GUIDE
CV vs resume: what's the difference?
It depends on where you apply. What employers in the US, UK, Europe and elsewhere mean by a CV or a resume, how long each should be, and which paper size to use.
Updated
The short answer: in the United States and Canada, a resume is the short document you send with a job application, and a CV is a long, complete record of an academic career. In the UK, Ireland and most of Europe, “CV” simply means the job application document that Americans call a resume.
So for most job seekers outside academia, the two words describe the same thing. What changes from country to country is the expected length, the level of detail and the paper size.
Which term is used where
| Region | Usual term | Typical length | Paper size |
|---|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada | Resume (CV for academic and research roles) | 1–2 pages | US Letter |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | CV | 2 pages | A4 |
| Most of continental Europe | CV | 1–2 pages | A4 |
| Australia, New Zealand | Both used, often interchangeably | 2–3 pages | A4 |
| India, South Africa | Both used, often interchangeably | 2 pages | A4 |
These are common conventions, not rules. Senior roles often justify an extra page, and some employers state their own preference.
The US resume
A US resume is a focused summary aimed at one job: contact details, a short summary, relevant experience with measurable results, skills and education. One page is normal early in a career and two pages for experienced candidates. Leave out photos, date of birth and marital status: US employers generally expect them to be left off, partly because of anti-discrimination rules.
The academic CV
In North America, “curriculum vitae” usually means the academic version: a complete record that includes publications, teaching, grants, conferences and research. It has no length limit and grows throughout a career. If you're applying for a faculty or research post, this is what is meant.
The UK and European CV
A UK or European CV covers the same ground as a US resume, usually across two A4 pages. A personal statement or profile at the top is common. Conventions about personal details vary: UK CVs normally leave out photos and dates of birth, while in some European countries a photo is still common. Check what is usual where you're applying.
What stays the same everywhere
- Most recent experience first.
- Achievements over duties: what changed because you were there.
- A clean, readable layout that applicant tracking systems can parse (see ATS-friendly templates).
- A version tailored to each job. Whatever you call the document, matching it to the job description matters more than the label. Here's how to tailor your CV to a job description.
Using careerstelle for either
careerstelle works with whichever you have. Upload a CV or a resume as a PDF or Word file, tailor it to the job, then preview and export it in A4 or US Letter depending on where you're applying.