CV vs resume: what is the difference?
A CV and a resume can look similar, but they are used differently depending on the country, role, industry, and application process.
What is a curriculum vitae?
A curriculum vitae, usually shortened to CV, is a document that summarizes your education, work experience, skills, achievements, and qualifications. In many countries, CV is the standard word for the document used in job applications.
What is a resume?
A resume is usually a concise, tailored document focused on a specific job. It highlights the most relevant experience, skills, and results rather than listing every detail from your career.
How long should a CV be?
For most job seekers, a CV should be one or two pages. Academic, medical, research, and senior specialist CVs can be longer when publications, credentials, projects, or detailed experience are expected.
What to put on a CV
- Contact details and professional headline
- A short profile or summary
- Work experience with achievements and responsibilities
- Education, certifications, and training
- Skills that match the role
- Projects, languages, publications, or volunteering when relevant
CV vs Resume by Country
The terms are not used the same way everywhere, which is the main source of confusion:
| Region | Common term | Typical length |
|---|---|---|
| United States, Canada | Resume | 1 page, or 2 for senior roles |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | CV | 1-2 pages |
| Most of mainland Europe | CV | 1-2 pages, sometimes Europass format |
| Australia, New Zealand | CV or resume, used interchangeably | 2-3 pages |
| Academic, medical, research roles in any country | CV | Can run several pages |
If you are applying internationally, match the term and format the employer's country expects rather than translating your home-country habit directly. A 3-page Australian-style CV will read as bloated to a US recruiter, and a 1-page US-style resume can read as thin for a UK research role.
How to write a resume or CV for a job
Start with the job description, identify the skills and responsibilities that match your real experience, then write bullet points that show evidence. The best CVs and resumes are specific, readable, and tailored without exaggeration.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is a CV the same as a resume?
Not exactly. They are related but not identical. In the US and Canada, they are different documents: a CV is usually academic or research-focused, while a resume is used for most job applications. In the UK and most of Europe, CV is simply the local word for what Americans call a resume, and the two terms refer to the same one-to-two-page document.
What is the difference between a CV and a resume, in one sentence?
A resume is short and tailored to one job; an academic CV is comprehensive and lists your full career, education, and publications regardless of relevance to any single role.
Is vita the same as CV or resume?
Vita, or curriculum vitae in full, is simply the formal term for what is commonly shortened to CV. There is no separate document called a vita; it is the same thing, just an older or more formal way of saying it, still common in US academic contexts.
Is a cover letter the same as a CV?
No. A CV or resume lists your qualifications and experience; a cover letter is a separate, shorter document explaining why you specifically want this role at this company. They are submitted together but serve different purposes.
Which one should I use if a job posting does not specify?
Default to a resume-style document of 1-2 pages, tailored to the role, unless you are applying to an academic, research, medical, or EU-based position where a fuller CV is the norm.