A
résumé (, or ; less frequently or ; ), also spelled
resume or
resumé, is a document used by persons to present their backgrounds and skills. Résumés can be used for a variety of reasons, but most often they are used to secure new employment. A typical résumé contains a "summary" of relevant job
experience and
education, as its French origin (and its translation into Spanish as "resumen") implies. The résumé is usually one of the first items, along with a
cover letter and sometimes an application for employment, which a potential
employer sees regarding the job seeker and is typically used to
screen applicants, often followed by an
interview. The
curriculum vitae (CV) used for academic purposes in the UK (and in other European countries) is more akin to the résumé — a shorter, summary version of one's education and experience — than to the longer and more detailed c.v. that is expected in U.S. academic circles. Generally, the résumé is substantially shorter than a CV in
English Canada, the
U.S. and
Australia.