- Resume (US/Canada): 1–2 pages, tailored to each job.
- CV (US academic/medical): full career record, can run many pages.
- CV (UK, EU, most of the world): same as a US resume — 1–2 pages.
- Follow the wording in the job ad and the country you are applying in.
CV vs resume at a glance
| Resume | CV (academic sense) | |
|---|---|---|
| Length | 1–2 pages | 2+ pages, no limit |
| Purpose | Win an interview for one job | Complete record of academic work |
| Tailored? | Yes, for every job | Rarely — it grows over time |
| Contents | Summary, experience, skills, education | + publications, research, teaching, grants, conferences |
| Used for | Private-sector jobs | Academia, research, medicine, fellowships |
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Which term is used where?
- US & Canada: resume for jobs; CV for academia/medicine.
- UK, Ireland, New Zealand: CV for everything.
- Australia, India, South Africa: terms used interchangeably.
- Continental Europe: CV (often with a photo; Europass format is optional) — see CV with photo.
Which one should you send?
Mirror the job ad. If it says “submit your CV” in the UK, send a 2-page job CV. If a US university asks for a CV, send the full academic version. When unsure, a tailored 1–2 page document is the safe choice.
Make either one in CV Builder
The same app builds a concise resume or a longer CV — the sections simply expand.
- Create a resume for each purpose. Keep a 1-page job resume and a longer CV side by side.
- Use Custom Sections for academic content. Publications, Research, Teaching or Conferences.
- Choose a matching template. Conservative designs work well for academic CVs.
- Export each as PDF. Name them clearly: Name-Resume.pdf and Name-CV.pdf.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CV the same as a resume?
Outside North America, usually yes. In the US and Canada, a CV is a longer academic document, while a resume is a 1–2 page summary for job applications.
Is a CV longer than a resume?
In the academic sense, yes — a CV has no page limit. A UK/European job CV is typically 2 pages, similar to a resume.
Can one app create both a CV and a resume?
Yes. CV Builder lets you keep several documents and add custom sections, so you can maintain both.
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