Resume vs CV: What’s the Difference?
The short answer
The terms "resume" and "CV" (curriculum vitae) are sometimes used interchangeably and sometimes refer to different documents — it depends on where you are and the type of role. In much of the world, the distinction is mostly about length, detail, and purpose. Knowing which meaning applies to your situation helps you send the right document.
How the terms are used by region
In the United States and Canada, a resume is a concise, one-to-two-page summary of your relevant experience, tailored to a specific job. In those countries, a CV usually means a longer, comprehensive academic document used for research, teaching, or scientific roles, listing publications, grants, and presentations. In the UK, much of Europe, and many other regions, "CV" is simply the everyday word for the same one-to-two-page job-application document Americans call a resume. In these regions, the two words often mean the same thing.
Length and content
A job-application resume (or CV, in regions that use the term that way) is short and targeted: a summary, recent and relevant work experience, education, and key skills, usually kept to one or two pages. An academic CV is longer and exhaustive, prioritizing scholarly output — publications, conference talks, funding, and teaching — and can run to many pages. The right level of detail follows the document’s purpose, not just its name.
Which one should you send?
Follow the job posting. If it asks for a "resume," send a concise, tailored document. If it asks for a "CV," consider the context: for most non-academic roles in Europe and similar regions, a standard one-to-two-page document is expected; for academic or research positions, provide the full academic CV. When in doubt, match the length and depth to the role, keep it relevant to the reader, and prioritize clarity over cramming everything in.
Put this into practice, free.
Build an ATS-friendly resume with our free builder, or import the CV you already have. No signup required.
Create your resume