The short version
- One page for early and mid career, two pages for extensive experience.
- No photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no nationality.
- Tailored to the specific job, not a single generic document.
- Plain formatting so applicant tracking systems can read it.
What US employers expect to see
| Section | Include | Skip |
|---|---|---|
| Header | Name, city and state, phone, email, LinkedIn | Full street address, photo |
| Summary | Two or three lines aimed at this job | Generic career objectives |
| Experience | Achievements with numbers | Duty lists copied from job descriptions |
| Education | Degree, institution, country | Grades from decades ago |
| Skills | Tools and skills named in the posting | Long lists of soft skills |
If you trained or worked outside the US
Say where the qualification is from and add a short equivalence note where you can. Keep employer names as they are, but add one line explaining what the organisation does and its size, since a recruiter will not recognise it. Convert responsibilities into outcomes with numbers, because that is the convention American recruiters read for.
Common mistakes
- Sending a European style CV with a photo and personal details.
- Listing duties rather than results.
- Using tables, columns and graphics that applicant tracking systems mis-parse.
- Applying with the same document to every role.
Key takeaways
- One page unless you genuinely have a decade of relevant work.
- Strip personal details that are normal elsewhere but unusual in the US.
- Lead every bullet with an outcome and a number where you have one.
Frequently asked questions
What is the difference between a CV and a resume?
In the US a resume is a short tailored summary, usually one page, while a CV is a long academic record. In the UK the word CV is used for the same short document Americans call a resume.
Should I include a photo on a US resume?
No. US hiring conventions and anti discrimination practice mean photos, dates of birth and marital status are left off, and including them can cause your application to be set aside.
How do I list a foreign degree?
State the degree, institution and country, then add a brief equivalence note if you have had it assessed. Do not translate it into a US degree name you were not awarded.
Can a resume be two pages?
Yes, once you have around ten years of relevant experience or a technical record that genuinely needs the space. Below that, two pages usually signals padding rather than depth.