Americans call it a "resume," not a "CV." It’s one page, no photo, no personal details, and every bullet point starts with an action verb.
In the US, a "resume" is a 1-page career summary for most jobs. A "CV" is a multi-page academic document used only for faculty positions, research roles, and medical careers. If a US job posting says "submit your resume," they want one page.
Unless you have 15+ years of experience or are in academia, your resume should be one page. This is non-negotiable in most US industries. Recruiters spend 6–7 seconds on initial screening — they won’t flip to page two.
US resumes never include: photo, date of birth, age, marital status, nationality, Social Security Number, or religion. Including any of these is a red flag that you’re unfamiliar with US norms, and employers may reject you to avoid discrimination liability.
Every bullet point starts with a past-tense action verb: Led, Built, Increased, Reduced, Launched, Managed, Designed. Follow with a quantified result: "Increased revenue by 23% in Q3" not "Was responsible for sales."
Most US companies use Applicant Tracking Systems. Use a clean, single-column template with standard section headers. No tables, no columns, no graphics. PickedCV’s Modern and Traditional templates are designed for US ATS systems.
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