Converting Your US Resume to UK CV Format: A Step-by-Step Guide

You've landed an interview with a London company. But your American resume? It's about to work against you.

British recruiters spot American resumes instantly. Wrong spelling, missing sections, unfamiliar terminology. These details signal that you haven't done your homework on UK business culture. And in a competitive job market, that's often enough to move your application to the "no" pile.

This guide walks you through converting your US resume to a proper UK CV, step by step.

Why Conversion Matters

It's not just about spelling "colour" with a "u." British employers have different expectations about CV structure, length, and content. An American resume in the UK job market:

• Looks unprofessional because it uses unfamiliar formatting
• Misses expected sections like the personal profile
• Signals cultural unfamiliarity that raises questions about your fit
• May confuse ATS systems programmed for UK conventions

The good news: UK CVs are closer to American resumes than German or French CVs. No photo required, no personal details like age or marital status. The conversion is straightforward once you know what to change.

Quick Reference: US to UK Terminology

Before diving into the step-by-step process, here's a quick translation guide:

Keep this table handy as you work through your conversion.

Step 1: Remove American Elements

Start by removing or replacing these US-specific elements:

Remove Entirely

• Social Security hints (never include any government ID numbers)
• US-only certifications without UK equivalents (explain what they mean or remove)
• "References available upon request" line (UK version is "References available on request" or just omit entirely)
• Objective statement (replace with personal profile)

Replace or Convert

• US phone number format → UK format with country code: +44 7700 900123
• City, State, ZIP → City, Postcode, UK (full address not needed)
• MM/DD/YYYY dates → DD/MM/YYYY or Month YYYY
• GPA → Degree classification (see education section below)

Step 2: Add UK-Specific Elements

British employers expect these elements that American resumes typically lack:

Personal Profile (Required)

Add a 2-4 sentence personal profile directly below your contact information. This is the biggest structural difference between US resumes and UK CVs.

What to include:

• Your professional identity and years of experience
• One key achievement or strength
• What you're looking for

American objective (remove this):

Seeking a challenging position in marketing where I can utilize my skills and grow professionally.

British personal profile (add this):

Results-driven marketing manager with 6 years of experience in B2B SaaS. Proven track record of increasing qualified leads by 150% through data-driven campaigns. Seeking a senior marketing role with a growth-stage technology company.

References Line

Add at the bottom of your CV:

References available on request.

This is still standard practice in the UK, though increasingly optional.

Step 3: Convert Spelling and Terminology

Set your spell checker to British English before making these changes. Here's a comprehensive list:

Common -ize to -ise Words

Common -or to -our Words

Common -er to -re Words

Other Common Differences

Business Terminology

Step 4: Restructure the Education Section

American and British education systems use different grading scales. Here's how to convert:

GPA to Degree Classification

Don't list your GPA on a UK CV. Instead, convert to the British classification system:

American format:

Bachelor of Science in Marketing
University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, MI
GPA: 3.7/4.0
Graduated: May 2019

British format:

BSc (Hons) Marketing, First Class
University of Michigan, United States                    2015 - 2019

Degree Abbreviations

• BA - Bachelor of Arts
• BSc - Bachelor of Science
• MA - Master of Arts
• MSc - Master of Science
• MBA - Master of Business Administration
• (Hons) - Indicates an honours degree (add this for US bachelor's degrees)

What to Include

For UK CVs, include:

• Degree name with classification
• Institution name and country
• Years attended (not graduation date)
• Relevant modules or dissertation title (optional, for recent grads)

You generally don't need to list individual courses or extracurricular activities unless directly relevant to the role.

Step 5: Adjust Length Expectations

American resumes should fit on one page. UK CVs have different expectations:

Two pages is the standard for UK CVs. Don't artificially compress your experience to fit one page. British employers expect more detail than American recruiters.

That said, don't pad your CV with irrelevant information. Two focused pages beats three rambling ones.

Before and After: Complete Transformation

Here's how a Marketing Manager's resume changes during conversion:

Before (American Resume)

JOHN SMITH
123 Main Street, Austin, TX 78701
(512) 555-0123 | john.smith@email.com
linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

OBJECTIVE
Seeking a challenging marketing role where I can utilize my
skills and contribute to company growth.

EXPERIENCE

Marketing Manager
TechCorp Inc., Austin, TX                    01/2021 - Present
• Organized marketing campaigns that increased leads by 150%
• Analyzed customer data to optimize targeting
• Specialized in B2B digital marketing programs
• Utilized HubSpot and Salesforce for campaign management

Marketing Coordinator
StartupXYZ Corp., Austin, TX                 06/2018 - 12/2020
• Maximized social media engagement by 200%
• Traveled to 15+ trade shows annually
• Fulfilled marketing requests from sales team

EDUCATION

Bachelor of Science in Marketing
University of Texas at Austin
GPA: 3.7/4.0
Graduated: May 2018

SKILLS
• HubSpot, Salesforce, Google Analytics
• Microsoft Office, Adobe Creative Suite
• Social Media Management

References available upon request

After (British CV)

JOHN SMITH
London, UK | +44 7700 900123 | john.smith@email.com
linkedin.com/in/johnsmith

PERSONAL PROFILE

Results-driven marketing manager with 6 years of experience
in B2B SaaS. Proven track record of increasing qualified
leads by 150% through data-driven campaigns. Seeking a senior
marketing role with a growth-stage technology company.

KEY SKILLS

• Digital Marketing Strategy       • HubSpot & Salesforce
• Data Analysis & Optimisation    • Google Analytics
• Campaign Management             • Stakeholder Communication
• B2B Lead Generation             • Budget Management

WORK EXPERIENCE

Marketing Manager
TechCorp Ltd, London                         Jan 2021 - Present

• Organised integrated marketing campaigns that increased
  qualified leads by 150% year-on-year
• Analysed customer behaviour data to optimise targeting,
  improving conversion rates by 35%
• Specialised in B2B digital marketing programmes across
  multiple channels
• Managed £200,000 annual marketing budget with full ROI
  accountability

Marketing Coordinator
StartupXYZ Ltd, Manchester                   Jun 2018 - Dec 2020

• Maximised social media engagement by 200% through targeted
  content strategy
• Coordinated presence at 15+ trade shows annually across
  the UK and Europe
• Collaborated with sales team to fulfil marketing
  requirements and support pipeline growth

EDUCATION

BSc (Hons) Marketing, First Class
University of Texas, United States                 2014 - 2018

Relevant modules: Digital Marketing, Consumer Behaviour,
Marketing Analytics

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

Languages: English (native), Spanish (conversational)
Software: HubSpot (certified), Salesforce, Google Analytics,
          Adobe Creative Suite

References available on request.

Common Conversion Mistakes

Even after following these steps, these details often slip through:

1. Inconsistent Spelling

You convert "organized" but miss "analyzed" three paragraphs later. Use Find and Replace systematically, or run a British English spell check.

2. American Date Formats

"01/15/2024" reads as 1st of the 15th month to British eyes. Convert all dates to "15 Jan 2024" or "January 2024" format.

3. Dollar Signs

References to "$500K budget" should become "£400,000 budget" (convert roughly, or use "six-figure budget" if you don't know the exchange rate at the time).

4. US-Specific Metrics

"Managed accounts across 12 states" means little to UK employers. Convert to relevant metrics: "Managed accounts across North America" or specific revenue figures.

5. American Job Titles

Some titles don't translate directly:

• "Vice President" (US banking) → Often equivalent to "Manager" in UK
• "Associate" → Can mean different seniority levels
• "Director" → Usually more senior in UK than US

Research UK equivalents for your industry.

6. Missing Personal Profile

The most common mistake. American resumes with objective statements or no introduction look incomplete to British recruiters.

Pre-Submission Checklist

Before sending your converted CV:

• All spelling converted to British English
• Personal profile added (2-4 sentences)
• Dates in British format (DD/MM/YYYY or Month YYYY)
• No photo or personal details (age, marital status)
• 2 pages (not compressed to 1 American-style)
• Education shows classification, not GPA
• "Ltd" not "Inc" for company names
• Currency in GBP where applicable
• "References available on request" at end
• Mobile number with +44 country code
• Saved as PDF with professional filename
• Covering letter (not cover letter) prepared

What About ATS Systems?

UK companies use Applicant Tracking Systems just like American ones. Your converted CV should:

• Use standard section headings (Work Experience, Education, Skills)
• Avoid tables, text boxes, and complex formatting
• Include keywords from the job description
• Use a clean, single-column layout where possible
• Save as PDF with selectable text

The keywords in UK job postings may differ from American equivalents, so tailor each application to the specific listing.

Next Steps

Once you've converted your CV, you'll want to:

1. Write a covering letter following British conventions
2. Research UK salary expectations for your role
3. Understand UK work authorization requirements if you're relocating
4. Adapt your LinkedIn profile with British spelling and terminology

For a deeper dive into UK CV requirements, read our comprehensive UK CV Guide which covers the personal profile, education section, and formatting in detail.

Converting your American resume to a British CV takes attention to detail, but the changes are straightforward. Focus on the personal profile, British spelling, and appropriate length. These adjustments show UK employers you understand their expectations and take the application seriously.

Ready to create a properly formatted UK CV? ResumeFast's templates help you build a professional CV that meets British employer expectations.