American Resume Format: US Resume Conventions Explained

What US resumes leave out

American resumes deliberately omit personal details that are normal elsewhere. No photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no nationality, no national ID. US employers avoid them partly for anti-discrimination reasons, and including them looks out of place.

Keep the header to name, city/state, phone, email, and LinkedIn. That's it.

• No photo, age, marital status, or nationality
• Header: name, location, phone, email, LinkedIn only
• US date formats and US phone formatting
• 'Resume,' not 'CV,' for most non-academic roles

Length, structure, and tone

One page is the norm for early and mid-career; two pages is acceptable for senior and executive roles. Standard sections - Summary, Experience, Skills, Education, Certifications - in reverse-chronological order parse best and read fastest.

Tone is direct and achievement-led. US resumes favor concise, results-driven bullets that open with strong verbs and quantify impact, rather than long descriptive paragraphs.

Resume vs CV in the US

In the US, 'CV' usually means a long academic or medical document for research, faculty, and clinical roles. For nearly every other job, employers expect a 'resume.' Submitting a multi-page international-style CV for a standard corporate role signals you're new to the market.