Are a CV and a resume the same thing?

In the UK and much of the world, yes, effectively. 'CV' is the standard term for the short document you send with a job application. In the US the everyday equivalent is called a 'resume', and 'CV' there means something different: a long academic record.

Which should I use in the UK?

A CV. In the UK, Ireland, and much of Europe and the Commonwealth, employers ask for a CV and mean a concise, one-to-two-page application document. You will rarely see 'resume' used.

Which should I use in the US?

A resume for almost all jobs, one to two pages, tailored to the role. Reserve 'CV' for academic, research, medical or scientific positions, where a longer, comprehensive document is expected.

Does it matter what I name the file?

A little. Match the word the employer uses in the advert, it shows you read it and speak their language. Either way, name the file clearly with your name and the role, not 'CV-final-v3'.

CV vs resume: what's the difference?

What each word means, where it matters (UK vs US), and which one you should be sending.

By Standout · 12 July 2026

“CV” and “resume” trip people up because the same words mean different things depending on where you are. The good news: for most job seekers it is a naming question, not a whole different document.

What “CV” means in the UK and most of the world

In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe, and across the Commonwealth, a CV (curriculum vitae) is the standard document you send with a job application. It is concise, usually one to two pages, and tailored to the role. When a British employer asks for your CV, this is what they mean.

What the words mean in the US

In the United States the everyday document is called a resume, one to two pages, tailored, exactly what a Brit would call a CV. There, CV means something else entirely: a long, comprehensive academic record listing publications, research, teaching and more, used for university, research, medical and scientific roles.

Which one to send

Two simple rules:

Match the market. Applying in the UK or Europe? Send a CV. Applying in the US for a normal job? Send a resume. Applying for a US academic post? Then a full CV is expected.
Match the advert’s language. Whatever word the job posting uses, use it back. It quietly signals you understand the context.

Underneath the label, the craft is the same: relevant, tailored, achievements not duties, clean enough for the applicant tracking system. Call it what your employer calls it and focus on making it good.

The free Standout CV builder produces a clean, tailored document you can send under either name, tuned to the role you are going for.

Turn your history into a polished, ATS-tuned CV, delivered as a Word document in minutes. Free with a Standout account.

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CV vs resume: what's the difference?

What “CV” means in the UK and most of the world

What the words mean in the US

Which one to send

Common questions