently studying for it. In that case, you should state that you are "studying to acquire".

Self-PR

There is no problem if your personal PR has the same content as your resume. In fact, it is more likely to leave a lasting impression if the content is the same and consistent. However, it is important to be more specific in your resume, rather than word-for-word the same.

In addition, while you can only write in a limited space on a resume, you can use a larger space for your personal PR section in a resume. By using a larger space, you can include information that you could not write in your resume.

In terms of writing, a combination of bullet points and sentences will make it easier to understand. For each point that appeals to the reader, introduce specific episodes and accomplishments in writing. It is recommended that you keep your resume to about three lines per appealing point so that it does not become too long.
 

Things to keep in mind when writing your resume or CV


履歴書や職務経歴書を書く際に注意すべきこと

Your resume and curriculum vitae are important documents that will lead to an interview. There are several points to keep in mind when preparing your resume and curriculum vitae in order to make the interviewer want to meet you in person. Here we will explain what you should pay attention to.

Does your resume match the requirements of the job?

First, make sure that your resume and CV match the requirements of the job you are applying for. Companies that are looking to fill a position have a certain level of detail about the type of person they are looking for, and it is their basic policy to hire people who match those requirements. Therefore, no matter how excellent your performance was in your previous job, if you do not fit that profile, it is unlikely that you will be hired.

If your experience and skills match the requirements of the job you are applying for, but you are often unsuccessful, there may be a problem with the way you have written your resume or CV. Check to make sure that the writing style is correct and that the document is easy to convey to others.

Are there any misspellings or misinformation?

Once you have created your resume or CV, be sure to check it for typographical errors before submitting it. A misspelled word does not necessarily mean that you will be rejected immediately. However, fatal errors such as mistaking the name of the company to which you are applying, or too many misspelled words and phrases may result in rejection.

In addition, if you provide incorrect information and leave it as it is, even if it is unintentional, it may be considered fraudulent in some cases. It is also important to check for errors in names and dates. If you notice any errors after you have submitted your application, please contact the recruiter by e-mail if the error is minor, or call or e-mail the recruiter if the error is serious, and then submit a correctly rewritten application.

We recommend using a PC rather than handwriting.

When writing a resume or CV, it does not matter whether it is handwritten or written on a PC, unless otherwise specified by the company. This is because the method of writing is not a factor in the hiring decision. However, if you have a choice between handwritten and PC resume, it is better to choose the PC method.

While handwriting tends to convey an impression of care and enthusiasm, it also takes time and effort to create a single page. In particular, a resume can be very time consuming, as you will be filling in a lot of information. If you are applying to more than one company, it can be very time consuming.

With a PC, you can create your resume more efficiently, and the conversion and proofreading functions make it easier to avoid typos. You can also keep data, so you can brush up on the content as you go along. Also, since you will be using software such as Word and Excel, it is a good way to show off your PC skills.

Summary: Understand the roles of your resume and CV and create them!


まとめ:履歴書と職務経歴書の役割を理解して作成しよう

In this article, we introduced the differences between a resume and a CV and how to write one. A resume and curriculum vitae are more than just a profile of yourself and your background.

By following the tips on how to write them, you can effectively promote yourself. It is important to understand the roles of a resume and a CV, and to distinguish between the two.

"UNITED WORLD" also offers one-on-one job search support by dedicated career advisors. At that time, we will also provide support for resume and CV writing, so please contact us if you have any questions or concerns about your job search.

Talk to United World about 
career change.

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