CV in English: What Changes for International Applications

An English CV Is Not a Translated CV

If your plan for writing an English CV involves running your existing one through a translator, you'll run into trouble. Conventions are different. Format is different. Recruiter expectations are different. And several things that are standard on a French CV — your photo, date of birth, marital status — have no place on an English-language CV.

This isn't just about language. It's about professional culture. And English-speaking recruiters can spot a "translated" CV at a glance.

CV, Resume, Curriculum Vitae: the Terminology Trap

The terminology changes by country:

United Kingdom: "CV" (curriculum vitae) is the standard term for all professional applications. Length generally expected: 2 pages maximum.
United States / Canada: "resume" (pronounced rezoomay) is the standard document for job applications. Length generally expected: 1 page (junior/mid) or 2 pages (senior). An American "CV" is reserved for academic positions and often runs 5–10 pages — not what you want to send.
Australia / New Zealand: both terms are used, but "CV" is more common. 2–3 pages accepted.

Practical rule: for the UK and Europe, use "CV". For the US, use "resume". When in doubt, read the job posting — it tells you which term it expects.

Key Differences from a French CV

1. No Photo

This is the best-known difference, yet many applicants still include one. For a standard application in the UK or US, a photo is strongly discouraged, but the sources cited here do not prohibit applicants from including one. In the UK, the official GOV.UK guidance on discrimination during recruitment explains which criteria employers must not use when shortlisting. In the US, the EEOC advises employers not to request a photograph before an offer has been accepted. That advice governs employer recruitment practices; it does not establish that an unsolicited photo will automatically cause a CV to be rejected.

Conventions vary by country and sector, so always check the vacancy and local guidance. For a UK or US application, omit the photo unless the role has a justified reason to request one. If you are applying elsewhere, our guide on international CVs and working abroad covers country-by-country norms.

2. No Personal Information

On a French CV, you often include your date of birth, nationality, marital status, even your driving licence. On an English CV: none of that.

What stays:

Full name
Phone number (with international dialling code)
Professional email
City + country (not full address)
LinkedIn profile (recommended)
Personal website or portfolio (if relevant)

3. The Personal Statement Replaces the Simple Job Title

Where a French CV often has a bare job title ("Digital Project Manager"), the English CV expects a personal statement — a short paragraph (3–5 lines) summarising your profile, key skills and objective. It's the equivalent of the professional profile section, but more developed.

4. Achievements Matter More Than Duties

This may be the most important cultural difference. French CVs often list responsibilities: "Responsible for KPI tracking". English CVs expect results: "Redesigned the KPI dashboard, reducing reporting time by 40% and enabling data-driven decisions for a team of 12."

The magic formula: Action verb + what you did + measurable result.

Some transformation examples:

| French style (duties) | English style (achievements) | |---|---| | Managed a team of 8 | Led an 8-person team to deliver 3 product launches on time and under budget | | Tracked marketing budget | Managed a €500K marketing budget, achieving 22% ROI improvement year-over-year | | B2B sales prospecting | Generated €1.2M in new business pipeline through targeted B2B outreach (cold email + LinkedIn) |

5. Dates and Formatting

Date format: "September 2022 – Present" or "Sep 2022 – Present". Never "09/2022" which can be confused between US format (month/day) and European format (day/month).
Order: reverse chronological, same as France. Most recent experience first.
Grades: "First Class Honours" (UK), "Summa Cum Laude" or "GPA 3.8/4.0" (US). Always include the scale for scores that aren't self-evident.

6. Drop "References Available Upon Request"

This line is considered pointless filler in the English-speaking world. The recruiter knows they can ask for references — no need to tell them.

If the job ad explicitly asks for references, keep them concise and handle consent carefully. Our guide to CV references and when to include references on a CV explains the safer format.

Translation Traps

Literal translation of titles and qualifications produces nonsense. Classic pitfalls for those translating from French:

| French term | Bad translation | Good translation | |---|---|---| | BTS | ??? (doesn't exist) | Two-year vocational degree in [field] (equivalent to HND) | | Licence | Licence ❌ | Bachelor's degree | | Grande École | Big School ❌ | [School name] (Top-tier French business/engineering school) | | Stage | Stage ❌ | Internship | | Bac | ??? | French secondary school diploma (equivalent to A-Levels / High School Diploma) | | CDI | CDI ❌ | Permanent position | | CDD | CDD ❌ | Fixed-term contract |

For Grande École Graduates

French Grandes Écoles have no direct equivalent. Best approach: keep the school name (HEC, Polytechnique, CentraleSupélec are internationally known), add an explanation in brackets. "HEC Paris — Master in Management (Top-3 French business school, equivalent to MBA-level programme)."

The Skills Section: Structure It

English CVs typically have a more structured Skills section:

Technical Skills: software, languages, tools (with proficiency level if relevant)
Languages: with level (native, fluent, professional working proficiency, conversational)
Certifications: PMP, AWS, Google Analytics, etc.

Avoid vague self-assessments ("good level", "fluent-ish"). Use recognised frameworks: CEFR for languages (B2, C1, C2), for which the European Europass tools provide a self-assessment grid, test scores (IELTS 7.5, TOEFL 105), or standard descriptors (fluent, proficient, native).

Tone: More Direct, More Assertive

English professional communication is more direct than French. Where a French speaker writes "I had the opportunity to participate in the website redesign", an English speaker writes "Redesigned the company website". No false modesty, no circumlocution.

Tone rules:

Start every bullet with a strong action verb: Led, Built, Designed, Increased, Reduced, Negotiated, Delivered, Launched.
Drop "I" — English CVs never start with "I". It's implied.
Be concise — short, punchy sentences are valued. No "within the scope of my responsibilities, I was led to…".

UK vs US: Do You Need a Different Version?

Yes, there are subtle differences:

| Aspect | United Kingdom | United States | |---|---|---| | Term | CV | Resume | | Length | 2 pages fine | 1 page (junior), 2 max (senior) | | Spelling | British (organisation, colour) | American (organization, color) | | Personal statement | Common and expected | Optional, often replaced by a shorter "Summary" | | Education | Can be detailed | Minimal after 5+ years' experience |

Tip: if you're applying to a US company, set your spell-checker to American English. A CV with British spelling sent to a San Francisco company is a subtle but real misstep.

How to Create Both Versions Efficiently

If you're applying both domestically and internationally, you need two separate CVs — not a bilingual CV or a hastily translated one.

With CV Creator, you can build your CV in both French and English using the same editor. The interface is available in both languages, and you can switch between versions while keeping the layout. 20+ ATS-friendly templates that work for both domestic and international applications. €2 one-time, unlimited CVs for 24 hours, no registration.

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