A CV presents a structured summary of your skills and experience. A cover letter introduces your application and explains why selected evidence fits one particular role. They should complement each other.
The difference at a glance
A CV gives an employer a structured summary of your skills, achievements and experience. A cover letter introduces the application and explains why selected evidence fits a particular role. They work together: the letter adds a focused argument, while the CV makes your background easy to scan. Both should be tailored. [1] [2] [3]
| Feature | Cover letter | CV |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Introduces the application and explains relevant fit. [1] | Summarises skills, achievements and experience. [2] |
| Structure | Connected paragraphs addressed to the employer. [1] | Headings, sections and concise entries. [2] |
| Useful content | Why this role, why this organisation and selected supporting evidence. [1] [3] | Relevant work, education, skills and achievements. [2] |
| Typical reading task | Understand the case for this application. [3] | Locate evidence and career details quickly. [2] |
| Tailoring | Rewrite for the specific opportunity. [1] | Select and emphasise experience relevant to the opportunity. [2] |
| Shared requirement | Accurate evidence and consistent contact details. [1] | Accurate evidence and consistent contact details. [1] [2] |
Consider an invented applicant for a customer-facing role. In our example, the advert asks for teamwork and the ability to explain processes clearly. The applicant has helped two new colleagues learn a till-opening procedure. This is fictional experience for explaining the writing task, not a claim about a real candidate.
“Helped two new colleagues learn the till-opening procedure, explaining each step and checking their understanding.”
That bullet belongs under the relevant role, alongside the employer, job title and dates. It gives the reader a concise piece of experience they can locate again. In a real application, replace the invented detail with something you actually did. [2]
“Your advert asks for clear explanations and teamwork. In my shop role, I helped new colleagues learn the till-opening procedure, which gave me experience of explaining a routine patiently and checking understanding.”
The letter uses the same underlying evidence but explains why it is relevant. It does not need to reproduce every CV bullet or invent a percentage improvement to sound impressive. Keep the claim proportionate to what actually happened. [1] [3]
If the advert asks you not to send a cover letter, follow that instruction. [3]
A cover letter is usually brief—often three to five paragraphs—while the CV uses a sectioned structure. Those are useful starting points, not permission to ignore a stated word limit or required application form. A cover letter may be written as an email; check the requested submission method. [1] [2] [3]
No. Use the letter to explain the relevance of selected evidence and your interest in this opportunity. The documents should complement each other. [3]
No. The CV should also emphasise the skills and experience that match the role. Tailoring is a shared task. [1] [2]
No. Follow the specific vacancy instructions rather than generic advice to send both documents. [3]
Yes. A CV can include relevant volunteering, projects and work experience. Explain the skills you actually used; do not invent employment or achievements to fill space. [2]
Source pages checked on 25 October 2026. The examples and self-checks were written for this article with AI assistance and checked against the listed material.
The featured image is an AI-generated editorial illustration, not a photograph, measurement or record of a test.
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