CV formats by country

A CV that works in London is the wrong document in Tokyo

Photo or no photo. One page or three. Date of birth included or a reason for rejection. The conventions differ sharply, and most CV advice online is written from inside one country's assumptions without saying so.

Tap a country for personal details, dates, language and a full guide.

CountryCalledPhotoLength Personal detailsPaper
🇺🇸 United States Résumé Avoid 1 page (2 for senior roles) Never — no photo, age, marital status or nationality Letter
🇬🇧 United Kingdom CV Avoid 2 pages No photo, age or marital status A4
🇯🇵 Japan 履歴書 (rirekisho) Expected Two documents, 1–2 pages each Date of birth and address expected; photo attached A4
🇩🇪 Germany Lebenslauf Optional 1–2 pages Date and place of birth conventional; nationality common A4
🇦🇪 United Arab Emirates CV Expected 2–3 pages Nationality, DOB, marital status and visa status expected A4
🇨🇦 Canada Résumé Avoid 1–2 pages None — no photo, age, marital status or nationality Letter
🇦🇺 Australia Resume / CV Avoid 2–3 pages No photo or age; visa status worth stating A4
🇸🇬 Singapore CV / Resume Optional 1–2 pages Do not include NRIC; nationality and visa status expected A4
🇫🇷 France CV Optional 1 page preferred Age and nationality common, becoming less so A4
🇳🇱 Netherlands CV Optional 2 pages Date of birth common; photo optional A4
🇸🇦 Saudi Arabia CV Expected 2–3 pages Nationality, DOB and marital status expected A4
🇲🇾 Malaysia Resume Optional 2 pages Nationality and visa status expected; photo common A4
🇰🇷 South Korea 이력서 (iryeokseo) Expected 1–2 pages, plus a self-introduction Photo and date of birth conventional A4
🇧🇩 Bangladesh CV Optional 2–3 pages Photo, DOB, father's name and NID commonly included A4

Conventions change — several countries are moving away from photo requirements. Check against a current local source before you rely on any single row.

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