How to Write a CV

A CV, or Curriculum Vitae, is Latin for "Course of Life." Moreover, it is an academic resume, and is often requested when applying to colleges, graduate school, or academic jobs. Follow these steps to write a CV that will impress!

Difficulty: Moderately Easy

Instructions

Things You'll Need:

• List of your academic accomplishments
• Word processor
• Resume paper for printing

1. 
    
   How is a CV not a Resume?

   Background
   
   Unlike a standard resume, a CV revolves around academic achievements, and especially activities related to teaching and original research. There are likely many activities and jobs that would normally go on a resume that you would omit from a CV. A CV also need not begin with a "statement of purpose" at the top.

2. 
    
   Who are you?

   Contact Information
   
   Begin your CV with a centered header containing your full name and other contact information, including your address, phone number, and email address.

3. 
    
   Your Education

   Education
   
   Your first main section should be your education. Begin with the most recent degree, and go back in time from there (grad school, college, high school). Include the name of the institution, the degree earned (or in progress), your major(s)/minor(s), GPA, and any other important details (honors/senior thesis, etc.). Be sure to include any time spent abroad!

4. 
    
   Academic Experience

   Experience
   
   This section should list any relevant academic experience that you have. If you are applying to grad school or looking for a job, this section would ideally include any teaching experience that you have. This includes any sorts of Teaching Assistantships or grading positions.
   
   It might also include other academic jobs that you have held, including any sorts of research internships, or work that you have done for professors.

5. 
    
   Publications

   Publications/Presentations
   
   The next section should detail any academic work of yours that has been published. If you are a student, this section is probably either very short, or non-existent. Be sure to include anything published in department journals or school newspapers.
   
   This section (or the following section), should also list any presentations that you have given of your research.

6. 
    
   Awards

   Awards and Recognition
   
   List any awards, fellowships, scholarships, and any other sort of recognition that you have received for your achievements, along with the date they were awarded. These do not have to be monetary awards.

7. Other
   
   Finally, there are a number of other items that could be added to a CV, depending on your interests and areas of expertise. These could include:
   
   -Membership in honors societies
   -Professional affiliations
   -Community service and professional activities
   -Research interests
   -Languages spoken/studied

Tips & Warnings

• If you've been using the same email address since middle school (i.e. [e-mail]), this would be an excellent time to get a new, more professional address (i.e. [e-mail]).
• If you use bullet points, make sure that they are consistently aligned throughout the CV.
• Unlike a resume, a CV does not need to be limited to one or two pages. As your academic experience grows, be sure to list everything on your CV!
• Avoid using sans serif fonts like Ariel or Calibri for your main text, as they look unprofessional; use them for your headings instead.
• For your main text, use a good serif font like Times New Roman, Garamond, or Constantia.

Resources

• Sample CVs at: resume-resource.com

[scarletdreamer]

on 9/2/2009 Great article! You wouldn't believe how many people can't write a resume let alone a good CV, thanks for enlightening