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"Please send us your CV and your résumé." For a candidate from Europe applying in Montréal, the sentence can look odd: isn't a résumé just a short version of a CV? The answer depends on the country, and getting it wrong can cost you an application. Here is what to know before you send the wrong document.
Why two words for the same thing?
Curriculum vitae is Latin for "course of life". It gave us CV in British English, French and many other languages. The word résumé, borrowed from French, took hold in North American English to describe the job application document. The result: two terms that largely overlap, with nuances depending on the region.
A false friend to know: in everyday French, a "résumé" is a text that sums something up. In a North American job posting, "résumé" is the application document itself.
Comparison table
| Country or region | Common term | Usual length | Photo | Personal information |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| France | CV | 1 page, 2 for experienced profiles | Optional, increasingly rare | Marital status unnecessary |
| Belgium | CV | 1 to 2 pages | Optional | Little personal information expected |
| Canada (English-speaking) | Résumé | 1 to 2 pages | No | No age, marital status or nationality |
| Québec | CV (often) or résumé | 1 to 2 pages | No | Same rules as the rest of Canada |
| United States | Résumé | 1 page, 2 for experienced profiles | No | No age, marital status or photo |
| United Kingdom, Ireland | CV | 2 pages | No | Little personal information |
These practices are tendencies, not laws. Creative fields, academia or the public sector can have their own expectations. When in doubt, follow the instructions in the job posting.
The case of France
The French CV usually fits on one page, or two for managers and long careers. It follows reverse-chronological order and often opens with a title or a short summary. A photo is not mandatory; its use is declining but persists in some sectors. Details such as age or family situation are unnecessary and should not weigh in the decision.
It often includes an "interests" section and a mention of a driving licence when relevant. Degrees carry real weight, because they are often a selection criterion.
The case of Belgium
The Belgian CV looks like the French one, with a few nuances. Depending on the region and sector, recruiters are used to documents very close to those of their French or Dutch-speaking neighbours. The Europass format, offered by the European Union, exists and is sometimes requested by public bodies or mobility programmes, but it is not required everywhere. For a private-sector application, a well-structured one- to two-page CV is fine.
Languages matter particularly in Belgium: state your level in French, Dutch and English using a recognised scale (A1 to C2).
The case of Canada
In Canada, people say résumé in English and often CV in Québec, but the expected document is essentially the same: concise, results-oriented, with no photo. Anti-discrimination hiring laws encourage you to leave out age, marital status, religion and nationality.
A few particularities:
- Highlight quantified achievements and concrete skills.
- References are usually provided on request, with a line such as "available on request" (or, more simply, nothing at all).
- A candidate coming from abroad states their work status if they are entitled to work (for example, a valid work permit), because it is a screening criterion for many employers.
- Foreign degrees are often accompanied by an equivalency when one exists.
- In Québec, the language of the application follows the language of the posting; writing in French for an English ad (or the reverse) is rarely a good idea.
The case of the United States
The American résumé is very short (one page for most candidates), focused on results, with no photo or personal information. The term CV there refers instead to a long, detailed document used in research and higher education, listing publications, conference talks and funding. A researcher applying to a US university will therefore send a full CV; a corporate professional will send a résumé.
What really changes in practice
- Length: the North American résumé is shorter than many career CVs in the European style.
- Personal information: no photo and no marital status is the norm in North America.
- Tone: more direct and factual in Canada and the United States, with more action verbs and results.
- Section order: experience comes before education, except for recent graduates.
- Legal context: some details are discouraged or pointless, to avoid discrimination.
Adapting your document in four steps
- Identify the target country and sector. A large international company may have its own guidelines.
- Read the posting. If it asks for a "résumé", provide a short document. If it asks for an "academic CV", provide a complete one.
- Adjust the content: remove the photo and marital status for North America, shorten it, move from tasks to achievements.
- Translate job and degree titles in an understandable way ("Master 2" becomes "Master's degree"), with a note on equivalency if needed.
Mistakes expatriates make
- Sending the home-country CV as is to a Canadian employer, with a photo, a date of birth and a ten-line "hobbies" section.
- Translating word for word: "chargé de mission" is not always "mission officer". Look for the equivalent title in local job postings.
- Ignoring local vocabulary: for example, a French "stage" corresponds to an internship in North America, and a "baccalauréat" does not mean the same level in every country.
- Forgetting work status: the employer wants to know from the application whether you can legally work in the country.
The Europass format: useful or not?
Europass offers a free CV template recognised across the European Union. It is handy for applications to public institutions or European programmes. For a private company, a polished, tailored CV is generally more convincing than a standardised template. If Europass is not requested, it is not essential.
Checklist by country
France and Belgium
- One to two pages, reverse-chronological order.
- Photo optional, understated if present.
- Languages with a level scale (A1–C2).
Canada and the United States
- One to two pages, no photo.
- No age, marital status or nationality.
- Quantified achievements, work status stated.
Academic application
- Detailed CV, with publications and conference talks.
- Format requested by the institution.
The key takeaway: the word changes less than the expectations. Adapt the length, content and tone to the target country, and keep the fundamentals, which are the same everywhere: clarity, results, honesty. For the common basics, read how to write a CV in 2026, and to avoid the most frequent missteps, the CV mistakes that cost interviews.
