In the Philippines, should I send a resume, a CV or a biodata?

Send a resume for most private-sector, BPO and multinational jobs. In the Philippines, "resume" is the everyday term, "CV" is used for longer academic or international documents, and "biodata" usually means a one-page form-style sheet with personal details, often bought pre-printed or downloaded.

When each fits:

• Resume: corporate, BPO, IT, finance, sales and most office jobs.
• Biodata: some entry-level, factory, household or provincial jobs where the employer or agency asks for it.
• CV: academic posts, research, or employers abroad who use the word CV.

If an advert asks for a specific document, send that. Otherwise, a clear one- or two-page resume works almost everywhere.

A good resume for the Philippines focuses on your skills, education, training and work results rather than personal details. If an employer later asks for a biodata, you can fill one in using the same facts, so keep your dates, school names and job titles consistent across both documents.