What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
A Curriculum Vitae, or CV, is a document detailing the whole course of your career. A resume provides fewer details, and is typically one or two pages long. A resume listing key facts about your career and your most important skills is the preferred document for most applications. However, a CV can be required for academic positions in North America or when a job offer asks for as much detail as possible on your experience and studies. To never use the wrong term and document, read our guide on the key differences between a CV and a Resume. If you think you need a resume, download our resume templates instead.
What is the best CV format in 2025?
There are two main CV formats to use in 2025: the classic chronological CV format and the more original skill-based CV format. As a CV is mostly used for academic positions, we strongly recommend using a typical CV template that will list your experience, diplomas, skills, and achievements with the right structure. If you believe your main strength is having a wider set of skills, you may want to try the skills-based CV.
Which is the best template for a CV in 2025?
The best CV template to use in 2025 must look professional, modern and simple. A good curriculum template should easily extend to multiple pages, as a professional CV is typically longer than a resume and requires as much room as possible. In our online CV maker, you don’t have to worry about having a compatible CV template, as all our templates layouts dynamically adapt to the content you input, ensuring your document looks professional in every way.
What to put on a CV?
A curriculum vitae template should be filled with the following information:
Each of these sections must be carefully crafted, especially since a curriculum vitae is to be filled with plenty of detail. For help on the whole process, read our guide on how to write a CV.
How long should a CV be?
A CV that’s too short (one-page long) may be the sign of a candidate with not enough experience, while a CV that’s too long might discourage the recruiter, and show that you struggle to pick the relevant details only. For a job, your CV template can be two to four pages long, depending on your experience. For an academic position, there’s no limit to a CV’s length, as the recruiters in those fields won’t be surprised even by a 10-page CV. Read our guide on the ideal CV length to make sure you’re building your curriculum vitae template the right way.
Do you have CV examples to help me write the perfect CV?
Our CV maker will guide you with career experts’ tips, and pre-written content for each step of your CV sections. While you will be able to drag and drop most of the content for your curriculum vitae, you will still need to adapt all sections so that they match your profile and experience. To help you out, we have crafted hundreds of free CV examples for many different jobs.
Can I make an academic CV with these templates?
For a job, a resume may suffice; but for an academic position, you will need a curriculum vitae. All our CV templates are usable for both purposes, and can have as many pages as you need (the templates will dynamically adjust to theamount of content). If you need help with such a CV, here's how to write an academic curriculum vitae.
Should I use a PDF of a Word/Doc CV template?
When sending your CV template, you should always opt for the PDF format. This file format will ensure your curriculum vitae template keeps its layout and that all the information displays correctly, even if the employer is using a different device or software than yours. In our builder, you can download CV templates in Word, to be edited later, or in PDF, to be sent immediately.
Are those CV templates good for applying for jobs outside North America?
In North America, Australia, and other countries, a resume is different from a CV. But everywhere else, a resume is identical to a curriculum vitae. That means our CV templates can be used to apply everywhere in the world, as they respect the typical layout and format of a CV, while allowing you to add a photo, more pages, etc. If you're not sure whether a CV is what you need, here's the exact definition of a CV.
Is a CV template the same thing as a curriculum vitae template ?
Yes, a CV template is the same as a curriculum vitae template. CV is simply the acronym for Curriculum Vitae, and these terms can be used interchangeably, both when talking about a CV for a job and an academic CV. We still recommend the use of CV rather than curriculum vitae whenever possible, for example in your PDF file name, to reduce its length and make it easier to read for employers.
Are Zety CV Templates free?
All of our CV templates are free to use and fully customizable online. You can create as many CVs as you like until you're completely satisfied with the result—without paying a cent. At Zety, we believe in letting you try before you buy, and you won’t be asked for payment until your CV is ready to send to employers. You can also download your CV as a .txt file for free at any time. Our pricing starts at just $1.95, with a 14-day money-back guarantee if you're not completely happy with the service. Check out all of our plans on our pricing page.
