Should Virtual Assistants Use Curriculum Vitae (CV), Resume Or Portfolio?
This has always been a hot topic among VA groups so I decided to write about it to clarify if virtual assistants should present a Curriculum Vitae (CV), Resume or Portfolio during interviews.
According to Answer, the main difference of resume and curriculum vitae (CV) are the length and what is included in it.
A resume is a one or two page summary of a person’s skills, experience and education. It is brief and concise, no more than a page or two. A curriculum vitae is longer, at least two pages and more detailed specially in terms of skills and job description.
Portfolio is different. It is a showcase of your skills, projects, clients and testimonials. It used to be in a printed format, like a book (different formats are also available) though in today’s digital world, our own website is mostly used as portfolios and may come in a variety of ways.
Both resume’s and CV’s are given if you are applying for a job. Your brief personal information are there for verification purposes, the schools you graduated in, courses studied and companies worked for including the description of your previous jobs, duties and responsibilities. This helps the interviewer assess your skills according to the job requirements.
Most countries and companies prefer a CV because it is more detailed and they can easily sort applicants by CV’s alone without having to call for an interview.
When Do We Give Resume’s, Curriculum Vitae and Portfolios?
If you are a business owner or freelancer, you might want to give a portfolio instead of CV because you are dealing to get clients and NOT applying for a job. Your clients doesn’t need to know where you live but where your office is. In case of an online business, your website is your virtual office. In brick and mortar, you may give your business card.
in today’s digital era, you can easily create a Portfolio using your website. A short BIO in the About page, Contact Us and a Unique Selling Proposition (USP), your own special way of communication with your prospective clients that you are an expert in your chosen field, can be trusted to get the job done (with utmost quality) and can deal with them like a true gentlemen (with business ethics).
So, in case you’re still wondering what to prepare the next time you’re in for an interview, ask yourself first. Are you applying for a job as an employee or looking for clients as a freelancer/business owner?
Assessing what you really want may give you a different perspective of yourself, your goals and priorities. It may also give you a different avenue for reaching your goals and most of all, a road map for success.
So, the next time you’re asked to send a CV or resume, think again if that’s what you really like doing or you better start creating your own business, act and think like a BOSS.
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