CV guides by country
A resume that works in one country gets dropped in another. These guides cover what actually changes: length, photo, sections, what recruiters expect attached.
| Country | Length | Photo | Date of birth |
|---|---|---|---|
| Germany | 2 pages | expected | common |
| United Kingdom | 2 pages | never | never |
| United States | 1-2 pages | never | never |
| Netherlands | 1-2 pages | standard | receding |
| Spain | 1-2 pages | common | common |
| Italy | 1-2 pages | common | common |
France sits closest to Spain and Italy: one page, photo optional and receding.
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The German CV (Lebenslauf): rules you need to know
Photo expected, two pages, handwritten signature: what genuinely changes between a resume and a Lebenslauf.
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The UK CV: what British recruiters expect
Two pages, a personal statement up top, and none of the personal data other countries expect.
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The US resume: what changes coming from Europe
No photo, no personal data, results before duties, and written to pass a machine first.
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The Dutch CV: direct, and experience first
One to two pages, a photo, and work experience ahead of education.
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The Spanish CV: photo, and a data-protection line
A photo is normal, a data-protection line is expected, and your ID number usually should not be there.
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The Italian CV: the privacy line everyone still adds
Photo and date of birth are normal, and the privacy authorisation persists although the law no longer demands it.
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CV or resume? The same word means different things
One word, two meanings depending on where you are applying, and the wrong one signals unfamiliarity.