CV vs Resume: What's the Difference?
It depends on where you are applying. In the US and Canada, a resume is a short document for job applications, and a CV is a long record of an academic or research career. In much of the rest of the world, “CV” simply means the short job document, and there is no separate resume.
The words by region
These are general habits, not rules, and individual employers differ. The job ad is your best guide.
- United States and Canada: “resume” for most jobs. “CV” for academic posts, research, medicine, and some scientific roles.
- United Kingdom and Ireland: “CV” for almost all jobs. People rarely use “resume”.
- Most of Europe: “CV”. Germany also uses its own word, Lebenslauf.
- Australia and New Zealand: both words are used, often to mean the same thing.
- Vietnam: “CV” is the usual word for the document you send with a job application. You may also be asked later for a “sơ yếu lý lịch”, which is a separate personal background form.
- Asia and the Middle East more widely: both words appear, often interchangeably, especially at international firms.
What really changes
The name matters less than the length and the purpose. There are two kinds of document, whatever anyone calls them.
The short job document, called a resume or a CV depending on where you are, runs to one or two pages. It is written for one job, so you pick what fits and leave out the rest.
The long academic CV keeps growing through your career, and it can run to many pages. It aims to be complete, covering publications, grants, teaching, conferences, and supervision. Leaving out a paper to save space would be unusual.
Before Developed a rapid coral sampling method; presented at a marine biology conference, 2026.
Better Cut coral sampling time by 40% with a new field method, later adopted by 2 partner labs.
Which should you send?
Use these questions in order, and stop at the first one that gives you an answer:
- What does the ad ask for? Use that word and follow any stated format.
- Is it an academic, research or medical post? Then send the long CV, unless told otherwise.
- Are you applying to the US or Canada for a regular job? Send a short resume, and call it that.
- Anywhere else, for a regular job? Send the short document and call it a CV.
If you aren't sure, ask. A short message to the contact in the ad is perfectly normal. If you have no contact, go with the short version, because it is easy to read and they can always ask for more.
Changing a CV for the US
If you already have a short CV and want to apply in the US, the content mostly stays the same. A few details are worth changing:
- Rename the document and the file so that it says “resume”.
- Remove your photo, date of birth, gender, marital status and nationality. US norms discourage them, because employers try to avoid anything that could look like unfair screening.
- Keep it to one page if you are early in your career, or two if you have many years to show.
- Write out the month, as in “March 2026”. It avoids confusion, since Americans read 03/04/2026 as March 4 and much of the world reads it as 3 April.
- Use Letter paper for North America and A4 almost everywhere else.
Changing a long CV into a short one
Researchers moving into industry often find this the hardest step. Start with a new, empty file instead of cutting down the old one. Pick the two or three projects closest to the job, write down what each one achieved, then add a short list of your skills. Mention that you have publications, and give one or two only if they matter to this employer.
Before 24 peer-reviewed papers, listed in full across 3 pages.
Better Published 24 peer-reviewed papers on battery ageing, including 2 used by a partner's product team.
Other names you may meet
- Cover letter: a separate letter that explains why you want this job. It doesn't replace your CV.
- Biodata: a term common in parts of South Asia, often with more personal details.
- Personal profile or LinkedIn page: useful alongside a CV, but rarely a substitute unless the ad says so.