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CV vs resume: what is the difference?
The terms cause real confusion, especially when you are applying internationally. The answer depends entirely on where you are in the world. Here is what each means, where, and which you should be sending.
If you have ever wondered about CV vs resume, you are not alone, and the answer depends entirely on where you are in the world. The terms cause real confusion, especially when you are applying internationally, and getting it wrong can make you look out of step before a recruiter reads a word. The CV vs resume distinction is mostly about geography and length.
Here is what each term means, where, and which you should be sending.
CV vs resume: the core difference
In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe, the Middle East, Australia and New Zealand, the document you send for a job is called a CV, and it runs to around two pages. In the United States and Canada, that same job-application document is called a resume, and it is typically one page. So for everyday job hunting, a UK CV and a US resume are essentially the same thing under different names.
The confusion comes from a second, narrower meaning. In the US, "CV" refers to a long, detailed academic document used for research, teaching and medical posts, listing publications, grants and conferences, and running to many pages. So the same three letters mean different things depending on which side of the Atlantic you are on.
CV vs resume by region
UK, Europe, Middle East, Australia
Send a CV of around two pages. This is the standard job-application document.
United States and Canada (most jobs)
Send a resume, usually one page, concise and tailored to the role.
United States (academic or medical)
A CV here means a long academic record, very different from a job-search resume.
Which should you send?
Match the document to the market you are applying in. Applying for a job in the UK, send a CV. Applying in the US, send a one-page resume and call it a resume. Applying for an academic post in the US, send the long-form CV. When in doubt, use the term the job advert itself uses, as it tells you what the employer expects.
Whatever you call it, the principles of writing it well are the same: lead with achievements, match the language of the role, keep it clean for the software. Those are covered in our complete guide to writing a CV.
Converting a CV to a resume
Applying to the US from the UK? You are mostly tightening, not rewriting. Cut to one page, lead with your strongest achievements, drop anything not directly relevant, and use US spelling and terminology. The substance carries over; the format and length adjust to expectation. The reverse, turning a US resume into a UK CV, usually means adding a little more depth and a personal statement to fill the standard two pages.
Applying across borders and unsure what to send?
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