Resume vs Application

I receive many comments from students asking me what the difference is between an online job application and a resume. My answer is this: an application is a complete list of previous employment and/or education (for example when asked, list all employment for the last five years, the employer is asking for ALL employment).

A resume is a marketing tool that can be tailored for each position. Therefore, you may decide which education to include on your resume. If you do not wish to list all colleges attended, it is your decision to just include a final university where your degree was earned. And you may choose to only include the employment that pertains to the position that you are seeking. Keep in mind that a resume must be honest but, yes, it can be edited or abbreviated.

The purpose of a resume is to land an interview and the intent of a job application is to process your application via the organization's HR applicant tracking system. It must be complete.

Here is a link that may offer additional insight on this topic. Work Coach Cafe describes itself as a website that is dedicated to the workplace and a sharing of workplace ideas and conversation. resume vs on line job application