How to turn a UK CV into a US resume (or a Lebenslauf)
Quick answer: To turn a UK CV into a US resume (or a Lebenslauf), add your CV, pick From and To, read the checklist, check the change list and download the adjusted DOCX.
- Add your CV. Drop a .docx file or paste the text. Nothing is uploaded; the file is read in your browser.
- Pick From and To. From is detected automatically from spelling, dates and headings; change it if it's wrong. To is UK CV, US resume or German Lebenslauf.
- Read the checklist. Each line says OK, Fix or Note, with a link to the source where there is one: photo, personal details, length, dates, spelling, headings, order and references.
- Check the change list. It lists every change the Word file will get: removed lines, renamed headings, dates and each spelling change.
- Download the adjusted DOCX. Your fonts and layout stay. Open it, check it reads well, and trim it to the right length yourself.
UK CV vs US resume: the main differences
Both list your most recent job first and leave out a photo. The National Careers Service says a UK CV should not include your age, date of birth, marital status or nationality; US employers avoid these too, because the EEOC treats them as irrelevant to whether you can do the job. The differences are mostly style: British spelling and "Personal statement" and "Work experience" in the UK; American spelling, "Summary" and "Experience" in the US. A UK CV is usually up to two pages, a US resume one page early in your career. In the US, "CV" means a long academic CV, so call yours a resume.
What's different in a German Lebenslauf
A Lebenslauf is tabular (dates on the left, details on the right), headed "Lebenslauf", with sections such as Persönliche Daten, Berufserfahrung, Ausbildung and Kenntnisse. Dates are written 03/2024 – 06/2025, and a current job as "seit 03/2024". Many people still add a photo and date of birth, but both are optional: under the General Equal Treatment Act (AGG) an employer cannot demand them. Traditionally it ends with place, date and signature; tick the box to add that line.
What the converter does not do
It doesn't translate. For a German job advertised in German, you'll still need to write the CV in German; the tool only changes the structure and format. It also doesn't reorder your sections or shorten your text, and spelling is changed word by word: names like "Labour Party" or "Centre for Ageing Better" are left alone when they are capitalised, but read the result before you send it.
Frequently asked questions
Is a CV the same as a resume?
In the UK a CV is the normal job-application document, usually up to two pages. In the US the same thing is called a resume and is usually one page early in your career, two for senior roles; a US "CV" is a longer academic document.
Should I put a photo on my CV?
Not for the UK or the US: employers don't expect one, and the EEOC says US employers should not ask for a photograph before an offer. In Germany a photo is common but optional under the AGG. The converter removes the photo for UK and US and keeps it for Germany.
Does it change American spelling to British?
Yes, both ways: organize/organise, color/colour, center/centre, traveled/travelled, program/programme and many more. Words that are -ise in American English too, such as advertise, exercise, supervise, compromise and enterprise, are left alone, as are web addresses, email addresses and capitalised names.
Is my CV uploaded?
No. The Word file is read and rewritten in your browser, and the new file is made on your device. Nothing is sent to our server.
Will it translate my CV into German?
No. It changes headings, dates, the title and the ending to the German conventions and sets the document language to German, but your own text stays as you wrote it.
Does it keep my Word formatting?
Yes. It edits the text inside your document and keeps fonts, layout and styles. A renamed heading keeps the formatting of its first word. If you paste text instead, you get a clean single-column Word file.