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Academic CV and Professional Resumé Writingresumes and cvs

A staple of the process of applying for jobs, scholarships, and fellowships is the curriculum vitae (CV) and/or professional resumé.  Both are similar, but there are key differences: CVs are written for academic positions and applications and are typically not limited in overall length; resumés are written for non-academic positions and typically are no more than 1-2 pages.  Here we provide resources on the process of creating an academic CV or professional resumé. 

Creating an Academic CV

Academic CVs feature your academic record (for instance, education, degrees earned) and achievements (such as research papers, presentations, and awards).  They typically can be as long as necessary to capture the entirety of your record (although some applications, such as for scholarships, may request an “abbreviated CV”).  They may be read by graduate admissions committees, scholarship judges, in the context of hiring for research lab positions, and more.

Typical Sections on a CV

Common headings of academic CVs include (Note: this is only a partial list; the sections you may wish to include may vary depending on your background and intended audience): 

  • Education – the type of degree, institution, date completed
  • Honors and awards – fellowships, scholarships, and other distinctions
  • Research experience – type of position, location, and dates
  • Publications – all published research work that you have completed
  • Presentations – conference presentations and talks
  • Teaching experience – position, institution, course name or description
  • Professional positions – position, company/organization, description
  • References – names and contact information of supervisors or mentors

Guides to Creating CVs

For more information on creating CVs, please consider visiting the following links.  Note: in some cases, these guides refer to non-academic CVs which place greater emphasis on work experience. 

Creating a Professional Resumé

Professional resumés typically describe an individual’s skills, experience, and qualifications for a non-academic position.  Because hiring managers typically receive hundreds of applications (or more) for any given position, each resumé may be initially examined for a few seconds only.  It is therefore crucial that the resumé be very concise (1 or 2 pages typically) and very clear. 

Typical Sections on a Resumé

Common headings of professional resumé include (Note: this is only a partial list; the sections you may wish to include may vary depending on your background and the desired position):1

  • Objective – usually reflects the description of the job that the applicant is seeking
  • Education - the type of degree, institution, data completed; GPA if 3.0 or higher
  • Relevant coursework – types of classes taken that enhance suitability for the desired position
  • Skills/qualifications – those that are relevant to the desired position
  • Experience – prior positions held, including summary statements of achievements and results
  • Memberships – professional and academic organizations

Guides to Creating Resumes

For more information on creating resumés, please consider visiting the following links. 

Further Resources

Example CVs and Resumes

Further Resources

UCSD

Graphic used with permission under the GNU Lesser General Public License.
1UCSD Career Center. Resumes.