Resume vs CV: what changes by country and job
By Dexaloop · Updated 27 October 2026 · Checked against the sources listed below
A resume and a CV do the same job, but the rules change with the country and the kind of job. A US resume is usually one or two pages and leaves out personal details such as age or a photo. A UK CV is typically two sides of A4 and also leaves those details out. An academic CV, used in the US and elsewhere for research and university jobs, can be as long as your record needs. Employers in the Gulf and India have no single official format, so the safe rule there is to follow the employer's form and posting exactly.
Why the two words cause confusion
In American English the two words mean different documents. James Madison University's career center puts it simply: "Résumés are usually 1-2 pages, and CVs can be unlimited in length," and "CVs are often for positions in research, medicine, science, and higher education." Harvard's engineering school career office says the same: "A CV is appropriate if you are seeking an academic positions," but "for most non-academic positions, go with a resume."
In British English, "CV" is just the everyday word for the document you send with most job applications. Cardiff University's careers service describes a CV as a document "typically 2 sides of A4, used to apply for jobs, work experience and postgraduate courses." So a UK CV is much closer to a US resume than to a US academic CV.
The four formats side by side
| Format | Typical length | Photo | Personal details | Main use |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| US resume | 1 to 2 pages (JMU) | No | Name, phone, email, city, LinkedIn. No age, date of birth or marital status | Most private sector and nonprofit jobs |
| UK CV | About 2 sides of A4 (Cardiff) | Not asked for in official guidance | Contact details only; no age, date of birth, marital status or nationality (National Careers Service) | Almost all UK jobs |
| Academic CV | As long as your record needs (JMU) | No, in the US and UK | Contact details only | Faculty, research, fellowships, many graduate programs |
| Gulf and India applications | Set by the employer | Only if the form asks | Whatever the employer's form requests | Follow each posting |
The US resume
A US resume is a short, targeted summary of what you can do for this job. Most new graduates fit on one page; people with long careers may use two. Keep personal details out. The US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) says "employers should not ask for a photograph of an applicant," and that questions which may indicate an applicant's age "should generally be avoided." If employers are told not to ask, there is no reason to volunteer it.
The UK CV
The National Careers Service, the UK government's careers service, says a CV should have contact details, an introduction, your education and your work history, plus references if someone has agreed to give one. It is direct about personal data: "You should not include your age, your date of birth, whether you're married or your nationality." It also says "You should tailor your CV to the job or opportunity you're applying for," so a single CV sent to every employer is not the goal. Use UK spelling for UK roles.
The academic CV
An academic CV is a full record rather than a highlight reel. It usually covers education, research, publications, presentations, teaching, grants, awards and service. Length follows your career; a PhD student may have three pages, a professor twenty. Harvard SEAS notes that "Publications are often not nearly as important for an industrial job as an academic job," and gives practical advice for anyone undecided: "If you don't know whether you will aim for an academic or industrial job, make up two separate documents."
Gulf and India: follow the form
We could not find a government or university source that sets one national CV format for the Gulf states or India, and private CV websites contradict each other about photos, nationality and date of birth. So we will not tell you a rule that does not exist. What you can rely on is the employer's own instructions. If an application form asks for nationality, visa status, a photo or a date of birth, supply exactly what it asks. If it does not ask, leave it out. If you apply to a US or UK company's office in the region, follow that company's own format. Keep a separate version for each market rather than one document that tries to please everyone.
Worked example: turning a UK CV into a US resume
Aisha has a UK CV that runs to 2 full sides of A4 with 4 roles, 18 bullet points, a profile paragraph, and a references section. She is applying for a marketing job in Chicago.
- Paper size. A4 is 210 by 297 mm; US Letter is 8.5 by 11 inches (216 by 279 mm). Letter is about 18 mm shorter, so a CV that just fills 2 A4 pages can spill onto a third Letter page. She switches the page size first, then edits.
- Length. She keeps the 3 most relevant roles and cuts each to its 3 or 4 strongest bullets: 18 bullets become 11. The resume now fits on 1 Letter page plus a few lines, so she trims the profile to 2 lines and fits one page.
- Personal details. Her UK CV already had no photo or date of birth, so nothing changes here.
- References. She drops the references line; US employers ask for references later.
- Spelling. "Organised" becomes "organized," "programme" becomes "program."
Common mistakes
- Sending a long academic CV to an industry job. Recruiters want the relevant highlights, not every poster you presented.
- Adding a photo out of habit. For US and UK applications, it adds nothing and can make the file larger.
- Listing date of birth, marital status or religion where nobody asked for them.
- Wrong paper size. A4 documents printed in the US, or Letter in the UK, can lose margins or spill onto an extra page.
- One version for every country. Make a copy per market and edit it.
Making each version in Dossier
Dossier, our free resume and CV maker for iPhone and iPad, handles both resumes and CVs and sets length, sections and personal details based on the document type and region you choose. It includes 9 regional formats, among them United States and global, UK and Ireland, Gulf and Middle East, and India, plus 22 resume and CV types, each with its own sections. You can duplicate a document to make one version per market, and PDF export is free with no watermark.
Pick your region's format in Dossier (free): dexaloop.com/dossier/. Free, no sign-up, and it runs on your device.
Questions
Is a CV just a longer resume?
In the US, a CV usually means the long academic record used for research, medicine, science and higher education jobs. In the UK and much of the world, CV is simply the everyday name for the job application document, and it is usually about two pages.
Should I put a photo on my CV?
Not for US jobs: the EEOC says employers should not ask for a photograph of an applicant before an offer. UK guidance does not ask for one either. Some employers elsewhere request a photo on their application form; give one only when the form or posting asks.
Do I include my date of birth?
Not in the UK, where the National Careers Service says you should not include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality. US employers are advised to avoid questions that may show an applicant's age. Where an employer's form asks for it, answer the form.
Can I send a UK CV to a US company?
Shorten it to one or two pages, call it a resume, use US spelling if the role is US-based, and remove any personal details such as date of birth or a photo.
What if a job ad just says 'send your CV' in the US?
Unless the role is academic or research-based, send a normal resume. JMU notes that employers in other countries sometimes expect a CV, so the word alone is not a reliable signal; the job type is.
Sources
- James Madison University Career Center: Is a CV the same as a resume?
- Harvard SEAS Office of Career Development: Resumes, CVs, portfolios
- National Careers Service (UK): How to write a CV
- Cardiff University Student Futures: CVs
- US Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: Prohibited employment policies and practices
- Dossier app page (regional formats)
This guide is general information, not legal, tax or financial advice. Rules change; check the official source for your own case. Found a mistake? Email support@dexaloop.com.