CV vs Resume: The Difference, Country by Country (2026)

Ask what the difference between a CV and a resume is and you get two different answers, depending on who you ask. In the United States the two words name two different documents. In Britain, Ireland and much of the world they name the same document, and "resume" is simply the American word for it. Most confusion comes from mixing the two answers: an American applying to a Dublin hospital who sends a one-page resume, or a British graduate applying in Boston who sends what Americans would call a CV and gets told it is far too long.

This guide gives the short answer, then goes country by country through what employers call the document, how long they expect it to be, and what they expect to find in it, so you know what to send wherever you apply.

What is the difference between a CV and a resume?

In the US and Canada, a resume is a short, targeted summary of your experience for a specific job, usually one or two pages, while a CV, short for curriculum vitae, is a long and complete record of an academic or research career, with publications, grants, teaching and conferences, that grows with every year of work. In the UK, Ireland, Australia, New Zealand and most other countries, "CV" is the everyday word for the short document Americans call a resume, and the long academic record is called an academic CV.

So the question to ask is not which document is better but which one the employer in front of you means. A hospital in Manchester asking for a CV wants two pages about your nursing. A university in Ohio asking for a CV wants the full academic record. A software company in Toronto asking for a resume wants one or two pages, tailored to the role.

Is a CV longer than a resume?

In North America, yes, usually by a lot. An American or Canadian resume is one page for students and early-career applicants and two pages for most experienced ones. An academic CV has no fixed length: a postdoctoral researcher might have four pages and a senior professor twenty, because every publication and grant is listed.

Outside North America the comparison does not apply in the same way, because the CV is the ordinary job application document. A UK or Irish CV is normally two pages. An Australian one is often two to three pages, and three is accepted for experienced applicants. New Zealand follows the UK: two pages is the norm, with a third only for a long senior career. None of these is an academic CV, which in every country is as long as the career it records.

CV vs resume by country

United States

Employers outside universities, research and medicine ask for a resume: one page for a student or a first job, two for most experienced applicants, on US Letter paper, in American spelling. No photo, no date of birth and no marital status; federal and state employment law makes most employers prefer not to see them. The CV is for academic posts, research, fellowships and some medical roles, and it lists everything.

If a US employer asks for a CV for an ordinary job, they usually mean a resume. When in doubt, look at the rest of the posting: if it asks for publications or a teaching statement, they mean the academic CV.

Canada

Canada follows the US usage: resume for jobs, CV for academic and research posts. The document is one or two pages on Letter paper, in Canadian spelling, with no photo, and provincial human rights legislation discourages employers from asking for personal details. Our guide to the Canadian resume format covers the details, and the Canada page shows how the site's resume examples apply there.

United Kingdom

Employers ask for a CV, and the word "resume" is rarely used. A UK CV is two pages on A4 paper, in British English, with a short personal profile at the top, no photo, no date of birth and no marital status. Public employers such as the NHS and the civil service often use their own application forms as well, and the CV becomes the source you copy from. The UK page lists the conventions and links to CV examples written for UK employers.

Ireland

Irish usage matches the UK: a CV, two pages on A4, in Irish English (which follows British spelling), with no photo and no date of birth. Employers often look for professional registration early on the page, such as the Teaching Council for teachers or NMBI for nurses; the nurse CV guide for Ireland shows how that works for one profession. The Ireland page covers the rest.

Australia

Both words are in everyday use in Australia, and they mean the same thing: job ads and recruiters say "resume" and "CV" interchangeably. The document is on A4, in Australian English, without a photo, and it runs longer than in the UK: two pages is normal and three is accepted for experienced applicants. Many Australian applications, especially in government, also ask you to respond to selection criteria in a separate statement. The Australia page has the conventions and CV examples.

New Zealand

New Zealand employers mostly say CV, with "resume" also understood. A New Zealand CV is two pages on A4, in New Zealand English, without a photo, and employers expect referees to be available, so it often ends with a line offering them. The New Zealand page covers the specifics.

Elsewhere

In most of Europe, Africa, the Middle East and Asia, "CV" is the usual word for a job application document, but the content varies more than the word does. Some countries still commonly expect a photo or personal details that English-speaking countries leave off, and many European employers accept the Europass CV format published by the European Union. Before applying abroad, look at a few recent job ads from the country and follow what they ask for, because local practice changes faster than any guide.

What goes on an academic CV?

An academic CV is a complete, chronological record of a scholarly career, and nothing is cut to fit a page. It opens with your name, contact details and current position, then lists education with thesis titles and supervisors, academic appointments, publications in a standard citation style, grants and funding with amounts, teaching, supervision of students, conference talks, awards, service such as peer review and committee work, and referees. Each section grows over a career, which is why the document does.

Unlike a job CV or resume, an academic CV is not rewritten heavily for each application. You add to it, keep it current, and adjust the order of sections or the emphasis in a cover letter for each post. Some academic applications also ask for a short "two-page CV" or a funder's template, which is a selection from the full record, not a different document.

How do you turn a resume into a CV, or a CV into a resume?

To turn an American resume into a UK, Irish, Australian or New Zealand CV, change the paper size to A4, switch to British spelling, rename "Summary" to "Profile" if you like, and let the document run to two pages if your experience fills them. Replace American job titles and qualifications with the local terms where the job is the same, add the local professional registration if your field has one, and remove anything that only makes sense in the US, such as a state licence number with no explanation.

To go the other way, from a UK-style CV to an American resume, cut to one page if you are early in your career, or tighten to two if you are experienced. Switch to US Letter and American spelling, rename "Profile" to "Summary", and make every bullet show a result, because American recruiters read for impact first. Leave out references entirely; a US employer will ask for them later.

Turning a job CV or resume into an academic CV is a bigger job, because you are adding sections rather than converting them. Start from your publications and teaching, not from your work history.

Should a CV or resume include a photo?

Not in the United States, Canada, the UK, Ireland, Australia or New Zealand. Employers in those countries do not expect one, anti-discrimination law makes most of them prefer not to see one, and a photo takes space your experience could use. The same goes for date of birth, marital status, religion and, in most cases, nationality. If you need a visa or permit to work, say so in one line instead.

Some countries elsewhere still commonly include a photo or personal details. Follow local job ads, not habits from the last country you applied in.

Which word should you use in your application?

Use the word the employer uses. If the job ad says "send your CV", call your document a CV in the email and the file name, even if you think of it as a resume, and the same in reverse. Name the file with your name and the document, for example "Priya-Shah-CV.pdf" for a UK application or "Priya-Shah-Resume.pdf" for a US one. It is a small signal that you wrote the application for this employer and not for the last one.

Your next steps

Decide which country's conventions you are writing for, then start from an example written for that market rather than adapting one written for another. The CV examples are written for the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, on A4 and in local spelling, and the resume examples are written for American employers. Every template works for both.

When you have a posting in front of you, paste it into Resume Master and it rewrites your CV or resume for that job in about two minutes. Every template and PDF export is free.