US Resume Format Guide
The United States has the strictest resume norms of any major market — and the least tolerance for deviation. US recruiters expect a one-page reverse-chronological resume with no personal details: no photo, no date of birth, no marital status, no nationality. Anything beyond the professional record reads as noise to an American recruiter and can trip up applicant tracking systems.
United States format at a glance
- Photo
- Not used ✗
- Date of birth
- Not used ✗
- Objective statement
- Not used ✗
- Max length
- 1 page
- Date format
- MM/YYYY
- Section order
- contact → summary → experience → education → skills
No photo, no DOB, no marital status. 1 page unless 10+ yrs experience. Reverse-chronological.
Do
- ✓ Keep it to one page unless you have 10+ years of experience
- ✓ Use standard section headers: Professional Summary, Work Experience, Education, Skills
- ✓ Start every bullet with an action verb and quantify outcomes where you can
- ✓ Mirror the job description's exact keywords — US ATS filters are keyword-driven
Don't
- ✗ Never include a photo — it invites bias claims and gets resumes rejected
- ✗ Never list date of birth, marital status, or nationality
- ✗ Don't use tables, columns, or text boxes — many ATS cannot parse them
- ✗ Don't list references or "references available upon request"
United States CV format — FAQ
Should a US resume have a photo?
No. US resumes never include photos. It creates legal risk for employers under anti-discrimination law and many companies automatically discard resumes with images.
How long should a US resume be?
One page for most candidates. Two pages are acceptable for 10+ years of relevant experience, but every line must earn its place.
What date format does a US resume use?
Month Year — e.g. "Jan 2022" or "January 2022". Never DD/MM/YYYY, which reads as ambiguous to American recruiters.
Format your resume for United States automatically
Legent AI applies every rule on this page — including the no-photo convention, MM/YYYY dates, and the exact section order — then tailors your resume to the job you're applying for.
Build My United States Resume