Academic CV and Professional Resumé Writing
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
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.
- Writing your curriculum vitae, a guide from the UCSD Career Center
Section-by-section description of the components of CVs from the UCSD Career Center- Writing the curriculum vitae, a handout guide from the Purdue Online Writing Lab
- How to write a CV from McGill University
- How to write an undergraduate CV from the Houston Chronicle
- How to write an undergraduate CV from Prospective Doctor
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.
- Writing a winning resume from the UCSD Career Center
Section-by section description of the components of resumes from the UCSD Career Center- Writing resumes, a workshop from the Purdue Online Writing Lab
- Guide to resume writing from the Center for Career Development at Rice University
Step-by-step guide to writing resumes from Resume Genius- Resume writing guide, everything you need to know from JobScan
- The ultimate guide to writing a resume from Proven
Further Resources
Example CVs and Resumes
- Example CVs from the Massachusetts Institute of Technology [PDF]
- Example resumes from UCSD Academic Internship Programs [PDF]
- Example CVs and resumes from UC Davis Career Center
Further Resources
- Two-part guide to academic CVs from UC Berkeley
- Guide to resumes and CVs from Cornell University
- How to convert a CV into a resume from UC Santa Cruz
- How to convert a CV into a resume from Yale University
- The basics of science CVs from the Chronicle of Higher Education
- Online tool for checking whether your resume is Applicant Tracking System (ATS) proof
- How to write the perfect resume
from Business Insider - Resume writing strategies from Rockport Institute
- Resume writing links from Veritas Prep
UCSD
- UC San Diego Career Center Resume, Cover Letter, and Networking resources
- My UC Career,
portal for career development, including resume assistance