Resume, CV and Biodata, what's the difference?

This has always been a brain racker, Hybrid Content sets the record straight.

A Biodata is the least understood. Traditionally a bio-data translates to biological information which would include things like Name, Age, Ethnicity, Parents so on and so forth. It has absolutely nothing to do with job related aspects of a person's life, much less his career goals. A Bio-data is essentially the shortest of the three.

A Resume on the other is a very brief outline of a candidate's work related history, a little bit about his/her educational qualifications and his/her most recently held office. A Resume includes everything a Bio-data has plus the above. The purpose of a Resume is for an employer to be able to shortlist candidates to further scrutinize.

A Curriculum Vitae or CV is a detailed description of all Educational Qualifications including market related projects. Furthermore, it lists out all the previous offices held with designations and job roles, including achievements and certifications. A CV contains everything a Resume does plus the above. It is used prior or post an interview by an employer to make sure the candidate fits into the specific job role/portfolio they are interviewing for. A CV is generally the longest of the three.