Writing an Academic CV

When writing a CV for academia it should include research and teaching experience, publications, grants and fellowships, professional associations and licenses, awards and other information relevant to the position you are applying for.

It's important to take it a step further and tailor your curriculum vitae so it stands out from the crowd and so the content reflects your audience - the organization that you want to work for.

Here are some tips on how to get your academic CV noticed in a very crowded job market.

Consider a Combination CV

If you are looking for an academia position - do a combination CV which includes a summary, job descriptions and accomplishments like a regular resume, along with all the additional information (such as presentations, publications, education, membership, certifications) in traditional CV's.

This is a much more powerful presentation which will allow you to show how you add value and will stand out from the crowd.

Target Your CV to Your Audience

While the CV isn't a resume, it still should be carefully targeted and organized to best represent you in the light of your audience. First step here is, of course, careful study of the opening description.

Second, find out who will be making the final candidate decision, and learn as much background information on each of these people as possible. That probably means networking your way to future peers, and finding out, if possible, what got them there. Be sure to ask questions about the culture; it'll give you clues in how to present your CV.

Arrange the CV contents and organize your facts in accordance with what you've learned. For example, if a new post at a major university places particular emphasis on publishing, highlight your credits early, and include a bibliography listing of articles from most recent to oldest.

Curriculum Vitae Tips

More tips and advice for writing a perfect curriculum vitae, plus CV tips for online job applications, CV formatting and styles, academic and international CVs, and tips for writing curriculum vitae that secure an interview.

CV Examples
Before you start work on your curriculum vitae, review free cv samples that fit a variety of employment situations. These curriculum vitae examples and templates provide job seekers with examples of cv formats that will work for almost every job seeker.