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In the US and Canada, a resume is a short, tailored summary of your experience, usually one or two pages, and a CV is a long academic record. In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe and many other countries, "CV" simply means the same short document Americans call a resume.
What Is a Resume?
A resume is a short document that summarises your work experience, skills and education for a specific job. It is written to be read quickly, so it focuses on what matters for the role you are applying for rather than everything you have ever done. Most resumes are one or two pages, and many people adjust theirs for each application.
The word comes from the French résumé, meaning "summary". In English it is often written without accents, as "resume", and you will also see "résumé".
What Is a CV?
CV stands for curriculum vitae, Latin for "course of life". What it means depends on where you are:
- In the US and Canada, a CV is a detailed, often long record of an academic or research career: education, research, publications, teaching, grants, conference talks and awards. It is mainly used for academic, research, scientific and some medical jobs, and it grows over time rather than being cut down for each application.
- In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe and many other countries, "CV" is simply the normal word for the short job-application document. A UK CV for most jobs looks very much like an American resume: around two pages, tailored to the role.
- In some places, including Australia and India, both words are used, often to mean the same thing.
So when someone asks "is a CV a resume?", the honest answer is: outside North America, usually yes; inside North America, a CV usually means the longer academic document.
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Set up Auto Apply →CV vs Resume: The Differences at a Glance
| Resume (US and Canada) | Academic CV (US and Canada) | CV (UK, Ireland, Europe and many other places) | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Purpose | Win an interview for a specific job | Show a full academic or research record | Win an interview for a specific job |
| Typical length | One to two pages | As long as your record needs, often several pages | Around two pages for most jobs |
| Tailored per job? | Yes, usually | Mostly fixed, added to over time | Yes, usually |
| Main content | Summary, experience, skills, education | Education, research, publications, teaching, grants, talks | Profile, experience, skills, education |
| Used for | Most private and public sector jobs | Academic, research and some medical and scientific roles | Most jobs |
| Photo and personal details | Usually left out | Usually left out | Varies by country; check local norms |
What Does a Resume Look Like?
A typical resume, or a UK-style CV, follows this structure from top to bottom:
- Name and contact details: name, phone, email, city or region, and a professional profile link if you have one.
- Summary or profile: two to four lines on who you are, your main skills and what you are looking for. See our resume summary examples.
- Work experience: most recent job first, with job title, employer, dates and three to six bullet points focused on results.
- Skills: a short list of the skills most relevant to the job. Our guide to skills to put on a resume has 100+ examples.
- Education: qualifications, institution and dates. Recent graduates often put this before experience.
- Optional extras: certifications, languages, volunteering or projects, if they help for this job.
Keep the layout simple: one column, standard headings and a common font, so both people and applicant tracking systems can read it. Our ATS resume guide covers formatting in more detail.
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Set up Auto Apply →What Does an Academic CV Look Like?
An academic CV, the North American meaning, is organised around a research and teaching career rather than one job. Common sections include:
- Education, with thesis titles and supervisors
- Academic and research positions
- Publications, listed in full citation style
- Conference presentations and invited talks
- Grants, fellowships and awards
- Teaching experience and courses taught
- Service, such as committees and peer review
- References
It is normal for an academic CV to run to several pages, because the reader wants the complete record.
Which One Should You Send?
Follow the job ad's wording
If a US or Canadian employer asks for a resume, send a resume. If a UK, Irish or European employer asks for a CV, they almost always mean the short, tailored document, not an academic record.
Check the type of role
For academic, research and some scientific or medical positions, especially in North America, "CV" usually means the full academic CV. For almost everything else, a one-to-two page tailored document is right.
Match the country's conventions
Things like including a photo, date of birth or nationality differ by country. When in doubt, leave personal details out and follow the employer's instructions.
When unsure, send the short version
A clear, tailored two-page document is rarely the wrong choice for a non-academic job. You can always add detail if asked.
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Set up Auto Apply →How to Turn a CV Into a Resume, and Back
From a long academic CV to a resume
- Keep only what is relevant to the job you are applying for.
- Replace long lists of publications and talks with one line, or a few highlights, if they matter for the role.
- Rewrite research work as achievements an employer understands: what you did, the skills you used and the result.
- Add a short summary and a skills section, and cut it to one or two pages.
From a resume to an academic CV
- Add full sections for publications, presentations, grants, teaching and service.
- Use complete citations and full dates.
- Keep everything, rather than cutting for length.
From a US resume to a UK CV, or the other way round
Often very little changes: rename the document, adjust spelling to the local style, check that dates and qualification names are clear to a local reader, and follow the country's norms on personal details.
Common Mistakes
Sending a long academic CV for a regular job
Outside academia, a long record of every course and talk buries the experience the employer is looking for.
One version for every application
Whatever you call it, a document tailored to each job reads as more relevant than a general one.
Adding a photo where it is not expected
In the US, Canada and the UK, photos are usually left off. Some other countries expect one. Check local norms.
Over-designed layouts
Columns, graphics and text in images can confuse applicant tracking systems. A simple layout is safer for both readers and software.
Worrying about the name more than the content
Recruiters care far more about whether your experience fits than whether the file is called CV or resume.
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Set up Auto Apply →How MockIF Helps
MockIF uses the word "CV" in the product, but everything works the same with a resume. Two free tools help you check either document, and both work without signing up:
- Free ATS resume checker. Upload your CV or resume, on its own or with a job description, and get a score with specific fixes. A small number of free scans are available each day.
- Resume and job description match. See how your document lines up with a specific posting, and which terms are missing.
If tailoring your CV for every job is what slows you down, MockIF Auto Apply finds jobs that match your roles, skills and countries and applies on the employer's own form with your answers. On Plus and Pro, it tailors your CV to each job using only what is already in it. It's free to start with 5 credits, then monthly or 3-monthly plans, or one-off credit packs (see pricing).
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a CV the same as a resume?
What is a CV in a job application?
What is the main difference between a CV and a resume?
Should I send a CV or a resume?
How long should a CV or resume be?
Can I use a resume template for a CV?
CV or resume, make it count.
Check it free with the ATS resume checker, then let Auto Apply send applications with a CV tailored to each job.
Set up Auto Apply →