CV is Latin for Curriculum Vitae, which is translated as “[the] curriculum of [my] life.” In an academic setting, your CV will often take the place of a résumé. As a new grad student, your CV may only be a couple of pages long; meanwhile, it’s not uncommon for some senior faculty to have CVs that are 20-40 pages! Since your CV is a continuously-updated list of your “life’s work,” it will get longer as you stay active. On the other hand, a résumé may stay at some fixed length (typically less than 3 pages), showcasing only those aspects you feel most relevant to [position] to which you are applying.
For better or worse, there are no hard-fast rules about how a CV should be formatted or what sections must be included. Nonetheless, some common features will be seen among most CVs. When constructing your CV for the first time, it’s a good idea to look at some CVs of professors/researchers you admire, and see if their CV has any sections/formatting ideas you’d like to borrow.
Below are a few examples of grad student CVs (linked here with permission). Be aware that these CVs are included here for pedagogical purposes only. While these examples were used by the grad students at some time, any information contained in these versions may be out of date.
- 1st example: CV used to secure instructor position after grad school
- 2nd example(s): two versions of the same CV content, made by the same student:
- 3rd example
Here is a helpful (but not comprehensive by any means!) list of tips to keep in mind while constructing your CV:
- Make sure your CV is in a printable format. Even though you may post it online, people are still in the habit of printing them in certain scenarios.
- Include your name (and possibly 1-2 other basic pieces of info, such as page numbers, etc.) on every page. If [interviewers/potential employers] are looking at multiple, printed CVs having multiple pages each, this can help keep your information associated with your name.
- Consider including your country/citizenship as a part of your contact information. The academic world is quite international, and your letting others know your citizenship may help with navigating visa and/or funding opportunities.
- For live networking/interviewing events, it could be a good idea to have a short version of your CV ready for people that may want some information about you but do not want/need your full CV.
- Including a personal photo in your CV is up to you, though you may want to carefully consider potential consequences:
- Could allow readers to judge you based on visual, rather than purely merit-based, features
- Could help people that have already seen you in person connect your CV info with their memory of meeting you
- Could be helpful in live networking scenarios where you will first meet the potential employers face-to-face.
- Some people include extra-curricular activities in their CVs too. Sometimes these can simply help people get to know you a little better; but other times they can actually reveal experiences/skills that may be useful in unforeseen ways. If you choose to include such a section though, it should probably be at the end of your CV.
- Your CV is an ongoing endeavor! You will always be updating and adding new information. After you construct an initial draft, try to add new entries (publications, posters, memberships, awards, etc.) as soon as possible so that you keep an up-to-date CV readily available on your computer at all times.
- In a CV not limited by length, extra whitespace on your pages can help your document look more professional and easier to read.
- If you don’t have any peer reviewed journal publications yet, you can still begin your CV! Use titles from your conference presentations, since you should probably keep such a section in your full CV anyway.
- When you need to make your CV available for a specific, known event, such as a job interview or new position, tailor the structure, order, and content of your CV to highlight what will be most valuable to your reader. This does not mean fudging your skills or experiences, but rather strategically putting emphasis on what you anticipate the reader is looking for.
The Career Development Center is another great resource to University of Arkansas students. They offer help with putting together CVs and résumés (and more), and will help you optimize your document line by line.
Finally, all U of A grad students should be aware of the two courses on “The Professoriate” offered by the grad school. These courses (GRSD 5003 and GRSD 5033) can be taken independently, and offer inside know-how from senior faculty about the academic life. One of the graded assignments of GRSD 5033 is typing up your CV, and students receive honest feedback from a professor who reads dozens of CVs from people applying to work at U of A.