Preparing Bio- Data and CV
02/06/2020Biodata
Bio Data is the short form for Biographical Data and is an archaic terminology for Resume or C.V. In a bio data, the focus is on personal particulars like date of birth, gender, religion, race, nationality, residence, marital status, and the like. A chronological listing of education and experience comes after that.
The biodata format includes relevant factual information about an individual, such as:
- Personal information (e.g., date of birth, gender, marital status, religion, height, complexion, father’s name, etc.)
- Educational background
- Occupational history
- Skills
- Interests and hobbies
Biodata format documents are not to be confused with biodata instruments, or biographical information blanks (BIBs). The former is a document typically prepared by the individual, and, in some settings, can serve as a replacement for, or a supplement to, a resume or curriculum vitae. The latter is a criterion-related validity assessment that includes detailed questions about past work and personal experiences, and it is often used by employers to predict the future job performance of prospective employees. Depending on the context and setting, a biodata could be any of the following:
- A criterion-related validity assessment used by employers for personnel selection
- An antiquated term that means resume
- A supplement to a resume or C.V.
- A resume replacement in some South Asian regions
- For applying for government jobs in India
- To apply for temporary and/or skilled labor jobs in some countries
- As a marriage resume in India or Pakistan
| Biodata | A Biodata is also called a “Biographical Data” |
| The personal facts a Biodata includes | A person’s height, weight, father’s name, Mother’s name, gender, complexion, caste, religion, marital status, nationality, permanent address, date of birth etc. |
| The best used in places | India uses Biodata for the marriage purpose. |
| The best used for | The uses of a Biodata differs from country to country – in India, it is mainly used for traditional marriage purposes, but in many other countries, it is often used to apply for employment. |
| The length of a Biodate | One page of a Biodata with personal facts is sufficient for marriage purpose, but if you want to consider it to showcase your personal & professional detail both, it may go up-to two – three pages. |
CV (Curriculum Vitae)
Curriculum Vitae is a Latin word meaning “course of life”. It is more detailed than a resume, generally 2 to 3 pages, or even longer as per the requirement. A C.V. lists out every skill, all the jobs and positions held, degrees, professional affiliations the applicant has acquired, and in chronological order. A C.V. is used to highlight the general talent of the candidate rather than specific skills for a specific position.
| CV | CV stands for Curriculum Vitae |
| In India, Australia and South Africa | Resume and CV both are used for the purpose of employment, the only difference is the word Resume is used regularly for the private sector jobs and CV for the public sector jobs. |
| The best used in places | Exclusively, in the UK, Ireland, and New Zealand, companies demand for CV to screen-out the candidates for the job interviews. |
| The best used for | CVs are mainly used to applying for intercontinental, health care, research, academic, teaching, scholarships, assistantships, fellowships, internships, and scientific jobs. |
| The length of a CV | There is no page limit for Curriculum Vitae, the only thing is – it is always being considered as larger in length as compared to Resume. |
Best Practices
Whatever item (Resume, Biodata, or CV) you choose to describe your personal and professional details in summarized form, the best thing you need to do is – you should know “the purpose of choosing the item, the details you want to include in the item, and in which order you want to place the details in the item?”