For many navigating the job market, the resume is often considered the golden ticket. However, in specific sectors, particularly within academia, medicine, and research, the curriculum vitae, commonly known as a CV, reigns supreme. This detailed document is not just a prerequisite for employment but also a critical component for fellowship applications, grant proposals, and various opportunities in specialized fields.
According to Tara Goodfellow, a career coach at Muse and the founder of Consult Athena, a curriculum vitae is “a really industry-specific, very extensive listing of achievements.” Think of it as a more comprehensive and detailed counterpart to the resume.
Whether you’re looking to refine your existing CV, create one from the ground up, or simply understand “What Is A Curriculum Vitae,” this guide is designed to provide you with clarity and direction. We’ll explore what a curriculum vitae entails, differentiate it from a resume, guide you through writing your own impactful CV, discuss formatting best practices, and ensure you’re well-prepared whenever a CV is requested.
Defining a Curriculum Vitae: More Than Just a Resume
A curriculum vitae is best understood as an exhaustive record of your academic and professional journey. It meticulously catalogs all significant accomplishments throughout your career. This encompasses your educational background, research endeavors, work history, publications, presentations, and any other notable contributions to your professional life. In essence, a CV serves as a complete testament to your expertise and qualifications within your specific domain, as Tara Goodfellow aptly describes.
If your experience primarily revolves around crafting resumes, you’re likely accustomed to condensing your skills, experiences, and educational qualifications to fit within a concise one-page—or occasionally, a two-page—limit. This brevity is essential in resume writing because the focus is on highlighting only the most pertinent information tailored to the specific job application.
However, the approach with a CV is fundamentally different. You don’t selectively omit or add details based on the application. Instead, a curriculum vitae is designed to be all-inclusive, incorporating every aspect of your professional journey. For seasoned professionals with extensive careers, a CV can easily extend beyond 10 pages, reflecting the depth and breadth of their accomplishments.
In the United States, the curriculum vitae is predominantly utilized in fields that place a high premium on research, scholarly publications, and presentations—most notably, academia. It’s crucial to note, however, that outside of the U.S., the term “CV” often refers to a document more akin to a resume. This distinction can be a source of confusion, so it’s vital to understand the regional nuances. When applying for positions outside the U.S., it’s generally advisable to follow resume guidelines, while always researching the standard document expectations within the specific country to align your application appropriately.
Despite these variations, the core objective of both a resume and a CV remains consistent: to effectively communicate the value you bring to a potential employer.
Read more: CV Vs. Resume—Here Are the Differences
Alt text: Example curriculum vitae document, showcasing a detailed format suitable for academic and research-oriented roles.
Who Needs a Curriculum Vitae? Identifying Target Fields
Knowing whether you need a curriculum vitae or a resume is crucial for effective job applications. While resumes are versatile across industries, CVs are specifically tailored for certain professional paths.
If you are in academia or are a physician, especially one involved in research, a curriculum vitae is likely indispensable. Researchers outside of academia and lawyers in mid-to-late career stages may also find a CV necessary.
Here’s a more detailed breakdown of fields where a CV is typically required:
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Academia: For researchers, professors, and research-focused students within academic institutions, a CV is essential. It serves as a comprehensive record of your research contributions, presentation history, and ongoing expertise in your field. Even roles such as college librarians often require a curriculum vitae due to the scholarly nature of their positions. However, it’s worth noting that for university jobs not centered around research or teaching, a resume might be more appropriate. Always consider the specific requirements of the role.
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Medicine: Physicians, regardless of their career stage or research involvement, generally use a curriculum vitae. The medical field traditionally favors the CV format to document the extensive training, qualifications, and professional activities of doctors. While job listings for nurses or medical assistants might occasionally mention CVs, this is often due to organizational templates used for physician hiring; in these cases, a resume is usually more suitable.
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Law: Lawyers engaged in academic pursuits—such as publishing, presenting at conferences, or teaching—will also require a curriculum vitae. This applies primarily to legal professionals in academic settings where scholarly contributions are a key aspect of their role.
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Research Outside of Academia: Professionals holding a PhD or master’s degree who are engaged in research outside the academic environment should maintain an updated CV. In non-academic research roles, a CV effectively showcases the depth and breadth of your research experience, which is highly valued, especially when your application is reviewed by fellow researchers.
If your career path diverges from academia or medicine, and your professional evaluation is primarily based on job performance rather than publications or conference presentations, a resume is likely the more appropriate document. As Tara Goodfellow advises, a simple guideline is: “If you don’t have the information for a curriculum vitae, then it’s not for you.”
When uncertainty arises about whether a CV or resume is required for a specific job application, direct inquiry is always recommended. Reach out to the job contact or the HR department to clarify their preference. If direct contact isn’t feasible, and the job context doesn’t provide a clear indication, submitting both documents—clearly labeled as CV and resume—can serve as a practical solution in a pinch.
However, it’s important to recognize that submitting a curriculum vitae when a resume is expected offers no advantage. Recruiters often spend mere seconds—around six seconds on average—reviewing a resume. A lengthy CV, in such instances, does not extend this brief window. Instead, it requires the recruiter to extract the same critical information from a much more detailed document within the same limited timeframe, potentially diluting the impact of your application.
Crafting a Compelling CV: Step-by-Step Guide
Once you’ve determined that a curriculum vitae is the appropriate document for your professional needs, the next step is to understand how to write one effectively. Start by compiling a comprehensive inventory of all your professional and educational accomplishments, organized under the following standard categories:
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Contact Information: This section mirrors that of a resume, including your full name, address, phone number, and professional email address.
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Education: For each academic institution you’ve attended, provide the institution’s name, its location, the degree you obtained, and the dates of your enrollment. If you don’t have a separate “Research Experience” section, you can incorporate details about significant research projects undertaken during each degree program here. List your educational history in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent degree. This reverse chronological order applies to all sections of your CV, ensuring the most current and relevant information is presented first.
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Teaching Experience/Work Experience/Research Experience: These can be presented as separate sections or combined based on your career trajectory and the role you’re applying for. Similar to a resume, use strong, well-crafted bullet points to describe your responsibilities and achievements in past and current roles. These descriptions should be concise yet informative, highlighting the impact of your contributions. This is also a strategic point to optimize your curriculum vitae for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Incorporate keywords from the job description naturally within your experience sections to enhance your CV’s visibility in automated screenings.
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Conference Presentations: Include the title of your presentation, the name of the conference or event, its location, and specify whether it was an oral or poster presentation. When describing the conference, consider your audience. For field experts, detailed descriptions of major conferences may be unnecessary. However, if your CV might initially be reviewed by recruiters or hiring managers less familiar with your specialization, a brief description of the conference’s significance can be beneficial. This is particularly relevant when transitioning to a new field.
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Conference Attendance: List conferences you’ve attended (without presenting) to demonstrate your commitment to staying current in your field beyond your own research.
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Honors and Awards: Include the name of each honor or award and the date it was received.
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Grants or Funding: Specify the name of the grant and the period for which it was awarded.
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Publications: For those in academia, publications are paramount. In this section, list all your publications in citation format, irrespective of your author order. Bold or underline your name within the author list to ensure it stands out.
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Professional Affiliations/Memberships: Note the dates of membership and any positions held within these organizations. Depending on the job requirements, you might expand on your responsibilities and contributions within these affiliations.
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Community Outreach (Optional): Include dates and descriptions of your community engagement activities, similar to how you would describe work experience on a resume.
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Key (or Research) Skills (Optional): This section offers another opportunity for ATS optimization. If the job description emphasizes specific skills that may not be immediately apparent in other CV sections, a dedicated skills section can improve your CV’s performance in automated screenings.
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Language Skills (Optional): If you are proficient in multiple languages, or a language highly relevant to your field (e.g., Spanish for a healthcare professional in the U.S.), a language skills section can be a valuable addition.
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References (Personal Choice): Historically, CVs always included references. While you might still see reference sections in CV examples or advice guides, this practice is becoming less common. Whether you include references or not is generally acceptable unless the job listing explicitly instructs otherwise. If you choose to omit a references section, ensure you have a well-formatted, updated list of references ready to provide upon request. Avoid the phrase “references available upon request” as it’s considered redundant.
Remember, not all listed sections are mandatory, and the list isn’t exhaustive. Some sections, like “Research and Work Experience” or “Honors and Grants,” might be effectively combined depending on your profile.
The order of sections after contact information is flexible. Prioritize sections based on their relevance to the position you are applying for and your career stage. Early-career professionals might highlight education, while more experienced candidates might lead with significant awards or tenure-track positions. Ensure your most compelling information is on the first page to capture and maintain the reader’s interest.
Formatting Your CV for Professional Impact
Meticulous formatting is paramount when preparing your curriculum vitae. Consistency in punctuation, spacing, and style is crucial. Many universities and professional organizations offer specific formatting guidelines for CVs; adhering to these standards is highly recommended.
While visual appeal can enhance a resume in certain fields, a curriculum vitae prioritizes professionalism and clarity over flashy design. Avoid elaborate graphics or decorative elements. The focus should be on presenting information in a structured, easily digestible manner.
Judicious use of bolding, underlining, and capitalization for emphasis and readability is acceptable. Italics are often used in citations for publications and presentations. However, your CV is not the place for humor or unconventional design choices. It should unequivocally demonstrate your professionalism, thoroughness, and attention to detail.
Curriculum Vitae Example and Templates
To further clarify the structure and content of a curriculum vitae, consider the following example, tailored for a student completing a PhD in a research-intensive field and seeking their first academic or postdoctoral position:
(Please refer to the image provided earlier in the document, as a textual representation cannot fully capture the visual formatting of a CV example).
Download a sample curriculum vitae
Think of your CV as a dynamic document that requires regular updates. Unlike a resume, which is often updated only when actively seeking a new job, your curriculum vitae should be continuously maintained.
Develop a habit of immediately adding new publications, presentations, conference attendances, and other professional achievements to your CV as they occur. This proactive approach may seem tedious initially but will save significant time and effort in the long run, especially when preparing for your next career move. Accurate recall of dates and details will be readily available, preventing last-minute scrambles and ensuring your CV is always current and comprehensive.
