Another Word for Resume: CV, Bio and 10 More Options

By Mustafa Tarabya, founder of CVBooster · Published 2026-10-07 · Updated 2026-10-07

8 min read

The most common other word for resume is CV, short for curriculum vitae, which is what the UK, Ireland, Australia and most of the world call the same document; in the US, CV usually means a longer academic record. The catch is that the words are not perfect swaps, and using the wrong one can make an employer ask for a document you did not send. The Cambridge Dictionary defines a résumé in American English as "a written statement of your educational and work experience." Below are twelve alternatives with when each fits, six short examples of the documents behind them, and synonyms for resume the verb. Written by Mustafa Tarabya, who hired for his own company, read every application himself and now writes CVBooster's guides.

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Twelve other words for resume, and when each one fits

These are the words people use in place of resume, roughly from the closest match to the loosest.

If a posting asks for one of these, use the employer's word in your file name and your email. "Please find my CV attached" reads naturally to a London recruiter and slightly odd to a recruiter in Ohio, who would expect resume.

CV and resume: the closest synonym, with one catch

In most of the English speaking world, a CV and a resume are the same thing. Cambridge defines a CV as "a short written description of your education, qualifications, previous jobs, and sometimes also your personal interests, that you send to an employer when you are trying to get a job". Its entry for résumé uses exactly the same definition for US English, marked "(UK CV)".

The catch is American English. The same Cambridge entry for CV gives a second, US meaning: "a written description of the previous work of someone who is looking for a job at a college or university". A US university, hospital or research lab asking for a CV wants the long academic version with publications, grants, teaching and presentations, and it can run to many pages. A US company asking for a resume wants one or two pages. Our guide to CV vs resume covers the differences in detail, and the European CV vs American resume guide covers photos, personal details and length by country.

Bio, profile and summary: words for parts of a resume

Several words people use for a resume actually describe a smaller document or a section of one. Using them correctly matters, because an employer who asks for a bio does not want your full work history.

• Bio: a short paragraph in the third person, used on a company website, a conference program or a proposal. It describes who you are and what you are known for. It is not used to apply for jobs.
• Profile or summary: the opening section of a resume, three or four lines that state your role, experience and strengths. Our resume summary examples show how to write one for most jobs.
• Qualifications summary or highlights: a bullet list at the top of a resume, common for career changers. CareerOneStop notes that a "Professional Summary or Highlights of Qualifications section may be used to highlight relevant experience".

Notice the differences from a resume: third person, no dates, no bullet points, and a personal line at the end. A bio introduces you; a resume proves your experience.

A professional profile sits between the two. It is the summary you write on a job site or a recruiter database, in the first person or with no pronoun at all, and it should read like the top of your resume.

Employment record and work history on application forms

Government jobs, schools, hospitals and large employers often ask for a work history or an employment record inside an online form. That is not another word for resume in the sense of a document you upload. It is a structured list, and the form may ask for exact start and end dates, supervisor names, hours per week and reasons for leaving.

Keep your resume and the form consistent. CareerOneStop's resume guide advises: "Use the exact terms in your resume." The same principle applies to forms: copy job titles and dates exactly from your resume so the two never disagree.

Another word for resume as a verb

Resume is also a verb with a completely different meaning and pronunciation. Cambridge's American dictionary defines it as "to start something again after a pause or period of time". If that is the word you need, these synonyms work:

• continue, carry on, proceed
• restart, start again, pick up again
• reopen, renew, take up again
• return to, get back to

Example: "The meeting will resume after lunch" can become "The meeting will continue after lunch." If you are looking for other words to use inside your resume, such as replacements for managed, helped or responsible for, that is a different list. Our guide to resume action verbs covers them by skill.

Which word should you use?

Match the word to the country and the employer. Use resume for US and Canadian companies, CV for jobs almost everywhere else and for US academic and research roles, and bio only when someone asks for a short introduction. When in doubt, mirror the posting: if it says "send your CV", name your file CV and call it a CV in your email, even if it is the same two pages you would call a resume in Chicago. The document is what gets you the interview; the word on top only has to match what the reader asked for.

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Frequently asked questions

What is another word for resume?

The most common other word for resume is CV, short for curriculum vitae, used in the UK, Ireland, Europe, Australia and most other countries. Other words include résumé, professional profile, career summary and work history. A bio is related but different: a short third person introduction rather than a job application document.

Is a CV the same as a resume?

Outside North America, yes: a CV is the standard name for the one or two page document you send with a job application. In the US and Canada, a CV usually means a longer academic record with publications, research and teaching, used for university, medical and research positions, while a resume stays short.

What is a professional resume called?

It is still called a resume in the US and Canada and a CV in most other countries. Some people say professional profile, career summary or executive resume for senior roles. Recruiters care more about the content and format than the name, but using the word the employer used in the posting is safest.

What is a short resume called?

A short version of a resume can be called a one page resume, a career summary, a profile or, in some fields, a bio. A bio is written in the third person and used for websites and events. For job applications, a one page resume or a short CV is what employers expect.

What is another word for resume as a verb?

As a verb, resume means to start something again after a pause. Synonyms include continue, carry on, proceed, restart, pick up again, return to and take up again. For example, "Classes resume on Monday" can be written as "Classes start again on Monday" with the same meaning.

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