US and Canadian resume format: one to two pages, no photo
In the US and Canada, a resume is a short marketing document: one page early in your career, two pages when you have the experience to fill them.
What North American employers expect
- US Letter paper (8.5 × 11 in). Best Resume Studio picks Letter automatically for the US and Canada.
- No photo, date of birth, marital status, nationality or full street address. City, state or province is enough.
- A two- to three-line summary, then experience with bullets that start with an action verb and end with a result.
- Most large employers use an applicant tracking system, so standard headings and a simple reading order help.
Recommended section order
- Name, phone, email, city and state or province, LinkedIn and, for technical roles, GitHub or a portfolio.
- Summary.
- Experience, newest first.
- Skills, grouped (for example languages, frameworks, tools).
- Education and certifications. Recent graduates can put education first.
Common mistakes
- Adding a photo, which many US employers will not consider to avoid bias claims.
- Using A4 paper for a US application. It prints with odd margins.
- Writing paragraphs instead of short bullets.
Templates for this format (12)
Each template below opens in the builder with sample content written for this market. Your details from My Profile fill in automatically, and you can switch templates at any time.
US résumé (no photo)
US one-to-two page résumé: no photo, age or nationality; results-first bullets.
Split Block
Split-colour header block with photo, impact strip and a two-column body.
Boardroom Dark Header
Dark executive header with gold accent, logo row and a crisp leadership narrative.
Pastel Creative
Soft pastel blocks, rounded cards and friendly type for creative roles.
Ledger Clean
Ledger-ruled minimal layout with figures aligned right — calm and ATS-friendly.
Software Engineer
Indigo sidebar with photo, skill bars, QR — premium ATS-adjacent for senior ICs.
Executive / C-Suite
Slate luxury minimal — P&L ownership and board-ready narrative.
Research Scientist
Scholarly blue with methods bars and publication-ready hierarchy.
Business Analyst
Clean insight layout for requirements, process maps, and stakeholder wins.
Real Estate Professional
Property hero banner with closed-volume metrics and listing QR.
Frequently asked questions
Should a US resume be one page?
One page is best for students and candidates with under about ten years of experience. Two pages is fine for senior roles.
Should I put a photo on my resume in the US or Canada?
No. Leave out the photo and personal details such as age and marital status.
What is the difference between a CV and a resume in the US?
In the US, a CV usually means a long academic record. For most jobs, employers expect a resume of one to two pages.
This page is general guidance, not legal or immigration advice. When a job advert or employer asks for something different, follow the advert.