What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

In the US and Canada, a resume is a short targeted summary (1-2 pages) and a CV is a long comprehensive academic record. In the UK, Europe, India, Australia and much of the rest of the world, 'CV' simply means what Americans call a resume. The word means different things in different places, which is the source of the confusion. **American usage:** - *Resume* — 1-2 pages, tailored per application, focused on relevant experience and achievements. Used for essentially all industry jobs. - *CV (curriculum vitae)* — no length limit, comprehensive, includes publications, conference presentations, grants, teaching, committee service, references. Used for academic, research, medical and some scientific positions. **Elsewhere**: 'CV' is the everyday word for the 1-2 page document. If a UK or Indian job posting asks for your CV, they want what an American would call a resume. Sending an eight-page academic document would be a mistake. **So the practical rule**: match the local convention of the employer, and when in doubt, send a well-structured two-page document with your most relevant experience. That's correct almost everywhere. **Regional details worth knowing, since they trip people up:** - **Photos**: expected in parts of Europe, Asia and Latin America; strongly discouraged in the US, UK, Canada and Australia, where anti-discrimination practice means many recruiters must discard a resume with a photo. - **Personal details**: date of birth, marital status, nationality and gender are conventional in some countries and inappropriate (sometimes illegal to request) in others. Omit them for US/UK/Canada/Australia applications. - **Length**: one page is a strong US norm for early career; two pages is standard and unremarkable in the UK, India and much of Europe. - **References**: 'available on request' is dated everywhere; include them only when asked. - **Europass** is a standard European format some public-sector employers request specifically — otherwise it's generally not worth using. **The advice that matters more than the terminology**: whatever it's called, tailor it to the specific job, lead with achievements rather than duties, quantify wherever you can, and keep the formatting simple enough to parse. A brilliantly targeted two-page document beats a technically correctly-named one every time, and no recruiter has ever rejected someone for using the wrong word.