In the US this document is called a resume. A US resume is short, results-focused and free of personal details. It is the format most online resume advice assumes, so it is the baseline for the other pages on this site.
A convention, not an official rule
There is no single official CV format for the United States. This page describes what employers commonly expect. Some public-sector and government applications, such as US federal jobs or EU institutions, do set a required format. If a job post gives one, follow it.
At a glance
| Length | One page for early-career applicants. Up to two pages for experienced ones. |
|---|---|
| Opening | A short professional summary. An objective statement is optional and mostly used early in a career. |
| Photo and personal details | Leave out photo, age, birth date, marital status, gender, religion and ID numbers such as a Social Security number. |
| References | Do not list them or write "references available upon request". Provide them separately if asked. |
| Order | Contact details, summary, experience, education, skills. |
| Style | American spelling, no first-person pronouns, and US Letter paper. |
What to include
- Header. Name, phone, email, city and state, and a LinkedIn link.
- Professional summary. Two to four sentences with your role, experience and top strengths.
- Experience. Reverse chronological, with achievement bullets that start with an action verb.
- Education. Degree, institution and year.
- Skills. Tools and technologies, grouped on a few labelled lines.
- Optional. Certifications, projects and relevant volunteering.
What to leave out
- Photo, age, birth date, marital status, gender, religion and national ID numbers. These can raise discrimination concerns.
- A references section and the line "references available upon request".
- Words such as "I" and "my", and long paragraphs.
- Salary details, reasons for leaving past jobs and hobbies unrelated to the job.
If your resume was written for India
- Remove the photo, date of birth, marital status, nationality, father's name and the declaration paragraph.
- Delete the objective, the hobbies list and the references line.
- Cut it to one or two pages and turn duties into achievements with numbers.
- Use American spelling and a US-style header with city and state.
- Work authorisation is usually asked on the application form. Answer those questions accurately.
Template for the United States
A plain single-column template that follows these conventions. Replace the bracketed parts with your own details, and delete any optional line you do not need.
[Your Full Name] [City, State] | [Phone with country code] | [Email] | [LinkedIn URL] SUMMARY [Two to four sentences: your job title, years of experience, two or three strengths that match the job, and one result.] SKILLS [Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool] [Skill category]: [tool], [tool], [tool] EXPERIENCE [Job title], [Company], [City, State or Country] [Month Year] to [Month Year or Present] - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. [Job title], [Company], [City, State or Country] [Month Year] to [Month Year] - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. - [Action verb] [what you did] [result, with a number if you have one]. EDUCATION [Degree], [Field], [Institution], [City, State or Country] [Year of graduation] CERTIFICATIONS (optional) [Certification name], [Issuer], [Year]
Check your resume against these rules
The checker has a setting for the United States that flags the items on this page in your pasted or uploaded resume.
Common questions
Should I include a photo?
No. US resumes do not include a photo, because it can raise discrimination concerns.
Resume or CV?
In the US, resume means the short job-application document. A CV is a longer document used mainly in academia and research.
Should I write "references available upon request"?
No. It is not expected and takes space you could use for achievements.
Summary or objective?
A summary is the most widely used. An objective is mainly for entry-level applicants and career changers, and works best when it is specific.
Applying for a US federal job?
Federal jobs are different: USAJOBS sets what the resume must include, and the job announcement can add more. See the US federal resume (USAJOBS) page.