Indian Resume vs US Resume: The Differences (and How to Convert)

The short answer

An Indian resume and a US resume do the same job but follow different conventions. Indian resumes often run two or three A4 pages and include a photo, date of birth, father's name, marital status, 10th and 12th marks and a signed declaration. A US resume is one or two pages on US Letter paper, leaves all of those personal details out, gives only the highest degree, and spends the space on measurable achievements. Neither is wrong — each fits its market. If you apply in both, keep two files.

Indian resume vs US resume, side by side

The differences that matter most, in one view. Each row is explained below.

Photo: expected in some Indian sectors, never in the US

In India, product companies and modern startups do not want a photo — it invites bias and serves no parsing purpose — while some traditional industries such as hospitality, family-owned businesses and certain banks still expect one.

In the US a photo is simply not done. US employers avoid anything that could suggest a hiring decision was based on appearance, age, race or sex, and many applicant tracking systems discard images anyway. Remove it.

Date of birth, father's name and marital status

These fields come from the Indian biodata tradition and still appear on many resumes, especially for government, PSU and traditional employers. US resumes leave out date of birth, age, father's or spouse's name, marital status, religion and nationality entirely. So do UK, Canadian and Australian CVs. If your work authorization matters, state it in one line instead — see how to write visa status on a resume.

The declaration line

“I hereby declare that the above information is true to the best of my knowledge,” followed by place, date and signature, is an Indian convention. No US, UK, Canadian or Australian employer expects it, and it can confuse resume parsers. Delete it from any international version.

CGPA vs GPA

For Indian applications, include CGPA or percentage if you graduated in the last five years and the score is above about 8.0/10 or 80%; beyond that, your work outweighs the marks. Institutions such as IITs, NITs and IIMs carry weight on their own.

For US applications, do not convert a CGPA into a 4.0 GPA yourself — there is no official formula, and a recruiter cannot verify it. Write it as awarded (“CGPA 8.4/10”), or leave it out. If an employer or university needs an equivalent, a credential evaluation service such as WES provides one. Drop 10th and 12th marks completely.

Length and paper size

Indian recruiters, like global ones, scan in seconds, so one page under five years of experience and two pages beyond that works in India too — though two- and three-page resumes are common. Government and PSU applications often prescribe their own longer format.

For the US, the rule is firmer: one page early in your career, two at most for most experienced professionals, on US Letter paper rather than A4. An A4 file opens fine but prints with odd margins and signals that the document was not adapted.

References, notice period and salary

Indian portals and recruiters ask for notice period and current and expected CTC early, and some Indian resumes list them. US resumes include none of these. References are not listed either; US employers ask for them near the end. If a US application form asks for salary expectations, answer in the form, not on the resume.

IIT resume credential restrictions (campus placements)

Everything above assumes an off-campus resume. Inside an IIT, NIT or IIIT placement season, the resume becomes a declared document and the restriction is simple: you may claim only what you can evidence. Placement offices such as IIT Kanpur's require proof for each point, and points without proof are not approved — so a true but undocumented project counts for nothing, and ranks or “top 5” claims need certificates. The full mechanism is in IIT resume credential restrictions.

Converting for a US, Canada or UK application

The conversion is mostly subtraction plus translation: remove the photo, personal details, declaration and school marks; rewrite experience so a foreign recruiter can size it — market-standard job titles, team sizes, users, and money in a currency they read rather than lakh and crore; and add one dated visa line if you need sponsorship.

Each market has its own field-by-field guide:

• US resume format for Indian applicants — with a sample.
• Canadian resume for Indian applicants and newcomers — NOC-consistent duties and permit lines.
• UK CV format for Indian applicants — personal statement, degree classification and the sponsor register.
• H-1B resume guide — if you will need sponsorship.
• OPT and CPT resume guide — if you are studying in the US.

For every country side by side, see resume format by country.

LinkedIn vs Naukri presence

Have both if you apply in both markets. Naukri for Indian recruiter searches, LinkedIn for multinational and international searches. Keep the job titles and dates consistent — recruiters check both.

What is the difference between an Indian resume and a US resume?

Indian resumes often include a photo, date of birth, father's name, marital status, 10th/12th marks and a declaration, and run to two or three A4 pages. US resumes leave all of those out, use US Letter paper, stay at one or two pages and focus on measurable achievements.

Should I put a photo on my resume for US jobs?

No. US employers avoid photos and personal details, and many applicant tracking systems discard images. Remove the photo from any resume you send to a US employer.

How do I convert CGPA to GPA for a US resume?

Don't convert it yourself. Write the grade as awarded, for example “CGPA 8.4/10”, or leave it out. If an employer needs an equivalent, use an official credential evaluation such as WES.

Is the declaration needed on a resume?

Only in some Indian contexts. US, UK, Canadian and Australian employers do not expect a declaration, and it can confuse resume parsers — delete it from international versions.

Can I use one resume for India and the US?

Not well. Keep two files: an Indian version that may include academics and notice period, and a US version on Letter paper without personal details, focused on results.