If you’re job hunting, you’ve probably seen the terms ‘CV’ and ‘resume’ both used to refer to the document you need to apply for a role.
So what’s the difference?
It’s actually pretty simple: a resume and a CV are essentially the same thing. The word ‘CV’ is used in the UK and Europe, while ‘resume’ is the standard name used in the USA and Canada.
There are, however, some differences in how your job application document should be written, depending on where you’re applying for a job. Let’s get into it:
What is a CV?
In most of the world, a CV is a job application document used to show employers why you deserve an interview. A good CV highlights your educational and professional background, including your:
- key skills
- work experience
- qualifications and certifications
What is an American CV?
When applying for jobs in the United States, a ‘CV’ is something very different.
An American CV is a lengthy document used to apply for academic or research positions specifically. In this situation, you’d detail your teaching positions, publications, research, and anything else that’s relevant to your academic career.
That means that American CVs can be well over 10 pages long — significantly longer than a standard CV for a job.
What is a resume?
A resume is the basic job application document used in North America – essentially the same thing as a ‘CV’ in most other countries. A resume outlines your most relevant skills and accomplishments, with the goal of convincing employers you’re the right person for the job.
International differences
So a ‘CV’ and a ‘resume’ are different words for the same thing.
However, there are still some small international differences in how you would write a job application document, depending on the country in which you’re applying for work:
1. CVs are longer
A CV written for a job in the UK is typically longer than an American resume because UK and EU employers expect to learn all about your professional and educational background, like unrelated jobs and your GCSE/A-Level (or Scottish Highers/Advanced) grades.
In the UK, a standard CV is between 2 and 4 pages long in order to include the extra information employers are looking for.
On the other hand, an American resume is much more concise, usually sticking to just 1 or 2 pages.
2. CVs are more detailed
Another difference between a CV and a resume is how much detail they go into.
Let’s compare the work experience, education, and hobbies and interests sections of a CV and a resume:
Work history
UK and Irish employers expect to see your entire work history on your CV. That’s why they’re 2+ pages long.
By contrast, US employers want to see only your most relevant work history.
Education
Another example is in the education section of your CV. A CV in the UK or Ireland should always include:
- your university degrees
- your A-Levels (or Irish/Scottish equivalents)
- the number of GCSEs you were awarded (or Irish/Scottish equivalents) graded between 9 and 4 (or A* and C before 2017)
Also, provide your GCSE grades for English, Maths, and ICT if you haven’t studied these subjects at A-Level, so employers can see you have the minimum literacy, numeracy, and ICT skills to function in the workplace.
By contrast, resumes usually only contain the highest degree you’ve obtained. So if you’ve got a BSc in Chemistry, that’s all you’d list on a resume. Leave off your A-Levels and GCSEs.
US employers won’t understand British degree classifications, so if you’re a Brit applying for a US job, convert your degree classification to a US ‘GPA’ number (grade point average), and add it to your resume.
Hobbies and interests
UK employers also expect to see a section dedicated to your hobbies and interests to check whether you’re a good personality fit, something that’s rare on a US resume.
3. CVs have multiple purposes
A CV and a well-written cover letter are used to apply for all jobs in the UK and Europe.
In the US, a resume is used to apply for most jobs, and a multi-page CV is used to apply for academic roles in American universities.
If you’re applying for a postgrad course like a master’s degree or Ph.D., there’s no limit on the number of pages for your academic CV. The same goes for lecturers, professors, and researchers at universities — 20+ page CVs aren’t uncommon!
Frequently Asked Questions
Want more information? We prepared 3 answers to commonly asked questions to give you more tips on CVs and resumes:
1. How do you turn a CV into a resume for a US job?
If an employer asks for a resume instead of a CV, it’s straightforward:
- Remove any irrelevant jobs from the document. On a CV, you usually include every single job you’ve had. On a resume, you just include jobs relevant to the position you’re applying for. For example, if you’ve worked as a graphic designer, and are applying for a senior graphic design role, cut out those Asda customer service or Uber Eats delivery roles you had back in uni.
You should also remove any jobs that you held 15+ years ago. As well as helping you cut your CV down to resume size, it’ll also help protect you against age discrimination.
- Remove certain sections that are standard on a CV but just take up space on a resume — for example, your hobbies and interests section
- Try using a smaller resume/CV font size — but 10 should be the minimum font size on CVs and resumes. Other CV formatting hacks include:
- reducing your margins down to a max of 1.25 cm
- removing personal info like your full postal address, marital status, nationality, date of birth, National Insurance Number etc. (you shouldn’t list these personal details on your CV anyway)
- using a narrower font like Arial Narrow (you’ll be able to fit more text on your page).
2. Do I need both a resume and a CV?
No, you don’t need both a resume and a CV. The only case where you would need both is if you’re applying for jobs in both the US and the UK. In that case, you’ll need the shorter resume for the US and the more in-depth CV for the UK.
3. What do I submit if an employer asks for a CV or a resume?
In this case, the employer is letting you choose which document to send. If you already have a CV prepared, send it to the employer.
If the job opening is in the UK or Commonwealth, use British English, but if the job is in the US, use American English.
