CV vs Resume: What's the Difference? (US, UK, India and Europe)
CV or resume? The answer depends on the country and the job. See how the US, UK, India, Europe and academia use each word, how long each should be, and which one to send.
Quick answer
In the US and Canada, a résumé is usually a short job application document, while an academic CV records research, publications and teaching. In the UK and many other countries, CV commonly means the short job application document. Follow the role and employer’s requirements rather than the label alone.
"Send us your CV." "Attach your resume." Recruiters use both words, sometimes for the same document and sometimes for very different ones. Which one you need depends on where you're applying and what kind of job it is.
The short answer
- United States and Canada: a resume is the short (1–2 page) document for almost every job. A CV is a long academic record used for research, teaching and medical roles.
- UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia, New Zealand, South Africa: CV is the everyday word for what Americans call a resume. It's usually 2 pages.
- India, the Middle East and much of Asia: the words are used interchangeably. A "CV" for a corporate job is the same 1–2 page document as a "resume".
So if a UK or Indian employer asks for a CV, they almost always want a concise resume, not a 10-page academic history.
Side by side
| Resume | Academic CV | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1–2 pages | As long as needed (often 3–10+) |
| Purpose | Win an interview for a specific job | Full record of an academic career |
| Content | Tailored experience, skills, results | Every publication, grant, talk, course taught |
| Tailored per job? | Yes | Mostly no; new items are added over time |
| Common in | Industry jobs worldwide | Universities, research, medicine |
Which one should you send?
- Read the job post. If it asks for a list of publications, references or teaching history, they want an academic CV.
- Otherwise, send a resume-style document, even if the post says "CV". Keep it to one page for under ~10 years of experience, two pages beyond that (see one page vs two pages).
- Name the file the way they asked:
Firstname-Lastname-CV.pdffor a "CV" request,Firstname-Lastname-Resume.pdffor a "resume" request. It's a small thing that shows you read the post.
What changes between countries
- Photo: leave it off in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, where photos can introduce bias and many companies discard them. Some employers in Germany, the Middle East and parts of Asia still expect one.
- Personal details: date of birth, marital status and nationality don't belong on a US or UK CV. In India they're common only on a biodata, and usually unnecessary for private-sector jobs.
- Spelling: match the country. "Organised" for UK and India, "organized" for the US.
Does the ATS care what you call it?
No. Applicant tracking systems read the content, not the label. What matters is a single-column layout, standard section headings and real text, the same rules covered in our ATS-friendly guide. Every template in Resume Creator follows them, so the same document works as a resume or a CV.