In the United States, a resume is a short summary of the experience and skills that fit one job, usually one or two pages. A CV (curriculum vitae) is a longer, complete record of academic work, used for faculty, research and fellowship applications. In the UK and much of Europe, “CV” is simply the name for the standard job application document, the one Americans call a resume. Send whichever the posting asks for, in the form used where the job is.
Key takeaways
- In the US, a resume is short and tailored, and a CV is a full academic record with no page limit.
- In the UK, a CV for an ordinary job runs to about two pages, much like a US resume, and “CV” is the usual word across Europe.
- The posting decides. Read which word it uses and where the employer is based.
- An academic CV adds what a resume leaves out: publications, presentations, grants, teaching and service.
- Photos and personal details follow local custom. A photo is not the norm in the US or Canada, and UK guidance says to leave off your age and date of birth.
- Keep one master document and cut each version from it.
01
What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
There are really three documents, because “CV” means two different things depending on where you are.
| Resume (US and Canada) | Academic CV (US) | CV (UK and much of Europe) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Win an interview for one job | Document a scholarly career | Win an interview for one job |
| Length | One page, or two with more experience | Two or three pages early on; can reach double digits for senior researchers | No more than two pages, in UK guidance |
| Content | Selected experience, skills and education | The full record: education, publications, presentations, grants, teaching, memberships | Profile, work history, education, skills, sometimes interests |
| Tailoring | Rewritten for each job | Reordered, rarely cut | Tailored for each job |
| Used for | Most private-sector and nonprofit jobs | Faculty, research, fellowships and grants | Most jobs |
The lengths come from published guidance: the University of North Carolina’s Writing Center describes a resume as usually no more than one page and says a seasoned researcher’s CV may run into the double digits, Canada’s Job Bank says to limit a resume to two pages, and nidirect, Northern Ireland’s government services site, says to aim for no more than two pages for a CV.
The purposes differ as much as the lengths. A resume selects. An academic CV accumulates, growing with every paper and course taught. For choosing what earns a place on the shorter document, see how long a resume should be.
02
What do “CV” and “resume” mean in different countries?
- United States. “Resume” is the standard word. UNC’s Writing Center notes that CVs have their greatest utility in the pursuit of a job in academia or research, and that its own advice covers American usage of the two terms.
- Canada. The federal Job Bank uses “resume” and advises keeping it to two pages. It adds that a photo is not the norm in Canada.
- United Kingdom. “CV” is the everyday word. nidirect defines it as a short list of facts about your education, work history, skills and experience, and says you do not need to include your date of birth, age or salary.
- Europe. “CV” is also the usual term. The European Union’s Europass CV describes itself as one of the best-known CV formats in Europe and can be created in 31 languages. Its tips mention adding a professional photograph, a reminder that customs on photos vary by country.
- Elsewhere. Do not assume. Read the posting, look at the employer’s careers page and check a local university careers office or public employment service for the format people there expect.
03
What goes in an academic CV?
UNC’s Writing Center lists the usual parts: name and contact information, areas of interest, education, grants, honors and awards, publications and presentations, employment and experience, scholarly or professional memberships, and references. Order the middle sections by what the role values, with research first for a research post and teaching first for a teaching post.
[FULL NAME] [Department and institution] | [Email] | [Phone] | [Website] EDUCATION Ph.D., [Field], [University], [Year]. Dissertation: "[Title]." Advisor: [Name] M.S., [Field], [University], [Year] B.S., [Field], [University], [Year] RESEARCH INTERESTS [Two or three areas, one line] PUBLICATIONS [Full citations in your field's style, most recent first] PRESENTATIONS [Title, conference, location, month and year] GRANTS, HONORS AND AWARDS [Name of award, funder, amount if customary, year] TEACHING EXPERIENCE [Role, course, institution, terms taught] PROFESSIONAL SERVICE AND MEMBERSHIPS [Committees, reviewing, societies] REFERENCES [Name, title, institution, email] for three or four referees
A CV has no page limit, but it still has to be easy to scan. Use the same citation style throughout, keep dates in one column and update it every time something is published, presented or awarded.
04
Which one should you send?
| The posting asks for | And the job is | Send |
|---|---|---|
| A resume | Any job in the US or Canada | A one- or two-page resume |
| A CV | A faculty, research or fellowship position | A full academic CV |
| A CV | A non-academic job in the US | A resume, unless the posting asks for publications or a complete history |
| A CV | A job in the UK or Europe | A short CV in the local format, about two pages in the UK |
| A CV or resume | Any | The short, tailored version |
| A federal resume | A US government job on USAJOBS | A resume of no more than two pages, with the details the announcement requires |
Two rules settle the unclear cases. First, follow the employer’s wording and country, not your own. A UK employer asking for a CV does not want twelve pages, and a US university hiring a professor does not want a single page. Second, when the posting is ambiguous, ask the recruiter. “Would you prefer a two-page resume or a full academic CV?” is a normal question.
Federal applications are their own case. Since September 27, 2025, the Office of Personnel Management has limited resumes on USAJOBS to two pages, and its guidance asks for details a private-sector resume usually omits, such as hours worked per week and start and end dates by month and year.
05
How do you turn a CV into a resume, or a resume into a UK CV?
From an academic CV to a resume. This is the usual step for anyone leaving academia.
- Pick the target job and write a two-line summary for it.
- Cut to one or two pages. Keep the degree and drop the dissertation title, course lists and most of the publication list. A “Selected publications” line with two or three items is enough when they are relevant.
- Turn academic activities into results an employer can use, as in the example below.
- Move skills up: methods, software, languages and lab techniques.
- Take the references off the page and keep them ready as a separate list of job references.
Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Statistics, [University], Fall 2023 - Spring 2025
Teaching Assistant | [University] | Aug 2023 - May 2025 - Taught two weekly sections of 30 students each and held office hours for a 240-student statistics course - Wrote R scripts that cut grading time for weekly problem sets by about half
The guide on how to write a resume covers each section, and resume formats explains the layout options.
From a US resume to a UK CV. Fewer things change than people expect.
- Call it a CV and use British spelling.
- Set the page size to A4 and keep it to two pages.
- Open with a short personal profile, which nidirect describes as a statement used to show your skills, experience and personal qualities.
- Consider an interests line, which nidirect lists among the parts of a CV. See hobbies and interests on a resume for what to put in it.
- End with a line saying references are available, as nidirect suggests.
- Leave off your date of birth and age.
FAQ
Frequently asked questions
Is a CV the same as a resume?
It depends on the country. In the United States they are different: a resume is a short, tailored summary and a CV is a full academic record. In the UK and much of Europe, “CV” is the usual word for the short document Americans call a resume.
How long should a CV be compared with a resume?
A US resume is usually one page, or two with more experience. A UK CV for an ordinary job should be no more than about two pages. An academic CV has no limit: two or three pages for a graduate student, and far longer for an established researcher.
Should I send a CV or a resume for a job in the United States?
Send a resume unless the job is academic, research-based or a fellowship, or the posting clearly asks for a full CV with publications. If a non-academic US posting says “CV,” it usually means a resume. Ask the recruiter if you are unsure.
What does CV stand for?
Curriculum vitae, a Latin phrase. In American usage it means a detailed record of academic accomplishments. In British and European usage it is the ordinary word for the short summary of education, work history and skills sent with a job application.
Do I need a photo on my CV?
Not for jobs in the United States or Canada. Canada’s Job Bank says a photo is not the norm there, and US resumes do not normally carry one. Practice differs elsewhere, and the EU’s Europass tips mention adding a professional photograph, so follow the custom of the country where you are applying.
Is a federal resume a CV?
No. It is a resume with extra required details, such as hours worked per week and exact start and end dates. Since September 27, 2025, resumes submitted through USAJOBS have been limited to two pages.
Sources
- The Writing Center, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill: Curricula Vitae (CVs) versus Resumes: the US distinction, typical lengths and the sections of an academic CV.
- nidirect: CVs and cover letters: what a UK CV is, its length, the personal profile, references and the details to leave out.
- Europass (European Union): Create your Europass CV: the Europass CV format, its languages and its tips.
- Government of Canada Job Bank: How to write a good resume: Canadian usage, the two-page limit and photos.
- U.S. Office of Personnel Management: Applicant Guidance on the Two-Page Resume Limit: the federal two-page limit and what a federal resume must include.
Published by Jobbie and last updated on October 6, 2026. This guide is general information for job seekers, not legal, tax or financial advice. Spotted something wrong? Tell us.