Cover Letter vs Resume: What’s the Difference?

What is a cover letter vs a resume?

A cover letter is a letter you write to explain your background and why you’re applying for a job, as well as to invite the hiring manager to schedule an interview with you.

A resume, on the other hand, is a document that lists your work experience, skills, and education in a standardized format.

Key differences between a cover letter and resume

Cover letters and resumes differ in three main ways:

Purpose

The purpose of a cover letter is to tell the employer who you are and why you’re applying for the job.

In a cover letter, you can introduce yourself according to your unique situation and explain why you’re a good fit for the role:

• If you’re a recent graduate, you can explain why your education and interests make you suited to the job you’re applying for.
• If you have work experience, you can explain what you enjoy about your career and what you’ve accomplished over time.
• If you’re changing careers, you can link your experience to the job you’re applying for and make connections that are not obvious on your resume.
• If you have an employment gap, you can explain how it happened and what you did during that time.

The purpose of a resume is to list your qualifications for the job, including your work history, key skills, education, as well as anything else that is relevant to that specific role, including publications, projects, etc.

Your resume should include all of your relevant work experience from up to the last 10 years that fits on 1 page, including bullet points that explain what you accomplished.

Format

Cover letters and resumes follow completely different formats.

Cover letters

The standard cover letter format is a business letter addressed to the hiring manager or team.

It usually has the following sections:

1. Header: List your contact details (name, phone number, email address).
2. Salutation: The best cover letter opening is Dear [Mr./Mrs./Ms.] [Hiring Manager’s Name].
3. Introduction paragraph: Introduce yourself as a candidate to the employer in your first paragraph.
4. Body paragraph(s): Your second and third paragraphs should show how your skills, experiences, and accomplishments match the responsibilities listed in the job description.
5. Concluding paragraph: Start by expressing your enthusiasm for the opportunity, and suggest setting up a time to meet for an interview. Then, thank the hiring manager for their time.
6. Sign-off: No need to get creative here. Just write “Sincerely,” followed by your name.

Resumes

The standard resume format contains the following separate sections:

1. Contact details: Include your full name, email address, phone number, and LinkedIn or portfolio URL (optional).
2. Objective/summary: Your resume introduction summarizes your key qualifications and skills.
3. Work experience section: Your work experience section is where you list your previous job titles or any roles you’ve held that are relevant to the job you’re applying for.
4. Education: List your school names, highest degree earned, and majors and minors.
5. Skills: Include any skills from the job ad that you have, because these are the skills that employers are looking for in a candidate.
6. Optional sections: You can add other relevant sections to your resume, such as languages, awards, internships, or volunteer work.

Tone

You should write your cover letter with a more personal tone than your resume.

In a cover letter, you speak directly to the hiring manager, introducing yourself and your background, and expressing your professional goals for the future.

In a resume, you list your accomplishments in a way that makes you stand out to employers.

Frequently asked questions about cover letters vs resumes

Here are answers to some additional questions about cover letters vs resumes.

Is a CV a cover letter?

No, a CV is not a cover letter.

CV stands for curriculum vitae. Generally, “CV” is another term for “resume”.

In the US, CV refers to a specific document, sometimes called an academic CV, which is the application document used by academics, college professors, and scientists.

Outside the US, in the UK, Europe, New Zealand, and South Africa, “CV” is just another name for a resume and follows the same layout.

A cover letter differs from both, as it’s a one-page letter written to accompany either a resume or a CV.

Should my cover letter match my resume?

Yes, your cover letter and resume should both have the same contact details, such as your name, phone number, email, and LinkedIn profile.

We also recommend using the same font, color scheme, and design across both your cover letter and resume to make your application look more professional.

However, the content of your resume and cover letter should be different. Your cover letter should provide context to the skills and achievements listed on your resume.

Want an easy way to keep everything consistent? Use our matching resume templates and cover letter templates to create a cohesive, professional application.

Do you need a cover letter for a resume?

Whether you need a cover letter depends on what the job opening asks for. Every job application requires a resume, but they don’t always require a cover letter.

We recommend always writing a cover letter as it adds a personal touch to your job application and can help you stand out as a candidate. The only time you shouldn’t include a cover letter is when the job listing tells you not to.