CVs · 3 min read
British English vs American English on your CV
Applying for jobs in the UK? A CV full of American spellings can look careless to a British recruiter — especially if the role involves writing or attention to detail. Many CV templates and AI tools default to American English, so it's worth checking.
Spellings to watch
These are the differences that most often creep in:
- -ise not -ize: organise, prioritise, specialise
- -our not -or: colour, behaviour, labour
- -re not -er: centre, metre
- Doubled consonants: travelled, modelling, cancelled
- Licence (noun) and license (verb); practice (noun) and practise (verb)
Words and phrases
It's not only spelling. UK CVs usually say 'CV' rather than 'résumé', 'university' rather than 'college' for degrees, 'GCSEs' and 'A levels', and 'mobile' rather than 'cell'. Dates are usually written day first, such as 3 March 2025.
Be consistent
Whatever you choose, use it everywhere — your CV, cover letter and LinkedIn profile. Mixed spellings stand out more than either style on its own.
Let hire me. check it for you
Every score, tip and rewrite from hire me. is written in British English, and Americanisms in your CV are flagged and corrected.