CV Checker

About the cv checker

A CV gets the same quick first read as a resume: does this person have the experience, can I find it fast, and is anything off? The difference is that CV conventions shift with the country and the field. A two-page CV for a London marketing job, a German application with a photo, and a ten-page academic CV for a US faculty post follow different rules, and getting them wrong signals you did not do your homework.

This CV checker reviews what applies everywhere: contact details, standard sections, length, bullet strength, wording, and date formats. Paste a job posting too and it adds a keyword match. It runs in your browser with transparent rules. The guide below covers when to call your document a CV, how long it should be, and the regional conventions to check by hand.

How to use it

1. 1

   Paste or upload your CV

   Include everything from your name to your last section. If your CV uses columns or tables, pasting the text also shows you the order software will read it in.

2. 2

   Add a job posting if you have one

   This step is optional. With a posting, the checker adds a keyword match showing which skills and terms from the job appear in your CV and which are missing.

3. 3

   Review the score and findings

   Findings are sorted by severity across impact, structure, readability, language, and formatting. Start with the high-severity items, since those affect whether a reader keeps going.

4. 4

   Apply the regional conventions

   The checker does not know which country you are applying in. Use the regional section below to decide on photo, personal details, spelling, and paper size.

What this CV checker reviews

Each check uses a simple rule you can verify yourself, and every finding explains what triggered it. Together they produce a score out of 100, weighted toward impact, because results are what a hiring manager remembers.

• Contact details: email, phone, a location near the top, and a LinkedIn URL.
• Structure: standard section headings such as Profile or Summary, Experience, Education, and Skills.
• Impact: how many bullets include a number, how many start with an action verb, and how many describe duties instead of results.
• Readability: total length against a 600 to 2,000 word range, and bullets that run past two lines.
• Language: first-person pronouns, overused buzzwords, and common misspellings.
• Formatting: mixed date formats and roles without date ranges.
• Keywords (optional): your match rate against a pasted job posting.

CV or resume: which one are you writing?

The word means different things depending on where you apply. In the UK, Ireland, much of Europe, and many other countries, a CV is the standard job application document, roughly what Americans call a resume, usually around two pages. In the US and Canada, a CV usually means an academic or research document that lists your full record: publications, grants, teaching, presentations, and service.

A simple rule: match the document to the country and the field of the job, not to where you live. If a US company asks for a CV for a business role, it almost always wants a resume. If a university or research hospital asks for one, it means the full academic version. When a posting is unclear, follow the length and format norms of the employer's country.

How long your CV should be

For job applications in countries that use the term CV, two pages is the common standard for experienced candidates, and one to two pages for graduates. Going beyond two pages is usually only expected for senior roles with a long, relevant track record.

Academic CVs have no fixed limit, because they are meant to be a complete record. Even so, put your most relevant work first: a hiring committee should see your research focus and key publications on page one.

This checker flags CVs under 600 words as thin and over 2,000 words as long. If you are writing a full academic CV, a long-length flag is expected, and you can ignore it. If you are writing a job CV, cut older roles to a line or two each and remove bullets that do not support the job you want.

Regional conventions to check by hand

These details depend on the country, so the checker leaves them to you. When in doubt, look at the employer's careers page or ask someone who hires in that country.

• Personal details: in the UK, leave out your age, date of birth, marital status, and nationality, as the National Careers Service advises. The same applies to US resumes.
• Photo: not expected in the UK, Ireland, or the US. A professional photo is more common in parts of continental Europe, and the Europass CV builder suggests adding one.
• References: UK guidance suggests writing "References available on request" rather than listing a referee's contact details.
• Spelling: use UK English (organisation, programme) for UK roles and US English for US roles, consistently.
• Dates: write months as words, such as "March 2021," because 03/04/2021 means different dates in different countries.
• Paper size: A4 for most countries outside North America, US Letter for the US and Canada.

Examples

Frequently asked questions