Which format do I need?
CV vs résumé
The same word means different documents in different countries. What each one is, and which to send where.
Beginner Start here — assumes no prior knowledge.
This is not a style preference — it is a genuine transatlantic collision, and sending the wrong one reads as carelessness. In the United States a résumé is a short targeted summary and a CV is a long academic record. In the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, India, South Africa and much of the Commonwealth, "CV" means the short targeted document that Americans call a résumé. Nobody will explain this to you in the job advert.
Side by side
| Résumé (US usage) | CV (Commonwealth usage) | Academic CV | |
|---|---|---|---|
| In one line | A one-page marketing document targeted at one specific job. | The same targeted document, under a different name. | A complete record of scholarly output. Nothing is cut for length. |
| Typical length | One page. Two only with a decade of relevant experience. | One to two pages. | Two pages as a doctoral student; twenty or more as a professor. |
| Who reads it | A recruiter giving it six to twenty seconds, often after software has ranked it | A hiring manager or HR, plus applicant-tracking software | A search committee of academics in your field |
| Voice | Terse. Fragments, not sentences. Strong verbs, numbers wherever honest. | Terse, same as above. A short personal statement at the top is more common than in the US. | Neutral and factual. No selling. |
| Shape | Contact, short summary, experience newest first, education, skills. | Contact, personal statement, experience, education, skills. Referees named or "available on request". | Education, appointments, publications, grants, teaching, service, conferences, references. |
| Use it when | Any non-academic job in the US or Canada. | Almost any job in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand. | Academic posts, postdocs, fellowships, research grants — anywhere in the world. |
Résumé (US usage)
A one-page marketing document targeted at one specific job.
Typical length: One page. Two only with a decade of relevant experience.
Who reads it: A recruiter giving it six to twenty seconds, often after software has ranked it
Voice: Terse. Fragments, not sentences. Strong verbs, numbers wherever honest.
Shape: Contact, short summary, experience newest first, education, skills.
Use it when: Any non-academic job in the US or Canada.
CV (Commonwealth usage)
The same targeted document, under a different name.
Typical length: One to two pages.
Who reads it: A hiring manager or HR, plus applicant-tracking software
Voice: Terse, same as above. A short personal statement at the top is more common than in the US.
Shape: Contact, personal statement, experience, education, skills. Referees named or "available on request".
Use it when: Almost any job in the UK, Ireland, Nigeria, Ghana, Kenya, South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand.
Academic CV
A complete record of scholarly output. Nothing is cut for length.
Typical length: Two pages as a doctoral student; twenty or more as a professor.
Who reads it: A search committee of academics in your field
Voice: Neutral and factual. No selling.
Shape: Education, appointments, publications, grants, teaching, service, conferences, references.
Use it when: Academic posts, postdocs, fellowships, research grants — anywhere in the world.
Decide quickly
Which one do you actually need?
- Job advert written in US English, non-academic → résumé, one page.
- Job advert from the UK, Nigeria, Kenya, India, Australia → CV, one to two pages.
- University, research institute or fellowship → academic CV, however long it needs to be.
- The advert says "CV" but the employer is American and it is not a university → they mean a résumé. Send one page.
- You genuinely cannot tell → send the short targeted version. Nobody has ever been rejected for being concise.
Common confusions
The questions that come up every time.
Do I include a photo, my age, or my marital status?
It depends entirely on where you are applying, and getting it wrong is costly in both directions. US, UK, Ireland, Canada, Australia: no photo, no age, no marital status, no nationality — including them can force an employer to discard your application for legal reasons. Germany, much of continental Europe, and many employers in Nigeria and India: a photo and date of birth are conventional and their absence looks odd. Match the destination, not your habit.
Two pages or one?
One page if you have under about eight years of relevant experience — anywhere. The one-page rule is a US convention that has quietly become near-universal for early-career applicants, because it is really a test of whether you can prioritise.
Does the file name matter?
More than people think. `Adaeze-Okonkwo-CV.pdf` is findable in a folder of four hundred applications. `cv final FINAL v3.docx` is not, and it tells the reader something before they open it. Send PDF unless the advert asks for Word.
Related guides
How to write a CV or resume
A clear, results-driven CV that gets read and gets you an interview.
Open the guide →GUIDEIntermediateHow to write a cover letter
A short, targeted cover letter that connects your experience to the specific role and gets you considered.
Open the guide →GUIDEIntermediateHow to write about yourself
An honest, useful bio and personal introduction — the ones people actually read.
Open the guide →GUIDEBeginnerBritish vs American English
The main spelling, word and punctuation differences, and how to be consistent in whichever one you use.
Open the guide →