Your experience is the same everywhere, but what a recruiter expects depends on the country the job is in. Here's how a CV or résumé changes between the US, the UK, Europe and the GCC.
CV or résumé?
In the US, the document you send for most jobs is a résumé. A "CV" there usually means a long academic record. In the UK, Europe and the GCC, the same document is called a CV. The idea is the same: a short, clear summary of your experience, written for the job you want.
At a glance
- Length: US one page (two for long careers), UK two pages, Europe one or two, GCC up to two or three.
- Paper: US Letter in the US, A4 everywhere else.
- Photo: no in the US and UK, it depends in Europe, common in the GCC.
- Personal details: leave them out in the US and UK, few in Europe, expected in the GCC.
- Spelling: US English in the US, UK English in the UK and usually in Europe, either in the GCC.
United States
- Length: one page, or two if you have more than ten years of experience.
- Paper: US Letter (8.5 × 11 inches), not A4.
- Photo: leave it off. Employers avoid photos to keep hiring fair.
- Personal details: leave out date of birth, age, marital status, nationality, gender, religion and visa status. You can say you're authorized to work in the US.
- Headings and spelling: "Summary" and "Experience", with US spelling (organize, analyze, center).
- References: don't list them. Recruiters ask when they need them.
United Kingdom
- Length: up to two pages.
- Paper: A4.
- Photo: leave it off.
- Personal details: the same as the US. Leave out date of birth, marital status, nationality and similar details. "Right to work in the UK" is useful if it applies.
- Headings and spelling: UK spelling (organise, analyse, centre). Some people call the summary a personal statement.
- References: optional. "References available on request" is enough.
Europe
- Length: one or two pages.
- Paper: A4.
- Photo: common in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, France and Belgium. Leave it off in the Nordic countries and the Netherlands.
- Personal details: leave out marital status, religion and gender. Date of birth is optional and often left off now. Mention your work permit if you need one.
- Languages: give each one a level on the European scale, from A1 (beginner) to C2 (near native), for example English (C1), German (B2).
- Headings and spelling: the summary is often called a "Profile". UK spelling works well for English-language CVs.
GCC (UAE, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Oman)
- Length: up to two pages, three for long senior careers.
- Paper: A4.
- Photo: common and welcome. Use a professional head-and-shoulders photo.
- Personal details: nationality, visa status, notice period and driving licence are normal and often expected.
- Languages: give a level for Arabic and English, for example Arabic (native), English (fluent).
- Spelling: US or UK spelling are both fine. Pick one and keep it consistent.
- References: optional.
Other English-speaking countries
Canada follows the US style: a résumé on US Letter paper, no photo and no personal details. Australia and New Zealand also call it a resume, use A4 paper and leave the photo off; two or three pages are common there. In each case the advice below on one master CV still applies.
Dates, phone numbers and money
Small details travel badly between countries. "04/05/2022" means 5 April in the US and 4 May in the UK, so write dates as a month and year: "May 2022". Give your phone number in international format, such as +971 50 123 4567 or +44 7700 900123, so it works from anywhere. When you mention money, add the currency, for example "AED 3 million" or "EUR 450,000", and consider adding a US dollar figure for a reader who doesn't know the local currency.
Academic and research CVs
Universities and research institutes everywhere use a longer CV that lists publications, conferences, teaching and grants. It can run to many pages, and the rules on this page don't apply to it. If you're applying for an academic post in the US, that is the document they mean by "CV".
Example: one CV, four versions
Take a marketing manager in Dubai with eight years of experience, a photo, and nationality and visa status listed. For a job in the UAE, the CV stays as it is: two pages, photo and personal details included. For New York, it becomes a résumé on Letter paper, one or two pages, without the photo, nationality or visa line, and with US spelling. For London, it is a two-page A4 CV without the photo and personal details, using UK spelling. For Berlin, the photo can stay, nationality and visa make way for a work permit line, and each language gets a level such as German (B1).
Can I use one CV for every country?
Yes. Keep one master CV with all your details, then adapt it for each country you apply to. In CVGlobe, choose the Target market in the builder. Your PDF and Word file switch paper size, leave out the photo and personal details that market doesn't use, and use its headings. The checks under Job match then flag length, spelling and anything else that doesn't fit. Nothing is deleted: switch back and everything returns.
Cover letters by country
A cover letter is expected for most applications in the UK and Europe, and often in the US. In the GCC it is welcome but not always read; a short message in the email or application form often does the same job. Wherever you apply, keep it to one page and connect your experience to the job. See cover letter basics.
More detail: CV photo: yes or no? and UAE CV format.