what is bio data resume

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Biodata vs. resume or CV: What’s the difference?

Biodata for marriage

Medical biodata , what should a work biodata include, biodata personal info, biodata summary/profile/objective, biodata employment history, biodata education section, biodata skills section.

If you’re not from India or neighboring countries, you may have never heard the word “biodata.” But it’s a commonly used document in South Asia for job applications — and even for matrimonial purposes, in which case it’s also known as a “marriage resume.” 

What does ‘biodata’ mean?

Short for “biographical data,” biodata is sometimes said to be nothing more than an antiquated term for a resume or CV. But there are also key differences, as a biodata typically provides more personal information than would normally be found in a resume/CV, including age, gender, marital status, religion and other personal details. 

What does a biodata include?

Plenty of confusion is possible in defining a biodata and what it should contain, precisely because of the different types of biodata and their uses. 

Biodata for personal use

Below are the two most common types of biodata for personal use.

A marriage biodata can describe a significant number of personal details, such as the person’s height, weight, race and complexion — all of which would be unthinkable to include in a resume or CV. A marriage biodata is a unique type of document in this regard, where professional credentials are replaced with mainly individual information pertinent to potential matrimonial goals.

Biodata for marriage purposes usually includes information about one’s parents and siblings, including their occupations, education and where they live, as family status can be very important in Asian cultures in determining whether a man and woman are a suitable match for marriage. 

In fact, just about anything you might be curious about in seeking a life partner can be relevant in a biodata for marriage: whether you smoke or drink, your hobbies and interests, whether you’re a vegetarian, and even horoscope information. But little or none of this belongs on a biodata submitted in search of a job .

Another type of information sometimes requested is medical biodata, which might include blood type, genotype and any information on disabilities, allergies or health conditions like asthma. 

Medical biodata may be required by schools or employers to assess a candidate’s overall health, or for use in case of a medical emergency. For the same reason, “Next of kin/emergency contact” may be included in the medical biodata.

But this is another type of information that would never be included on a normal resume or CV.

By the way, if you’re wondering about the differences between a resume and a CV , the words usually (but not always) mean the same thing, although the word “resume” is used in the U.S. and Canada and the word “CV” (curriculum vitae) is more common in other countries. 

So while medical biodata (or simply biodata) may refer to a similar document, it’s a word you’ll typically hear only in South Asian countries, including India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal and Afghanistan.

Biodata for a job

You can easily take Western resumes as a solid basis for a work biodata, but be mindful of the subtle nuances mentioned above, as well as any regional details that may be relevant. Remember to conduct research about the position and the employer before writing the document, just as you would for a resume or CV.

This YouTube video, produced by the Centre for Languages and Communication, provides a detailed overview of the difference between resume, CV and biodata application documents.

Like a resume or CV, biodata for employment should include five basic components: personal info, a summary/profile (or an objective, depending on your career status), work history, educational credentials, and job-related skills. If you review resume.io’s detailed guide to how to write a resume , most of that advice is applicable to a biodata as well.

Other than personal info, all of these components of a work biodata are virtually identical to those of a resume or CV. One exception: employment and education history are usually presented in chronological order in a biodata for work, while reverse chronological order is favored for resumes and CVs.

What does CV stand for, and what is someone asking for when they require a CV? Curriculum vitae (CV) means “course of life". It's usually a short summary of a job candidate’s experience and qualifications. But in some cases it refers to an “academic CV,” a much longer document used in academia to highlight educational experience in greater detail.

This is the tricky part of creating your own biodata — how much personal information you’re expected to include.

Some employers offer forms to fill out that specify all the information they’re seeking, eliminating the guesswork for you about what to include. But for those that don’t, here are some guidelines:

As in an ordinary resume, biodata persona info includes: your name, occupation, address, phone number and email. All of these would normally appear in the header of a resume.

• What about date of birth? To prevent age discrimination, this is normally not included in Western resumes, but would not be unusual in a biodata, so include this if you wish.
• Gender or race? These are not included on ordinary resumes for the same reasons, to prevent any hiring discrimination, although your gender may be obvious from your name, and both gender and race may be obvious if you include a photo . (For that matter, some employers discourage the use of photos in Western resumes.)
• Nationality? This may or may not be relevant, though a person from one country applying for a job in another may face visa or work permission issues.
• Religion? This is generally not an employer’s business, though if you’re applying for a job with some religious affiliation, it may be prudent to mention yours.
• Parents’ names , occupations and education would generally be irrelevant to an employer. So would your marital status, height, weight and complexion.
• Hobbies and interests are sometimes included even on Western resumes and CVs, although it’s generally not recommended unless these have some bearing on your job-related skills. But these are considered totally acceptable in a biodata.

Known alternately as a biodata summary, profile (or resume objective if you’re facing a career change), this is a paragraph of text under the header that describes your occupation and professional specialization. It may specifically state your employment objective — exactly what type of job you’re looking for — or this may be obvious if all the experience you mention is in the same field. 

This summary often omits the word “I” and isn’t necessarily written in complete sentences. (For example: “Elementary school teacher with 12 years of experience teaching grades 1-3, now seeking a challenging position in a private school instructing grades 4-6.”) 

This is the one place in your biodata where you have the liberty to describe yourself and your professional qualifications in your own words. It should be thoughtfully written to present yourself in the best light possible, ideally making a hiring manager sit up and take note that you sound like a promising job candidate.

Always include your employment history in a biodata, resume or CV — unless you have none because you’re still in school. However, in such a case you should include any internships or volunteer work you’ve done in fields relevant to the job you’re seeking.

If you have a long job history, you may opt to leave out some jobs unrelated to the field in which you’re seeking work. The rule of thumb is to not go beyond the last 10 years of employment and five to eight previous jobs (depending on how long their descriptions or lists of achievements are).

When listing past jobs, include where they were and how long you worked there. List bullet points describing what you actually did there. Be specific, using facts and figures whenever possible — sales figures, the number of clients you handled, percentage revenue increases you generated, etc.

As noted, it’s somewhat more common in biodata to list jobs in chronological order (first job first), but reverse chronological order (last job first) is often also acceptable as with traditional Western resumes.

List your high school, any colleges or universities you attended in your biodata education section , the years you studied there, and any degrees obtained. You can also highlight any special achievements, such as a high grade point average or academic awards you received. 

If you have any special certifications in your field, you can also list those here. And again, it’s more common in biodata to list past schools in chronological order.

If you have a university degree, it’s sometimes considered unnecessary to include your high school, although there’s no harm in doing so.

As in a resume or CV, a biodata will generally contain a short list of job-related skills, such as computer applications you know how to use or languages you speak. 

The skills section often includes a mix of soft skills (“people skills” like collaboration and communication) and hard skills (“expert C/UNIX programmer,” for example).

Do your best to avoid clichés that recruiters have seen a thousand times before, like “Self-starter” or “Detail-oriented”. Try to use original language highlighting skills that most other job candidates won’t have on their list.

Biodata format

Most of the design and formatting rules that apply to resumes and CVs apply also to the biodata format. A one-page document is usually considered ideal for busy hiring managers to scan quickly, although it’s not unusual to see a biodata that's two or three pages. 

All biodata formats should start with an attractively designed header containing the candidate’s name and contact info. Additional personal info may be displayed along one side of the page.

The job candidate’s profile/summary/objective should come under the header. This is generally followed by work experience, and then by education, although if a candidate has impressive educational credentials but thin work experience, the education section can come first if you want to format your biodata as a fresher.

The skills section is often a vertical bullet list that can be displayed on one side of the page, perhaps below the personal information.

Biodata template

The template for a biodata doesn’t look all that much different from a resume or CV that would be submitted in any country. It just includes a little extra information that a resume elsewhere would not.

Key takeaways

• “Biodata” is sometimes used interchangeably as an antiquated term for resume or CV, but is generally not common or familiar outside certain countries in South Asia.
• The key difference between these documents is the amount of personal information that a biodata typically contains — normally excluded from a resume or CV — and sometimes the purpose for marriage or applications requiring a medical history.
• Biodata for a job application should include the same information that a resume or CV would contain, for the most part structured the same way: personal information, summary, employment history, education and skills.
• How much personal information you include in a work biodata depends on the employer’s expectation and relevance to the position, while assuring protection from hiring discrimination

Best of luck in your job hunt! Whatever field you’re in (or whatever country), you can count on resume.io for occupation-specific advice and a top-of-the-line online resume builder to boost your career!

Biodata Resume Format [Guide & Examples]

Hunting for a job can be a bit of a jungle. Just picture all the different ways of describing the same role in a company like Account Manager. An Account Manager is easily also a Client Relations Manager, a Sales Manager, an Account Supervisor, a Business Development Manager, and a Customer Success Manager. The same holds true for the documents we need for a job search. There is the classic resume , a CV , cover letters , and now also a biodata. 

However, a biodata is not for everyone. In the following you will learn everything about questions such as: 

What is a biodata? 

Who uses a biodata , biodata vs. resume - what are the differences , what should i include in a biodata .

• Biodata example 

A biodata, short for biographical data, can be several types of documents. Here are four biodata definitions: 

• An alternative word for a resume or CV  in South Asia
• A supplement to a classic resume
• A document used for marriage purposes
• A form used to collect personal data for use in research and certain institutions

The biodata formats we’ll be focusing on here are number one and two; an alternative word for a resume and/or a supplement to a classic resume . 

So, a biodata is just another word for a resume or CV. However, in a biodata you will typically put a lot more emphasis on information that you wouldn’t normally add in a classic resume . For one thing you would never add information about your religion or skin color in your standard American resume or in a European CV. However, this is quite standard information in a biodata. More on this later in the article. 

First let’s take a look at who uses a biodata. 

A biodata is mostly, if not exclusively, used in South Asia. More specifically in India and Bangladesh. Here, there is a tradition for using a biodata instead of a resume . 

The term bio-data is mostly used when people apply for government jobs, or for research grants where one has to submit descriptive essays. Biodatas are not common in the international markets where personal information like age, gender, and religion are considered too sensitive to be submitted by candidates for job positions.

But that’s actually not all it’s used for. A biodata is also often used as a form of marriage resume. However, we will not be going into detail with that particular use of biodata in this article. Our focus will be on the use of a biodata in relation to a job search. 

Now, as I mentioned earlier, you’ll probably notice that there are several documents when it comes to a job search process. There’s the resume, the CV, the cover letter , and now also the biodata. But what exactly are the differences between them? 

We’ve already covered the differences between the American resume and the European CV here . So in order to make things easier for now we’ll equate the resume and the CV here. Meaning CV is to be understood as equivalent to the American resume. 

Okay, now that we’ve got that settled, let’s look at some of the differences between a biodata and a resume. 

Let’s take a look at what to include in your biodata for job search. There is some standard information but also a lot of other information you can include if necessary. 

1. Add a profile (or summary)

First of all, you should add a profile text for your biodata. Or maybe you’re more familiar with the terms summary or objective. The three terms are more or less the same and will appear at the very top of your biodata document. 

Make sure you highlight your strong personal traits (also known as interpersonal skills ) while you at the same time show the recruiter how the company will benefit from hiring you. Blend in your work history as well. 

Whenever possible, highlight your achievements by using numbers to quantify your results. 

Profile biodata example

Software Engineer with 8+ years in the IT industry. Highly skilled in developing and testing mobile apps. Identified and fixed up to 92% of software bugs affecting apps’ stability. Eager to leverage coding skills to improve the quality of life of average users, and help company XYZ grow rapidly.

2. Personal information

The next part of your biodata should include your personal information. There are some mandatory pieces of information that you should always include but also a lot of extra information you can add depending on the specifications in the job ad. 

See the list below for inspiration. 

• Current position
• Phone number
• Email address
• Contact details
• Place of residence
• Postal address
• Date of birth
• Nationality
• Marital status
• Parents’ names
• Character traits

Notice: If you’re applying for a job in a western country a lot of the above information will be considered either too sensitive or even inappropriate to add to a resume. Specifically this applies to numbers 7 through 20. 

3. Education

In the next section of your biodata is your education. Here you should add all relevant information such as school, years of attendance, and any relevant activities, achievements, or course work. Make sure you add the information in a chronological order.

Education biodata example

2005—2013

Mumbai Public School 

Activities:

Member, Math Club Class V-VII 

2013—2017

1. K. Bagrodia Public School, Rohini

High School Diploma

Member, Math Club, Class IX-XII

Member, IT Club, Class IX-XII

2017—2019

Bachelor of Computer Science

University of Mumbai

Specialization: Designing, implementing, and maintaining system software

4. Work history

This last part of your biodata is almost self explanatory. Here you add your work history - your professional experience and skills . But don’t just name a list of all the companies you’ve worked for your entire life. There’s much more to this part than that. 

First, you should try to note down the keywords from the job ad. If the description looks anything like this: 

Role and responsibilities: 

• Design, develop and maintain applications for various devices.
• Write well-designed, testable code.
• Modifying existing code to add new features

Then it will be safe to say that the company is looking for someone with experience within app design , development , maintenance , coding , testing , analysis , and modification . 

Your time to shine. Use the words from above to write your previous work experience into your biodata. Show the employer that you’re able to fill the role by tailoring it to match their needs exactly. 

Work history biodata example

June 2019—present

Freelance Software Engineer

• Designed and developed a grocery shopping app for iOS that uses voice commands to add individual items. The app slashed average consumer’s grocery shopping time time by up to 95% while increasing basket end value with 45%
• Modified and upgraded the code of a work out app that allowed it to display members’ signups in real-time
• Stress tested an Android taxi-hailing app for a startup company

Key takeaways

Nowadays, a biodata format is primarily used as an alternative resume format (or CV format if you prefer). It’s most common in certain South Asian countries and should follow this build-up: 

• Profile / objective / summary
• Personal information
• Work history 

If you’re ready to start building your own job search documents, click the button below here and check out our resume templates. 

Go to Resume Templates

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What is Bio Data? Biodata Format vs. Resume

Are you a fresh graduate or a young professional in India looking to kickstart your career? Do you find yourself confused about the terms "bio data" and "resume"? Well, worry no more! In this article, we will dive into the world of bio data and provide you with all the information you need to understand its significance in the job market.

What is Bio Data?

Unlike a traditional resume, Bio Data is a comprehensive document that provides detailed information about your personal background, educational qualifications, skills, work experience, and achievements. It serves as an essential tool for employers to assess your suitability for a particular job role.

Difference Between Bio Data and Resume

While both documents are used for job applications, bio data and resumes have distinct characteristics. A resume is typically concise and focuses on highlighting your key skills and work experience relevant to a specific job position. On the other hand, Bio Data offers a holistic view of your personal attributes along with your professional accomplishments.

Bio Data Format

Bio data can be presented in various formats depending on the specific requirements or cultural norms of the industry or organization. However, it generally includes the following sections:

• Personal Information: This section includes details such as name, contact information, date of birth/age, gender, nationality, etc.
• Family Background: Here, you provide information about your immediate family members, including their names, occupations, and educational backgrounds.
• Educational Qualifications: This section allows you to list your academic qualifications from school onwards, along with any additional certifications or training programmes completed.
• Work Experience: Include all relevant work experience in chronological order, along with job titles held and responsibilities undertaken.
• Skills: Highlight your key skills that are directly relevant to the job you are applying for.
• Interests/Hobbies: Mention your hobbies and interests to give potential employers a glimpse into your personality.
• References: Provide the contact details of individuals who can vouch for your character and work ethic.

Bio Data Sam

Personal Details

Name: Ravi Sharma

Date of Birth: June 15, 1990

Contact Information: Mobile - +91 XXXXXXXXXX | Email - [email protected]

Educational Background

Bachelor of Engineering (Computer Science), ABC College

Class XII (Science), XYZ School

Work Experience

Software Developer at XYZ Technologies (2015-2020)

Developed web applications using HTML/CSS and JavaScript

Collaborated with cross-functional teams to deliver high-quality software solutions

Proficient in programming languages such as Java and Python

Strong problem-solving and analytical skills

Excellent communication and interpersonal skills

Languages Known

English, Hindi

Available upon request

Unlock Your Career Potential

Remember, your Bio Data is a representation of who you are as a professional. It should be well-structured, accurate, and tailored to the job you are applying for. WiZR is here to support you on your career journey by providing career guidance, skill assessment tools, and access to financing options for upskilling programmes.

1. Can I use my resume instead of my bio data?

Yes. In most cases, resumes are widely accepted by employers. However, certain industries or companies may specifically request a bio data format.

2. Should I include personal details like hobbies and family background in my bio data?

Including personal details like hobbies and family background depends on the industry and organisation you are applying to. If these aspects are relevant or showcase unique skills or experiences that align with the job requirements, it can be beneficial to include them.

3. How do I ensure my bio data stands out?

To make your bio data stand out, tailor it to each job application by highlighting relevant experiences and skills. Use concise and clear language, showcase measurable achievements, and ensure proper formatting and layout. Double-check for any spelling or grammatical errors before submitting.

4. Do all countries accept bio data for jobs?

Yes, while the use of bio data may vary across countries, it is widely accepted in India and other nations as a comprehensive document for job applications.

5. Which is more relevant: bio data or resumes?

Both bio data and resumes have their merits. However, in India, the use of bio data is more prevalent due to its detailed format that allows candidates to provide comprehensive information about their personal, educational, and professional backgrounds.

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What is the difference between a Resume, CV, and BioData?

• Rahul Ranjan
• April 17, 2021
• No Comments

In the world of Job Hunting, we have three contenders: The Resume, The CV and the Biodata. Which will come with you and showcase your skills the best and get that job you want for a long time. 

There are three contenders, The Resume, The CV and the Biodata. All three are different and work differently in different stages of their career.

Use The Right Tool At The Right Time

Getting a job becomes a very difficult endeavor, if you don’t even know what you are dealing with. Getting the wrong tool for a specific job profile is like cooking with the wrong ingredients. The result will be a horrible-tasting dish. Don’t make this mistake.

Before we delve into the core differences between them, let’s run through the basics of what is the difference between these as fast as we can. So here it is:

Are CV and Resume the Same Thing

Although we have cleared your doubts. You must be wondering whether these two can be interchangeable or the same thing. Let’s Look  at these one by one to clear the doubts like Can I replace CV with Resume or Can we send CV instead of Resume or Do employers Prefer CV or Resume or How can we convert CV to resume . We will clear all the doubts related to it soon.

What is a Resume?

RESUME is derived from the French word résumé which means summary. A resume portrays an overview of one’s education, experience, and competencies. A resume is used to apply for a new job/position. A resume should be kept 1 to 2 pages long, precisely best if kept in one page. The resume should be tailored according to the targeted position.

In today’s job market resume is a very, very essential tool, your resume can make a whole lot of impression on the potential employer. Most people have the impression that a resume will get them hired, but it is wrong. Employers want to know the potential of a person before they decide to see them. A resume is a tool that will get you an interview and potentially the job.

Key Pointers of Resume

• A resume is just an outline of your qualifications and specific skills it does not require elaboration. Best if kept in bulletins.
• A good resume should start with a brief candidate profile, a summary of the qualifications, trailed by the areas of expertise, and the professional experience in specific keywords represented in reverse chronological order. It focuses on the recent experience and summarizes previous experiences. Professional affiliations, computer skills, and qualifications follow after work experience.
• List only relevant certifications and skills related to the targeted position.
• Do not include irrelevant information such as gender, nationality, hobbies, DOB, or father’s name.

Read More: What to Put for Additional Information on a Resume + Examples

What is a CV (Curriculum Vitae)?

CV is derived from the Latin word Curriculum Vitae which means “course of life”. A CV is more comprehensive than a resume, ranging from 2 to 3 pages. Curriculum vitae typically list all your qualifications, skills, professional affiliations, and experience in chronological order.

Key Pointers of CV (Curriculum Vitae)

• A CV exhibits general skills and expertise rather than focusing on particular skills for a particular job.
• A curriculum vitae contains detailed information relating to your education, professional experience, skills, awards, honors, fellowships, publications, certificates, and much more, unlike the bulletin points in the resume.
• A CV could be 2 to 3 pages long but depending on the criteria it can be longer.
• CVs are mostly used by post-secondary institutions i.e, is to apply for research positions or other teaching positions.

What is a Biodata?

A BIO-DATA is the outdated term for Resume or C.V., it is the short form for Biographical Data . Bio-data emphasizes on personal information such as date of birth, religion, sex, ethnicity, nationality, residency, marital status, and so on rather than on professional information.  Although details of education, work, and other qualifications are included eventually.

Key Pointers of Biodata

• Bio-data is uncommon in Western countries, it is mainly in play among the South-Asian countries such as Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, and Pakistan.
• In India, bio-data is used while applying to government jobs or it is used mostly during marriage arrangements where parents try to dig up information about the opposite party.
• Bio-data has no page limitation, and it can be customized for the purpose of marriage, it must contain all your personal information and your salary details mandatorily and it does not really require your education or professional experience details.

The Difference between Resume, CV, and BioData

Advantages of having a Professional resume

• Your resume will help you stand out in the crowd.
• Your resume will draw the recruiter’s attention, and keep them engaged and interested. So, that you can bag an interview.
• Resume acts as the guidelines for your profile.
• Strongly describes your skills and accomplishments.
• Highlights the right credentials.
• Helps employers understand what you are capable of bringing to the table.
• Getting a resume professional done by resume writing services in India Will parch through the applicant tracking system .
• A professionally drafted resume lets you make a strong first influence and clutch the attention of recruiters and hiring managers.
•  By highlighting your achievements, you may exhibit how you may make contributions to the success of the business enterprise and differentiate yourself from other applicants. 
• A properly-crafted resume allows you to stick out from the crowd and function as a top candidate for the job. 
• By highlighting the competencies and reveling in most applicable to the placement, you could show recruiters and hiring managers that you are a quality candidate for the job.
•  A well-crafted resume will let you land an interview faster, saving time for each of you and the hiring group. It indicates that you have taken the time to cautiously present your qualifications and reviews, which could help employers trust in your talents

When to use what

After you have cleared the doubts regarding whats the difference between CV or a Resume you must be wondering, which job requires which type, whether you should take a CV or Resume or a Biodata for the next job interview.

Well, the Biodata is already out of the question, as it’s just the basic details about your life, so the employer will get zero idea about your academic or career life.

When to use a resume ?

• A resume can be used for getting a job in the specific sector or industry and highlight the different career achievements, work experience and relevant skills.
• The resume should not exceed beyond 2 pages plus the resume is format most commonly asked in major countries like, European countries, USA and India, etc. 

When to use a CV?

• If you are going to apply in any type of research or academic field and you need to show every detail of all research and academic activities you have done till now, you need a CV.
• A CV can be a lot longer than a resume depending upon the candidate’s research work and other details that’s going to be added to the resume. 

When to use a Biodata?

• Well, biodata is used less and less often these days but it has its roles in some areas.
• A Biodata tells about the basic particulars about an individual in brief and focuses mainly on the candidate’s life like family background, religion, caste, marital status and other personal details. 
• A Biodata can be used for marriage proposals and some basic interview processes. As the purpose of Biodata is different CVs and Resume are more effective.   

How to make a CV?

Let’s see how you can make a CV.

Basic Information

First, start with the basic information. Start with the Name and contact information at the start of the resume. The main information should be at the top.

Career Information

The second information will be career objective and your background information. In 2-3 sentences, start with describing your personal traits and work experience.

Work History

In work history, start by describing the work history from oldest to latest. Work experience is a great element for knowing what type of work you have handled.

An important field to add. Start by Post-Graduation or Graduation and then lower education.

Your CV should also include your skills. Tell those skills and tell them how you got it.

Other Sections

These sections can be added if you feel that you need the you can show the interviewer a better impression. 

Some sections you can add are:

• Hobbies and Interests
• Certifications
• Achievements

How to make a Resume?

If CV is not for you, Let’s see how you can make a resume:

Just like a CV, start with the basic information. Start with the Name and contact information at the start of the resume. The main information should be at the top.

Career Objective

Start this section by briefing about your background info and then include a career objective.

In work history, start with clearly stating the company you worked for and the responsibilities you have taken and you were in charge of.

Many positions attended by the candidate in accounting or engineering or also in your educational level to evaluate the position.

Add different skills you want to add into the resume. You can also include information like:

• Side Projects
• Community Service Experience

How to make a biodata :

Start by adding a Photo. Although needed in a job application, remember to include a professional looking picture and not a selfie. 

Start this section with the work experience, positive personality and skills. But be brief with your description. For job, you can also include your goals to let your employers know your intentions.

Personal details

Then all the basic details. Where the biodata becomes different from a resume or CV is the data that’s more personalized according to you. 

• Contact Info. 
• Nationality
• Marital Status

You are still creating the BioData for job application. Therefore you need to add Work History. Fill the information as same as resume.

Then you write down your skills. This will help employer understand and evaluate your role in the company. 

You can put the information in this format like:

• Name of School and it’s Location 
• Graduation Year
• Major along with Minor
• Co-curricular experience 

Other Options ( if any )

You can include a little more space for other informations like: 

• Interests and hobbies
• Volunteer Experiences

The Bottom Line

We hope you have now come to understand the difference between a resume, CV, and bio-data.

If you are looking for a perfect resume we offer you one of the Best resume writing services in India.

Ques: Can a CV be used in place of a Resume, and vice versa?

Ans: The answer is yes. You can use a resume or a CV in place of the other, depending on what you want to convey and how much information you want to include.A resume and a CV are very similar in many ways. Both are used to help employers understand your professional background and experience, but they differ in length and content

Ques: Is it okay to include photographs included in Resumes, CVs, or Biodata?

Ans: While photos are not included in CVs or Resumes, it is advisable to have one for Biodata. A headshot photograph will help with securing any future job or business opportunities. A photo is typically included in a resume or a CV. However, many times it is removed from these documents to avoid issues such as unconscious bias during the hiring process

Ques: Out of all three which document is best suited for my job application?

Ans: A CV or resume is a concise summary of your education, work experience, and skills. It should be no longer than two pages in length and it should highlight what you have to offer an employer.. On the other hand, a biodata is often used when applying for jobs at entry-level or junior positions in companies where there are not many applicants for each position advertised.

Ques:  What is the main difference between a CV and a Resume?

Ans: A CV is a document that highlights your career history and professional qualifications. It is often used as part of a job application process and is usually accompanied by a cover letter. A resume highlights your personal information and experience but does not include details about your work history or qualifications.

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What is the Difference Between CV, Resume and Bio Data?

With so many formats usage in different job proposal and the various organizations, it becomes really difficult to differentiate between different formats.

With the advancement in technology, a changing requirement at the job place, and the rapid pace of time, their relevance is changing with time but as a job seeker, you should know the different formats (CV vs resume vs biodata) and significance.

CV- Curriculum Vitae:

CV or curriculum vitae in the literal sense means “ course of life “. The meaning of the word indicates that should be some sort of mini version of your life briefed in a certain number of pages.

Indeed, this format uses when we want to describe our life’s activity in detail format. You can say it is some sort of biography except it orient for a job proposal and that you are not going to iterate any personal life story which not relates to job proposal.

It writes in general fashion and by that, I mean unlike resume it is something which not customize according to the needs of the company but remains more or less the same.

• A CV generally uses by college freshers or recent graduates seeking for the job. It can also be used by someone who is seeking a job change or someone who has not been in the industry for quite a long period. Although it is a sort of biography, there are certain rules and restriction that needs to follow to make sure that your CV is consistent with current trends. Otherwise, it can be troublesome for your recruiter to go through the details. Make sure that you follow all the general convention and rule used for writing the CV.
• There is no restriction as to how long your CV should be but generally, a CV contains about 3-6 pages but in no case should it be less than 1 page. After all, your CV is a short format of your life timeline in nutshell, so it is obvious that it will fill up a certain number of pages. After that, focusing on the format, a CV is generally plain in look with nothing many fancy tricks to use in your CV.
• It generally keeps simple to make it easy for the reader to understand the information. Although that does not mean that it should look like a text file. You can customize its look to make it more appealing and engaging at the same time keeping it simple and elegant.
• In your CV, you get to explain in depth about your career’s objective which is, in contrast, to resume that is more tailored according to the need of a job where you are applying. Your career’s objective may not be exactly in line with the job you are currently applying but you can explain your prospective employer as to the current job will help you in achieving your end goal. Next, comes, your talents and skill set .
• You need to jot every type of skills and talents that you have gathered through your life, but keep in mind that it should be relevant to the corporate world. You can do the same when mentioning about your accomplishment in depth. A CV allows the reader to learn about you in detail.
• You can either chronologically put your experiences or you can categorize them according to different types. But you need to make sure that you get to write down all of your experiences in depth . No need of using elaborate paragraphs. You can write them in a bulleted list with other relevant information that will make it easy for the recruiter to assess your caliber and make a better decision.
• A CV always accompanies by a cover letter which presents before CV. It uses to write down the summary of the CV in a single page. This makes it easy to filter through different CV and pick read-only worthy ones.

It is a French word which means ‘summary’ in English . According to its name, it generally uses to summarize all your deeds and skills in a short number of pages.

A resume serves the ideal purpose for those people who already have years of experience and are currently looking for a new job, or for those who apply for a job in an industry where the skill set matters more than your academic achievements.

A resume, unlike other two formats, is very rich in content and is uses more often as it points out the essential skills and experiences that you have while saving a lot of time on the part of the recruiter to skim through the details.

• Unlike your CV, your resume contains information in a condensed manner . Here you require to provide with only those skills and experiences that are relevant to the time and are essential for the job you apply. You do not need to fill up everything that you may have in your arsenal of talent.
• A CV generally writes when you have to describe your whole life. But a resume writes where you only showcase those things which will impress your recruiter as to why you better than the rest of the applicants. In short, a resume tailor-made according to the company and no two resumes should an exact copy of each other if the posts and job requirement is not the same.
• A resume usually goes up to one page and at max up to 3 pages . No one has time to read through lengthy resumes and also a large resume does not serve its purpose of being precise and accurate in the information. Unlike your CV, a resume can format in several ways. The main things to keep in mind is reliability, accuracy, and attractiveness of your resume .
• You need to make sure that your resume is eye-catching but at the same time, it should be elegant enough so that the reader can easily skim through essential information. Also, you need to keep in mind that the overall layout of a resume plays a huge role whether a person will go through your resume or not.
• In a resume you can write your achievements and other events in two formats: you can either arrange them in reverse chronological order to make sure that your experiences and skills are relevant to present, or you can write them under functional order where you can explain your skills under the lights of how it will help to fulfill the job requirement.
• Many people prefer to write a functional resume although in no way should one skip keeping chronological order in mind. Either way, the thing is that relevance and outcome of your efforts are what matters to industry people or your resume should certainly reflect those facts that how you can be helpful for the company.
• One thing that strikingly makes resume different from other formats is its practicality in use. With so many candidates applying for a single job and companies busy in briefing through everyone’s profile, a resume does serve the purpose of making selection process time effective.
• With the advancement of technology, it has now become even more efficient to choose the right candidate out of thousands of applicants which also introduces us to the concept of using keywords and SEO optimized resume . This will ensure that your resume stands out from the rest of the applicants while keeping in mind the gist nature of resume maintains throughout.

Bio-data stands for Biographical data . It is an archaic version of resume and curriculum vitae. In a literal sense, it means about life and events.

Used in earlier days this now restricts in use to only certain places. As you can derive from its name, it uses to learn about a person in detail.

The above two are also for that purpose, it is more relevant where you need to provide your personal information.

It is due to this nature of bio-data that nowadays it restrict to government works and other government institutions where you need to provide your details.

• A biodata usually consists of your data like your name, age, academic details, caste, creed, gender and other sensitive information which you may otherwise not disclose to others. After writing down those things, you then proceed to academic achievements and then your life experiences and other activities in chronological order. Due to the sensitivity of the data, this type of format only uses in the institute where it is essential like when you apply for any government-issue card like driving license or bank account, etc.
• You must be careful when you are submitting such information and make sure that the information will be secured and protected in every manner.
• Unlike other formats, a biodata does not have much in terms of formatting and in most of the cases, the format provides by the institution. This makes it easy to collect data in a very sequential manner. One can even employ computers to collect and record data in electronic format. Also, this format does not do much in the case of explaining the skills as it does not tailor according to the need of the company although it does prove an ample amount of information about one’s skills and talents
• A  biodata can range from about 1 to 3 pages depending on the quantity of information required by the institute.
• Many companies do not prefer to take biodata as an acceptable form of candidate selection because first, it does not provide enough space for a candidate to describe abut his skills in accordance to the need of the job. Secondly, many state laws have made it compulsory that much sensitive information like your PAN number or other personal details should not put up in a job application process to protect the privacy of people. But it still plays an important role where one needs to provide essential personal information.

CV vs resume vs biodata: Difference Between Three Formats

• CV or curriculum vitae is the longest of all formats . It uses to write in detail about life events. It generally uses by fresh graduates, or someone who is changing their line of career or for academic requirements. And It documents within 3 to 6 pages. It is accompanied by a cover letter which covers the gist of the CV. The content generalizes and not tailor-made for different companies. It serves to give an overall picture of the person rather than identifying certain set skill required for the job.
• Resume means summary and it is the shortest of all the formats . It hardly extends beyond 1 page. It generally uses in the industry due to the convenience of skimming through details and identifying the right candidate for further stages of qualification in the shortest period. Unlike a CV, it has lots to format, and it customizes according to the requirement of the job position. It uses by those persons who already have job experiences and are currently hunting for another job.
• Biodata stands for biographical data . It consists of personal information like name, age, sex, date of birth and other sensitive information. Its usage is nowadays limit to government institutes where one expect to submit such information. Biodata makes it easy to collect such data as they are simple in format and can be easily checked either manually or with the help of a computer.

So this is the different types of formats that are currently in use. Now that you are aware of these formats and on what occasion they use, you can make the wise decision of using correct format while applying for the job.

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Difference between Resume and CV and BioData

Etymology: Resume is a French word meaning “summary”.

A resume is ideally a summary of one’s education, skills and employment when applying for a new job. A resume does not list out all details of a profile, but only some specific skills customized to the target job profile. It thus, is usually 1 or at the max 2 pages long. A resume is usually written in the third person to give it an objective and formal tone.

Structure: A good resume would start with a Brief Profile of the candidate, Summary of Qualifications, followed by Industry Expertise and then Professional Experience in reverse chronological order. Focus is on the most recent experiences (with responsibilities and accomplishments), and previous experiences are only presented as a summary. This would be followed by Education details and/or Professional Affiliations and/or Voluntary Initiatives.

• 1 or 2 pages max
• Lists important KRAs or OKRs from the last 10 years
• Lists only relevant and active certifications
• Customised to a target job description
• Written in a neutral or third person tone
• Most Important Information: Full Name, Contact Details, Experience in reverse-chronological order, Education details, Professional Skills & Certifications
• Not required: Date of Birth, Gender, Fathers name, Nationality, Hobbies, Declaration.

CV – CURRICULUM VITAE

Etymology:  Curriculum Vitae is a Latin word meaning “course of life”.

Your CV is more detailed than a resume, generally 2 to 3 pages, or even longer as per the requirement. A C.V. lists out every skill, all the jobs and positions held, degrees, professional affiliations the applicant has acquired, and in chronological order. A CV is used to highlight the general talent of the candidate rather than specific skills for a specific position. CVs talk about your entire career ever since you graduated. So if you have 20 years of experience, your CV will have details of the entire 20 years even if it means a 10 page document.

• No limit on the pages
• Lists important KRAs or OKRs from the entire tenure
• Lists all skills and certifications held (also expired)
• Customised for a larger audience and not for a specific job description
• Written in a first, neutral or third person tone
• Most Important Information: Full Name, Contact Details, Short Bio, Education details, Experience in chronological order, Professional Skills & Certifications, Interests, Courses, Publications, References

Etymology:  Biodata is the short form for Biographical Data and is an archaic terminology for Resume or C.V. This term is mostly used in India by people who started their careers back in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. 

Since it is an archaic term, Biodatas are not used in a career oriented field anymore. Our parents used to share their biodata when they would go for interviews back in the 70s. Nowadays, Biodata has a reference mostly in case of arranged (or love) marriages where parents ask for it from the other party.

In a bio data, the focus is on personal particulars like date of birth, gender, religion, race, nationality, residence, marital status, and the like. A chronological listing of education and experience comes after that but only to show what a person has done, it is not for the purpose of a job. 

In some South Asian countries (e.g. Bangladesh) it may be used in the place of a resume. A biodata form is also required when applying for government, or defence positions.

• Focus on Date and Time of Birth, gender, religion, race, nationality, residence, marital status
• Customised for the purpose of marriages
• Written in a first or third person tone
• Education & Experience: not mandatory
• Salary details: mandatory if using for matrimonial purposes 🙂

Writing a marriage bio-data? Read this post here

To summarize

– A resume would be ideally suited when experience people apply for specific positions where certain specific skills  are more important than education.

– A CV, on the other hand should be the preferred option for fresh graduates or people looking for a career change. It could also be used by people applying for academic positions. or if specifically asked to apply with a CV instead of a Resume.

– The term bio-data is mostly used in some South Asian countries when people apply for government jobs, or for research grants where one has to submit descriptive essays. Bio Datas are not common in the international markets where personal information like age, gender, religion are not required to be submitted by candidates.

This post first appeared on the getsetResumes.com Blog

33 comments

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Difference Between Resume, Curriculum Vitae (C.V.) and Biodata

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What is the Difference Between a CV, a Bio-data and a Resume?

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What Is The Difference Between Resume, CV And BioData?

RESUME is derived from the word résumé. résumé is the French word which means summary. A resume shows a review of one’s education background, competencies, and experience. A resume is mainly used while applying for a new position/job. A resume should not have more than 2 pages, accurately best if maintained in one page. The resume should be customized as per the job profile you are applying for.

In today’s market of jobs, a resume is a very, very crucial tool, your resume can certainly make an impression on the potential hiring manager. Most candidates possess an assumption that a resume will get them hired but it is wrong. Employers want to realize the capability of a person before they choose to see them. A resume is a means through which you can get an interview and potentially the job.

A resume is just an overview of your skills and qualifications; it doesn’t need any elaboration but best if written in bulletins.

A perfect resume should begin with a short profile of the candidate, trailed by the areas of expertise, a review of the qualifications, and the professional experience in relevant keywords mentioned in reverse chronological order. It mainly focuses on the latest experience and gives an overview of previous experiences. Professional achievements, associations,

• qualifications, and computer skills follow after work experience.
• Include only specific skills and certifications related to the job profile you are applying for.
• Do not mention any unnecessary or irrelevant information like nationality, hobbies, gender, DOB, father’s name.

Curriculum Vitae

CV is derived from the word Curriculum Vitae. Curriculum Vitae is the Latin word which implies “course of life”. A CV is more thorough as compared to a resume, so it ranges from 2 to 3 pages. A CV specifically lists all your academic qualifications, professional affiliations, skills, and experience in chronological order.

• A CV demonstrates general expertise and skills rather than concentrating on only relevant skills for a particular job.
• A curriculum vitae includes comprehensive information about your educational background, professional experience, skills, awards, fellowships, honors, publications, certificates, and so on unlike the bulletin points in the resume.
• A CV could range anywhere between 2 to 3 pages but it can be longer also depending on the situation.
• CVs are mainly utilized by post-secondary institutions. Such as while applying for research positions or other teaching positions.

A BIO-DATA is the Out of date term for C.V or Resume and it is the short form for Biographical Data. Bio-data focuses on personal information like date of birth, sex, ethnicity, religion, residency, nationality, marital status, and much more rather than on professional information. However details related to academic qualifications , work and other achievements are added eventually.

• Bio-data is rare in western countries, it is mainly in play among the South-Asian countries such as India, Bangladesh, Sri-Lanka, and Pakistan.
• In India, bio-data is commonly used while applying to government jobs or it is used usually during marriage arrangements where parents try to gather information about the opposite party.
• Bio-data possesses no page limitation, and it can be tailored for the motive of marriage, it must include all your individual information along with your salary details compulsorily and it doesn’t actually need your professional experience and educational details.

Advantages Of Having A Professional Resume

• Your resume will assist you to stand out in the crowd.
• Your resume will grab the employer’s attention, keep them interested and engaged. So, that you can catch an interview.
• Resume functions as the guidelines for your profile.
• firmly demonstrate your accomplishments and skills.
• features the right competency.
• Helps recruiters realize what you are capable of bringing to the table.
• Getting your resume professionally written by resume writing services in India Will easily be patched through the applicant tracking system.

THE BOTTOM LINE

We hope that you have now come to know the difference between a resume, CV, and bio-data.

If you are seeking for a perfect resume, we provide you one of the Best resume writing services in India .

Related Topics:

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• CV on your own for the first time, can be very Scary ?

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What is a Difference Between CV, Resume & Bio-Data

Millions of Indians apply for jobs every day. And millions anxiously await that interview call which often never comes.

Understandably, there’re several reasons why your application is unsuccessful. However, a major reason could be that you’ve sent the wrong document along with your application letter .

What’s this document? It could be your CV, Resume or Bio-Data.

Most Indians remain blissfully unaware about the vast difference between a CV, Resume & Bio-Data. Consequently, they send the wrong document. And the result: their applications land in the nearest trashcan or meet the document shredder.

Why CV, Resume & Bio-Data Matters?

You might wonder why would an employer throw away your application despite your qualifications and skills matching the job perfectly?

Because employers specifically ask for a cv, Resume or Bio-Data depending upon their Human Resources policies, nature of job and information they want from an applicant such as yourself.

Furthermore, sending the wrong document directly implies that you’re unaware about the difference between a CV, Resume and Bio-Data. This reflects very poorly when you’re applying for that dream job in that wonderful organisation.

Therefore, I’ll explain the difference between a CV, Resume & Bio-Data.

Difference Between a CV, Resume & Bio-Data

When you’re applying for a job, check the type of document that an employer is requesting. This will be clear from their advertisement in newspapers, notices and online.

By sending the right document, you’re actually helping the employer to assess your capabilities for the job. This could result in a call for interview.

Therefore, here’re the main differences.

1. Bio-Data

The term ‘Bio-Data’ is a short form of Biographical Data.

A Bio-Data is useful only while applying for jobs at small companies in India. And sometimes, for government grants or temporary positions, school admissions and other similar purposes.

Here’s something important: Bio-Data is used only in India. It’s a vestige of the colonial era and a rather archaic form of providing information about yourself.

Never use a Bio-Data while applying for jobs at large corporations, Multinational Companies (MNCs), jobs outside India and specialized positions.

What’s a Bio-Data? Here we go.

>>First Part of Bio-Data

A typical Bio-Data starts with your full name. It is written in the reverse order. Meaning, your surname or family name comes at the beginning. This is followed by your first and middle name.

The next element on a Bio-Data is your residential or present address and contact details such as phone number and email ID.

Furthermore, you will also have to include a permanent address if it’s different from the present or residential address.

>>Second Part of Bio-Data

The next feature of your Bio-Data is your gender. You’ve to specify whether you’re female or male. Due to amendments in Indian laws, it’s also possible for transgender people to state so openly.

Next on your Bio-Data comes your date of birth. This is written in the typical DD-MM-YYYY format. Meaning, there’re no shortcuts.

Other elements that form part of a Bio-Data are your religion and details about your caste or tribe. This section is optional since religion, caste and tribe matter only while applying for government grants and positions.

You can mention these if you’re looking for jobs at an organization that specifically deals with any particular section of the Indian society.

>>Third Part of Bio-Data

Upon providing these details, you move on to your academic qualifications. These are written in detail and in chronological order.

You start by mentioning the schools you attended with the duration and final qualifications such as Secondary School Certificate of Higher Secondary Certificate.

And finally you mention the college or university from where you got a graduation degree. Remember to include your scores in every major exam such as SSC, HSC and degree.

You’ve to clearly mention the month and year during which you were studying at any particular educational institute. And you can also mention the location of the school and college such as the village, city or town.

>>Fourth Part of Bio-Data

The fourth and most important part of a Bio-Data deals with your work experience. This is also written in a chronological order. Start by mentioning your first job, write about every job you held with details of employer, date of joining and leaving service and positions held.

Your current or last employer features at the end of the fourth part of your Bio-Data. However, you needn’t disclose the name of your current or last employer.

>>More Details on Bio-Data

After completing the fourth part, you can add other sections on your Bio-Data. They include your language skills along with proficiency levels. You can list all the languages you can read, write and speak and indicate your level of fluency too.

Some jobseekers also include details about extracurricular activities and mention awards they’ve won over the years.

Always remember to self-attest your Bio-Data by adding a line declaring the given information to be true and verifiable to the best of your knowledge. You’ll sign at the bottom of a Bio-Data.

Understandably, you won’t be able to sign a Bio-Data that’s sent by email. That’s acceptable as long as you’ll add the sentence stating the information you’re giving is true to the best of your knowledge and type your full name.

The second type of document that employers ask from jobseekers is the Resume. Actually, the term Resume traces its origin from the French language.

The term Resume stands for brief introduction about yourself. That includes concise yet accurate information about your educational qualifications and skills that’re relevant for a job.

A Resume is written in the chronological order and as a third person. Meaning, you’ll be introducing yourself as you would introduce another person.

Resume is useful for fresh graduates, those hopping jobs for the first time as well as graduates from Arts, Commerce and Science streams that don’t have specialized skills.

How to write an excellent Resume? Here’re the tips.

1. First Part of Resume

The first part of a Resume begins by introducing yourself beginning with your name. You can also include your approximate age and place where you reside currently but not your contact details or address.

A good Resume usually begins like this: “ABC introduces herself/ himself as a 00-year old PQR professional with 000 years of experience in the PQR industry.”

This gives a clear indication to the prospective employer about your skills and experience to gauge your eligibility for the job.

2. Second Part of Resume

The second part of your Resume deals with academic or educational qualifications. These are written in third party and chronological order.

Meaning, you’ll start by saying which school you began education, years of attendance and year in which you pass the SSC or HSC exams. There’s no need to include your marks or other details here.

Next comes your graduation or professional degree. Mention the college or university and the duration of study, ending with the degree you got.

An excellent resume should list education in not more than three paragraphs of two to three sentences each.

For example: “ABC began studying at LMN School from DDMMYY and successfully completed SSC/ HSC in DDMMYY.”

“Later, ABC enrolled for RST degree at DEF college/ university in DDMMYY. He/ She graduated in MMYY with UVW in MMYY.”

3. Third Part of Resume

The third part of an excellent Resume deals with your work experience . This is also written in third party, chronological order.

“Upon graduation, ABC began working as ZZZZ at OOOO company as HHHH. Work responsibilities included ABCDEF.”

“Later, ABC worked as JJJJ at KKKK company as RRRR. Work responsibilities included UUUU.”

Here, it’s important to emphasize on your designations and responsibilities very briefly.

4. Fourth Part of Resume

Usually, the fourth part of a Resume isn’t that important. However, you can leverage your membership of any professional clubs, organizations, guilds by mentioning them in a couple of sentences. Example: “ABC is a member of GGG organization since MMYY.”

Providing this information isn’t really necessary. However, a sentence or two does tend to impress the person that reads your curriculum vitae and improves chances of getting that call for interview .

5. Self-Attestation of Resume

Like every document, self- attesting a resume by adding a sentence stating the information is correct to the best of your knowledge will prove helpful.

Remember, a good Resume is not more than two A-4 size pages. Never include your picture on a Resume unless an employer is asking for one.

3. Curriculum Vitae

The Curriculum Vitae is the single most important document that can open doors to that wonderful job and help you build that dream career. Because employers usually ask for CV only when they’re looking for a specific and specialized skill.

Therefore, the focus of a curriculum vitae is usually on your work skills and lesser on your educational qualifications. An employer wants to know what skills you possess that would be useful to their business.

CVs are especially important when you’re looking for higher designations at any major organization, including foreign jobs.

Since a curriculum vitae focuses more on skills and experience, it is written in a sharp, precise and reverse chronological order.

Your name goes on left hand top corner of the curriculum vitae.

1. First Part of CV

The first part of a CV starts with your work experience only. You’ve to list your work experience and skills starting from your current or last employer.

It isn’t necessary to disclose your current employer if you’re already working elsewhere. The interviewer will anyways ask you the question during an interview .

After you mention your current or last employer, go backwards and write your complete history of employment.

Remember, details about your first job come last.

While writing your curriculum vitae, the main focus should be on your skills and designations as well as achievements such as successful projects at work.

2. Second Part of CV

The second part of CV consists of your educational qualifications. These too are written in the reverse chronological order. Meaning, you’ll write about the university or college degree you hold at the beginning.

Here it’s not important to mention your scores on a curriculum vitae. However, there’s no harm in doing that, if you have very high and outstanding scores.

After your last degree, go on to list your junior college and school from where you did your HSC and SSC or their equivalent.

If you’ve changed schools or colleges, mention them very briefly and state reasons for the switchover.

3. Third Part of CV

There’re no third parts of a CV. However, you can create one if you’re the member of any professional club, organization or guild.

That adds credibility to your work experience and qualifications. But don’t mention sports clubs, alumni associations and political affiliations.

Remember, a CV is strictly for assessing your skills for the job while your education and other elements take a backseat.

4. Self-Attestation of CV

As usual, it’s excellent etiquette to self-attest your curriculum vitae by stating the information is true to the best of your knowledge.

This speaks about your confidence and imparts a goodwill among employers. However, it’s extremely important to be truthful about every single detail you mention on your Bio-Data, Resume and curriculum vitae.

What About Career Objective?

There’s one more thing a lot of people include on their CV, Resume and Bio-Data. And that’s Career Objective. Actually a Career Objective is a brief and personal vision and mission statement.

A Career Objective outlines your career goals and how you wish to achieve them. It’s written to create an excellent impression upon the person that reads your application.

Currently, there’s a huge debate over the use of Career Objective on CV, Resume and Bio-Data. That’s because a large number of HR officials believe a Career Objectives are written vaguely and hence, useless.

Whether or not to include a Career Objective is purely your choice. But if you do write a Career Objective, make it a professional one that conveys what you’re looking for rather than one to impress an interviewer or HR official.

References on CV, Resume, Bio-Data

Yet another common practice in India is to include references on a job application. Again, this is an outdated practice. HR officials and employers are well aware that references and reference letters are easily available.

We live in an era where companies have easy access to Employee Background Screening or Pre-Employment Checks and similar facilities. Such checks invariably expose any loopholes and false claims made on a curriculum vitae, Resume and Bio-Data.

Therefore, I would recommend submitting references only if an employer or organization explicitly requests for them.

And if you have to provide references, ensure they’re from someone related to your profession rather than some vague entity, celebrity or political figure.

Mentioning Salary or Expected Pay

Sometimes, an employer may ask jobseekers to specifically state how much remuneration they expect from the company.  This is a rather tricky question to answer.

Because quoting a smaller pay to grab the job might prove you’re available for cheap and there’s no takers for your skills and qualifications.

Asking for exorbitantly higher pay can attract an employer. However, you’ll require adequate skills to prove that your work would justify the remuneration .

Therefore, the best way to quote a salary or expected Cost-To-Company (CTC) would be by reading reviews on excellent job portals. Remember, your remuneration in terms of salary and perks is far too different from CTC.

If in doubt about how much pay to seek, refer to excellent websites such as Payscale, Indeed, Glassdoor and LinkedIn. Here you’ll get an approximate estimate of how much your skills are worth.

Closing Thoughts

Before concluding, I’ll alert you that a curriculum vitae, Resume or Bio-Data is your first contact with a prospective employer. It will create an impression on the person that reads it .

Therefore, never rush to create these documents. Instead, write them carefully and weigh your words before penning them.

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