US Resume Format: Conventions, ATS, and What Not to Include
How US employers read resumes: one- to two-page norms, anti-discrimination contact rules, degree formatting, keyword-friendly ATS layout, and a section order template — without mixing in UK or EU CV habits.
Key takeaways
- •Use the word resume (not CV) for private-sector US roles; CV is reserved mainly for academia and research.
- •Do not include photo, date of birth, marital status, or full street address on the resume itself — anti-discrimination norms and privacy.
- •ATS: standard headings, one column, text-based PDF, keywords aligned to the job description.
- •Education: degree, major, university, graduation year; GPA only if strong or requested.
- •UK two-page norms and EU-style personal data do not belong on a US-targeted resume.
What makes US resumes specific
American hiring is built around short, skimmable resumes tailored per job. Unlike many EU CV traditions, US private-sector norms discourage biographical data that does not predict performance. This page is intent-specific: US employers — not a generic CV-versus-resume lecture.
Local conventions
- Reverse-chronological experience with 3–5 bullets per recent role
- Summary or headline under your name — optional but common for experienced candidates
- Metrics-heavy bullets where possible (%, $, time)
- Spellings American English for US-targeted documents (organize, labor) unless quoting a formal title
ATS expectations
Fortune 500 and mid-market US employers often use Workday, Greenhouse, Lever, Taleo, iCIMS, and similar parsers. Use Work Experience, Education, Skills as headings; avoid tables for core content; paste plain text into boxes when the portal duplicates your upload.
Photo, address, and protected attributes
Skip photos. Omit age, nationality, marital status, and salary history from the resume. Contact block: phone, email, LinkedIn, city and state (or Remote). Optional: link to portfolio or GitHub for relevant roles.
Education formatting
- Bachelor of Science in Economics, University Name, City, ST — May 2020
- Include GPA only if 3.5+ on 4.0 scale or if employer asks
- Study abroad can be one line under the home institution or its own line
- High school: omit after your first full-time role unless you are a current student
Example section order
- Header: name, title or tagline, contact
- Professional Summary (optional, 3–4 lines, tailored)
- Work Experience
- Education
- Skills (grouped: Technical, Tools, Soft)
- Optional: Projects, Certifications, Volunteer, Awards
Run MatchResume on your resume
Get an instant match score and actionable improvements. Upload your resume, paste the job description, and close the gap.
Get started freeFrequently Asked Questions
How long should a US resume be?
One page for roughly the first eight years of relevant experience or fewer; two pages for deeper experience if every line adds signal. Academic CVs are a different document and can run longer.
Why no photo?
US employers want to reduce unconscious bias; photos are unusual for corporate roles and can hurt ATS parsing if embedded incorrectly.
City and state on a resume?
Yes — 'San Francisco, CA' or 'Remote' is standard. Omit street address; applications may collect that separately.
Do US companies use ATS?
Very widely. Optimize with plain layouts, standard section names, and keyword alignment — same technical advice as global ATS, with US job-posting language.
Should I list every job since high school?
No — go back roughly 10–15 years with emphasis on recent, relevant roles. Cut older work unless it is high prestige or directly relevant.
Related Articles
UK CV Format: Conventions, ATS, Photos, and Section Order (Not Europass)
What UK employers expect on a CV: two-page norms, Equality Act–aware presentation, GCSEs and degree classifications, and ATS-friendly structure — distinct from US resumes and EU Europass templates.
Canada Resume Format: Conventions, ATS, Bilingual Rules, and Section Order
How Canadian job applications differ from US and UK norms: bilingual CVs, photo and privacy expectations, education in Canadian context, provincial cues, and ATS-friendly structure — without recycling generic international advice.
What Is a Resume? Definition, Purpose, and Examples
A resume is a concise document that summarizes your work history, skills, and education for employers. Learn what to include, which format to use, and common mistakes to avoid.