Quick answer
Start with what you can prove.
- Use “resume” in the United States and Canada for most private-sector applications.
- Use “résumé” or “CV” according to the Australian employer's wording.
- Use “CV” in the United Kingdom for the standard job-application document.
- An academic CV is a different, longer record and follows the institution's instructions.
1. Résumé and CV can mean different things
In the United States and Canada, “resume” usually means a concise document tailored to a job. In the United Kingdom, “CV” is the usual name for that document. Australian employers use both terms. Academic, research and some medical applications may request a longer curriculum vitae with publications and other specialist detail.
TheJobSort recommendation: use the exact term in the advertisement and follow its requested length and file type.
2. United States
Use a resume for most private-sector roles, usually on US Letter paper. A federal resume follows USAJOBS requirements and should not be treated as the same format. Read the complete United States resume guide.
3. Australia
Résumé and CV are both used for the standard application document. A4 paper and Australian English are common. Government roles may also require a separate response to selection criteria. Read the complete Australian résumé guide.
4. United Kingdom
CV is the standard term for a concise job-application document, normally on A4 paper. Leave out age, date of birth, marital status and nationality. Read the complete United Kingdom CV guide.
5. Canada
Resume is the usual term for most jobs, normally on Letter paper. Government guidance recommends a concise, tailored document without a photo or sensitive personal details. Read the complete Canadian résumé guide.
6. Check the destination before exporting
- Use the employer's requested document name and file type.
- Choose Letter for the United States and Canada, and A4 for Australia and the United Kingdom.
- Apply local spelling without changing the underlying facts.
- Remove personal information that the target market does not expect.
- Treat academic, federal and selection-criteria applications as distinct formats.
Official guidance used for this article
TheJobSort separates official guidance from our own practical recommendations. These sources were checked on 17 August 2026.
- Resume guide: formattingCareerOneStop, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor
- Write a resumeWorkforce Australia
- How to write a CVUK National Careers Service
- How to write a good resumeGovernment of Canada Job Bank
Put it into practice
Build from facts you can defend.
Upload your résumé once. Merv helps you check the details, improve the writing and tailor a version to the job without adding unsupported claims.
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