Resume formats by country
A resume that works in one country can quietly fail in another — a photo that's expected in one market can hurt you in the next. Pick the country you're applying to:
Canadian Resume Format
How to write a Canadian resume: length, what to leave out (photo, age, SIN), format and a section-by-section outline, per Government of Canada guidance.
US Resume Format
How to format a resume for jobs in the United States: one to two pages, no photo or personal details, quantified achievements and ATS-friendly structure.
German CV Format (Lebenslauf)
How to write a German CV (Lebenslauf): tabular format, photo rules, dates, signature and the documents German employers expect with an application.
Quick comparison
| Rule | Canadian | US | German |
|---|---|---|---|
| Document name | Resume ("CV" usually means an academic CV) | Resume (a "CV" is for academic, research and medical roles) | Lebenslauf (CV) |
| Length | Maximum 2 pages | 1 page early career; up to 2 pages for experienced roles | Usually 1–2 pages, in a clear tabular layout |
| Photo | No — not the norm in Canada | No | Not legally required (AGG, 2006) — still common in some sectors |
| Personal details | Contact details only — no age, marital status or SIN | No date of birth, marital status, nationality or religion | — |
| References | Not on the resume; provide when asked | Not on the resume; provide when asked | — |
| Language | English or French, matching the job posting | — | German for German-language postings; English is fine for English-language roles |
| Date format | — | MM/YYYY (e.g. 06/2024 – Present) | MM/YYYY or DD.MM.YYYY |
| Gaps | — | — | Explain gaps briefly; complete timelines are valued |
Once you know the rules for your target country, the AI resume builder can generate a country-specific, ATS-friendly version for you. Related reading: resume vs. CV and the ATS-friendly resume checklist.