Resume vs CV: which one are you being asked for?

The two words mean different things in different countries, which is why the advice you find online contradicts itself. Here is how to tell which document someone wants.

The two meanings

In the US and Canada, a resume is a short, targeted document — one or two pages, tailored per application. A CV means something else entirely: a long academic record listing publications, teaching, grants and conferences, used for research and university posts.

In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe, India, South Africa, Australia and New Zealand, "CV" is simply the everyday word for the same one-to-two-page document Americans call a resume. Nobody means an academic record unless the role is academic.

So if a London employer asks for your CV, they want the ordinary two-page document. If a US university asks for your CV, they want the long one. Read the country, not just the word.

Side by side

	Resume / everyday CV	Academic CV
Length	1–2 pages	No limit; often 4–15+
Tailored per application	Yes	Rarely; it is a complete record
Publications	Only if directly relevant	Full list, formally cited
Teaching and supervision	Summarised	Itemised
Grants and funding	Usually omitted	Listed with amounts
Referees	Not on the document	Often named in full

How to tell which is wanted

Look at the employer type. Company, agency, hospital, school, government department → the short document. University research post, postdoc, fellowship → the academic one.
Look at the country of the job, not your own.
Read the rest of the posting. If it asks for a research statement and referees, it is the academic sense.
If genuinely unsure, ask. One short email is cheaper than sending the wrong thing.

What about a "biodata"?

In parts of South Asia you may still be asked for a biodata, which traditionally includes personal details such as date of birth, marital status and sometimes a photograph. It is more common in government and matrimonial contexts than in modern private-sector hiring. If a company asks for a resume or CV, send the standard professional document.

Europass

Some European public-sector and EU institution roles ask for the Europass format specifically. It is a rigid template with its own sections. Use it only when it is named — it is verbose, and outside those employers it reads as unnecessarily formal.

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Common questions

Is a CV the same as a resume in the UK?

Yes. In the UK the word CV is used for the ordinary one-to-two-page job application document. The long academic version is called an academic CV when that is meant.

Can I send my resume when a CV is requested?

In the UK, India, Australia or most of Europe, yes — they are asking for the same thing. For a US academic post, no; they want the long record.

Should a CV include a photo?

Not in the UK, US, Ireland, Canada or Australia. It is still common in parts of continental Europe and Asia. Follow the destination country.