Guides · 5 min read · 2026-04-08
CV vs Resume: What's the Difference?
CV and resume are used differently in the UK, US, and EU. Here's what to send where, and why our templates work for both.
The short answer - **United States / Canada:** "Resume" = a 1–2 page summary of work experience. "CV" = a long academic document. - **UK / Ireland / Europe / Most of the World:** "CV" = a 1–2 page summary of work experience. - **Academia (everywhere):** "CV" = the long version with publications, conferences, grants.
So which do you send? When a US company says "send your resume", send a 1-page resume. When a UK company says "send your CV", send a 1-page CV. They are the same document with different names.
Our templates work for both Every template on FreeWordCV.com is structured for the 1–2 page version used worldwide. Just title the document with the word the employer used.
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