what to include in a research cv

Unfortunately we don't fully support your browser. If you have the option to, please upgrade to a newer version or use Mozilla Firefox , Microsoft Edge , Google Chrome , or Safari 14 or newer. If you are unable to, and need support, please send us your feedback .

We'd appreciate your feedback. Tell us what you think!   opens in new tab/window

Writing an effective academic CV

June 6, 2019 | 6 min read

By Elsevier Connect contributors

How to create a curriculum vitae that is compelling, well-organized and easy to read

A good CV showcases your skills and your academic and professional achievements concisely and effectively. It’s well-organized and easy to read while accurately representing your highest accomplishments.

Don't be shy about your achievements, but also remember to be honest about them. Do not exaggerate or lie!

Academic CVs  differ from the CVs   opens in new tab/window  typically used by non-academics in industry because you need to present your research, various publications and awarded funding in addition to the other items contained in a non-academic CV.

Here are some tips. They are organized into categories that could be used to structure a CV. You do not need to follow this format, but you should address the categories covered here somewhere in your CV.

Tools you can use

If you’re looking to demonstrate the impact your research has had, PlumX Metrics are available in several of Elsevier’s products and services, giving you an overview of how specific papers have performed, including where they were mentioned in the media, how other researchers used them, and where they were mentioned on platforms from Twitter to Wikipedia.

You can also use Mendeley Careers to discover job opportunities based on the keywords and interests listed in your CV and the articles you’ve read in your Mendeley library.

If you’re looking for more specific guidance on how to take control of your career in research and academia, Elsevier’s Research Academy   opens in new tab/window has entire sections dedicated to job search   opens in new tab/window , career planning and career guidance.

General tips

Start by considering the  length ,  structure  and  format  of your CV.

2 pages is optimal for a non-academic CV, but research positions offer more flexibility on length

Include research-specific details that emphasize your suitability, like relevant publications, funding secured in your name, presentations and patents to the employer.

4 sides  is a reasonable length. Academic recruiters may accept more if the additional information is relevant to the post.

Next, choose a structure for your CV.

Start with the main headings and sub-headings you will use.

In general, you should start  by providing some brief personal details, then a brief career summary.

The first section of your CV should focus on your education, publications and research.

Also address: funding, awards and prizes, teaching roles, administrative experience, technical and professional skills and qualifications, professional affiliations or memberships, conference and seminar attendances and a list of references.

Dr. Sheba Agarwal-Jans talks about writing an academic CV for Elsevier’s Researcher Academy (free registration required).  Watch here   opens in new tab/window .

Use legible font types in a normal size (font size 11 or 12) with normal sized margins (such as 1 inch or 2.5 cm).

Bullet points can highlight important items and present your credentials concisely.

Keep a consistent style for headings and sub-headings and main text – do not use more than 2 font types.

Make smart but sparing use of 

bold and italics. (Avoid underlining for emphasis; underlines are associated with hyperlinks.)

Be aware of spelling and grammar and ensure it is perfect. Re-read a few times after writing the CV. Spell check can be useful, though some suggestions will not be accurate or relevant.

Composing your CV

Personal details

Personal details include your name, address of residence, phone number(s) and professional email.

You might also include your visa status if relevant.

Career summary

Use about 5 to 7 sentences to summarize your expertise in your disciplines, years of expertise in these areas, noteworthy research findings, key achievements and publications.

Provide an overview of your education starting from your most recent academic degree obtained (reverse chronological order).

Include the names of the institutions, thesis or dissertation topics and type of degree obtained.

List your most reputed publications in ranking of type, such as books, book chapters, peer-reviewed journal articles, non-peer-reviewed articles, articles presented as prestigious conferences, forthcoming publications, reports, patents, and so forth.

Consider making an exhaustive list of all publications in an appendix.

Publications

Your research experiences, findings, the methods you use and your general research interests are critical to present in the first part of your CV.

Highlight key research findings and accomplishments.

Honors and awards

Indicate any prizes, awards, honors or other recognitions for your work with the year it occurred and the organization that granted the award.

The funding you have attracted for your research and work is recognition of the value of your research and efforts.

As with the honors and recognitions, be forthcoming with what you have obtained in terms of grants, scholarships and funds.

List your teaching experience, including the institutions, years you taught, the subjects you taught and the level of the courses.

Administrative experience

Administrative experience on a faculty or at a research institute should be noted.

This might include facilitating a newsletter, organizing events or other noteworthy activities at your institution or beyond.

Professional experience

Include any employment in industry that is recent (within the last 5 to 10 years) and relevant to your academic work.

Professional experience can explain any gaps in your academic work and demonstrate the diversity in your capabilities.

Other skills and qualifications

Highlight key skills and qualifications relevant to your research and academic work.

Technical and practical skills, certifications, languages and other potentially transferrable skills are relevant to mention in this section.

Professional affiliations and memberships

If you belong to any professional group or network related to your areas of expertise, you should mention them in this section.

Only list affiliations or memberships you have been active with within the last 5 years.

Keep this section short.

Attendance at conferences and seminars

List the most relevant conferences or seminars where you presented or participated on a panel within the last 5 to 7 years.

In an appendix, you can add an exhaustive list of conferences and seminars where you participated by giving a speech, presenting a paper or research, or took part in a discussion panel.

List at least three people who can provide a reference for your research, work and character. Check with them first to make sure the are comfortable recommending you and aware of the opportunities you are seeking.

Provide their names and complete contact information. They should all be academics and all people you have worked with.

Appendices enable you to keep the main content of your CV brief while still providing relevant detail.

Items to list in an appendix can include publications, short research statements or excerpts, conference or seminar participation, or something similar and relevant which you would like to provide more details about.

CVs are not only for job searching. You will need to update your CV regularly and adapt it for the various purposes:

Awards, fellowships

Grant applications

Public speaking

Contributor

Elsevier Connect contributors

Research CV Examples and Templates for 2022

Start creating your CV in minutes by using our 21 customizable templates or view one of our handpicked Research examples.

Join over 260,000 professionals using our Research examples with VisualCV. Sign up to choose your template, import example content, and customize your content to stand out in your next job search.

• How do you write a research CV?

To write a research CV, follow these steps:

• Select a CV template that’s right for research/academia.
• Next, add your research goal within your CV summary or objective.
• List your GPA clearly.
• Show that you perform research work independently and how your past experience or skills will be helpful.
• Add your research publications.
• How do you list research experience on a CV?

To add your research experience on a CV, add another entry to your work experience section and list the research work you did in a bulleted list.

• Research CV summary and profile

Ready to start with your Researcher Curriculum Vitae? See our hand picked CV Examples above and view our live Researcher CV Examples from our free CV builder .

• Research CV Objective

A research position is a person engaged in research, possibly recognized as such by a formal title. This is a very broad definition and relates to the fact that research positions generally cover multiple jobs and job titles. It’s important to distinguish between these positions so that we may accurately define research cv objectives.

The first objective to a research cv is to determine if the job you are applying for requires specific qualifications and/or education. For example, it is likely that research assistant roles will require a degree or postgraduate degree to even apply for the position, whereas a research fellow or research associate will usually require a minimum of a master’s degree.

Once you’ve identified your qualifications are sufficient, it is now time to show your expertise in the associated field.

Research positions generally require an advanced understanding of one specific field so it’s beneficial to only include experience, education, study, and training in that field and complementary fields. Make sure you look at the research project and the requirements because the person in charge of the project, grant or funding may be looking for a generalist but it’s normally safer to be very specific about your expertise and your devotion to the field.

The next focus area on your research cv should be on your reading, writing and analytic skills as these are the core skillset many recruiters are looking for on your cv.

Below we go into more detail on research cv formats and some real-life example cvs to help you get started on applying for your next job or position.

• Research CV Formats

Research Assistant CV

Research assistants are researchers employed by a university or a research institute to assist in academic research. In most cases, a research assistant cv should focus on education, qualifications or interests around the area of research the potential candidate is applying for.

Most research assistants will be hired on their subject matter knowledge of the research being undertaken and their abilities in reading and writing. Following orders of the principal investigator or lead will also be crucial in hiring for this position so make sure you include your willingness to do what you’re told in your cover letter.

Research Associate CV

Unlike research assistants, research associates are normally full-time positions that are not under direct supervision or mentoring. Research associate cvs should have a laser-like focus on education and qualifications in their respective field. Be sure to include all awards, published works, and prior research.

Research Consultant CV

Research consultants are experts in their field who are hired to help complete research on behalf of an academic institution or research institute. Sometimes consultants can be hired specifically to fill a gap in the research currently undertaken by a specialist in another field.

Research consultant cvs generally focus on education, credentials and published work. As a consultant, they should demonstrate considerable experience across different projects or research. Make sure in your cover letter to include reasons why you will be highly beneficial to completing a research project or why your experience of working on different projects would be useful to the project at hand.

Research Fellow CV

A research fellow is an academic research position at a university or similar research institution, usually for academic staff or faculty members. Your educational qualifications and published work are essential to applying for this position. A doctoral degree or postdoctoral degree is generally considered mandatory unless you have equivalent work experience in the industry.

• Research CV Examples

Please find our Research CV Examples below. If you are after more examples we have a directory of over 200+ real CV examples sorted by position and title.

Copyright © 2024 Workstory Inc.

Select Your Language:

Our websites may use cookies to personalize and enhance your experience. By continuing without changing your cookie settings, you agree to this collection. For more information, please see our University Websites Privacy Notice .

Office of Undergraduate Research

Undergraduate research cvs and résumés, cv vs. résumé - what's the difference.

A curriculum vitae, or CV, is a document that provides a comprehensive overview of your educational background, academic accomplishments, and qualifications, including your research experience, publications, awards, presentations, and honors. CVs are typically used when applying for academic, scientific, or research positions. A CV may also be used for graduate school, fellowship, or grant applications.

Résumés provide a concise (1-2 page) summary of your education, experience, and skill set. Résumés are typically used for non-academic opportunities, such as jobs, internships, or leadership positions.

At the undergraduate level, these documents may overlap, with similar content found in both. As you progress throughout your career, they will diverge as your experience level changes and your materials are tailored to address a particular audience and to match the conventions within your discipline.

Make sure to review the application information provided by the program or opportunity to determine whether a CV or résumé is preferred.

Are you new to research and developing your first résumé? The Center for Career Development has resources to assist you with preparing a résumé that highlights the transferable skills developed through academics, work experiences, volunteer activities, and extracurricular involvement, as well as connecting those transferable skills to the opportunities you are applying for.

Preparing an Undergraduate CV

Sections: how to organize your content.

The sections on your CV will depend on your experiences and what you want to highlight. For a research-focused undergraduate CV, you can include any of the following sections, modifying the specific section heading to fit your needs:

• Research Experience

Publications

Presentations.

• Grants or Fellowships
• Awards or Honors
• Skills (laboratory, technical, computer, design) and Certifications
• Internships (or relevant work experiences)
• Professional Memberships, Professional Affiliations, or Professional Societies
• Leadership, Volunteer Work, Service, Community Involvement, Extracurricular Activities

When determining the order of your sections, consider what content is applicable and relevant to the program or opportunity to which you are applying. A general guideline is to include your most relevant sections first. Within each section, organize your content in reverse chronological order, listing the most recent experiences or content first, and working your way back to older content.

Begin your CV with your name and contact information. Contact information may include your school or home address, or you may choose to exclude your address and limit your contact information to your email address, phone number, and if applicable, your personal website or LinkedIn URL.

Your name is typically in a larger font, one to two sizes larger than the content. Consider using bold so that it stands out.

Education is typically the first section of an undergraduate CV after your heading. Include the institution name, degree you are completing, your major(s), minor(s), and expected graduation date. If you are writing a thesis, you can also include the title and name(s) of your thesis advisor(s).

Academic honors may be included here as well, though you also have the option of having a separate section to highlight awards and honors.

Including your GPA is optional and will depend on what you are using your CV for. If you are submitting your CV to an opportunity where a GPA is requested, include it. GPA is not commonly included on graduate CVs, an important note to keep in mind as you progress through your academic career and move on to advanced study.

If you studied abroad, you can include the institution name, dates of attendance, and relevant coursework or focus of your studies.

Tip: It is essential that you correctly indicate the degree you are pursuing and your academic major and minor. If you are unsure of how to list your major on your CV (e.g., Psychological Sciences – not Psychology), check with your academic advisor or check your transcript to see how your major is listed. UConn undergraduate degrees include: Bachelor of Arts, Bachelor of Fine Arts, Bachelor of Music, Bachelor of Science, Bachelor of Science in Engineering, Bachelor of Social Work.

University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Bachelor of Arts in History, Minor: Human Rights, expected May 20XX

• Honors Program (20XX-20XX), Dean’s List (Fall 20XX, Spring 20XX), 20XX New England Scholar
• Senior Thesis: Thesis Title
• Thesis Advisor: Dr. Jonathan Husky, Associate Professor, Department of History

University of Connecticu t, Storrs, CT Bachelor of Science, Molecular and Cell Biology , May 20XX Bachelor of Arts, Psychological Sciences , May 20XX Minor: Healthcare Management and Insurance Studies Honors Scholar and University Honors Laureate, Dean’s List (20XX-20XX, Fall 20XX)

Study Abroad in Florence, Italy, Summer 20XX Coursework: History of the European Union; Identity and Culture in Italy: A Comparative Approach

Essential information to include for each research experience:

• Dr. Jonathan Husky, Associate Professor, Statistics Department
• ABC Research Group, Biomedical Engineering Department
• University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT
• Connecticut Children’s Medical Center, Hartford, CT
• Undergraduate Researcher, Summer 20XX (12 weeks, full time)
• Research Assistant, August 20XX-Present (10 hrs/week)
• If you are assisting with a research project funded by an external source (e.g., NSF, NIH), talk with your faculty mentor about the correct way to list that on your resume.
• If you received funding to support your work (e.g., SURF Award, UConn IDEA Grant), include that at the end of your description.

The order of information may vary based on how you are formatting your CV. Regardless of the order, it is essential that you are consistent. For example, if you lead with the project title for one research experience, you should lead with the title in all experiences. If you lead with the lab or research group name, stick with that throughout. Consistency is key.

Describing Your Research

For each research experience or research project you’ve engaged in, prepare descriptive sentences that explain the research, outlining the project goals and objectives, the steps you took to achieve your research goals, including methods used, and your results. Use action verbs to paint a picture of your research involvement and contributions. When possible, quantify your statements and incorporate scope, context, and purpose.

• Descriptions on a CV are typically in paragraph form, though you may opt for bullet points for organization and clarity.

Framework for structuring your descriptive statements:

• Overview of the project (Researched... to determine...; Explored and evaluated... for the purpose of...; Investigated the role of...)
• Key steps you took along the way (Surveyed...; Traveled to... for...; Examined...; Analyzed...; Collaborated with...; Evaluated...; Created...; Acquired and digitized...)
• Results/Outcomes (How did your work add value? What can we learn from your project? Established a correlation between....; Developed prototype of...; Drafted.....; Contributed to...)
• Awards/funding, if applicable (Awarded $4000 grant from the University of Connecticut as part of competitive University-wide application process to fund the project)

Research Lab Name, University of Connecticut Health Center, Farmington, CT PI: Dr. First, Last Name, Title Research Assistant , Start Date (Month & Year) to End Date (or Present) Topic: One-line description of research topic

• Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, and key findings.
• Your Role - break down your project responsibilities and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments.
• Funding/Awards - If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well.
• Formatting – this content can be in one robust paragraph, or you can choose to break it into smaller segments using bullet points.

Dr. Jonathan Husky, Center for Advanced Animal Research, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT Research Assistant, August 20XX-Present (8 hrs/week) Project Title/Overview/Research Focus Participate in NIH funded research study investigating _____. Maintain _____ and conduct _____ for the purpose of _____. Use _____ methods to measure _____. Attend bi-weekly research group meetings to _____. Conduct literature reviews, analyze relevant scientific papers, and present to research group on a monthly basis.

Capturing multiple roles or involvement in multiple projects

If you have worked with the same research mentor for several years or on a variety of projects, consider starting with your research mentor’s information, then listing each research project with corresponding descriptions of your contributions to the work, starting with the current/most recent project and working backwards.

Research Assistant to Dr. ABC, Department of Psychological Sciences University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, Start Date (Month & Year) to Present

Project Title/Research Focus (dates working on this project) Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, key findings. Break down your role and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments. If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well (e.g., Collaborated on NSF-funded research assessing...)

Project Title/Research Focus (dates working on this project) Description – Conduct literature review on _____. Developed 70-question Qualtrics survey to assess _____. Collected responses from 500 participants using _____. Collaborated with team of 3 graduate student researchers to code data using _____. Co-presented results at XYZ conference in Chicago, IL.

Research Group Name, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT PI: Dr. First Last, Title, Department

Undergraduate Student Researcher , September 20XX-Present Topic: Description – overview of the research, big picture goals and objectives for context, methods used, key findings. Break down your role and contributions towards the goals and objectives. Elaborate on your accomplishments. If you received funding or awards related to this project, you can indicate that here, still listing the funding/awards in the relevant category. If the project you worked on was funded by an external source, list that as well (e.g., Collaborated on NSF-funded research assessing...)

Summer Undergraduate Research Fund (SURF) Award Recipient , Summer 20XX Project Title: Description of research and your role.

Independent research

If you have engaged in a self-directed or independent research project, you can make that clear in your description of the project. If you received support or mentorship from faculty, you may choose to include that in your description.

Project Title Independent Researcher , University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT (Dates) Faculty Mentor: Dr. First Last, Title, Department

Designed and conducted independent research project investigating the relationship between... Interviewed... to assess... Transcribed, coded, analyzed... Developed comprehensive resource booklet...

Funding: Awarded $4000 research grant from the University of Connecticut IDEA Grant program to fund the project.

Publications should be formatted in a manner appropriate for your field of study (e.g., APA, MLA), so your listings may vary from the examples provided below. Use the full citation when published. If accepted but not yet published, you can include “forthcoming” in place of the publication date.

If you are preparing a manuscript, but have not yet submitted your work for publication, or it has not been accepted, consider including that information in the description of your research.

If you have more than one manuscript that has been submitted or under review, but not yet accepted for publication, you might consider using a “Manuscripts under Review” section to highlight those.

Author(s) (in order). Title of Article. Journal Name, Edition/Year of Publication, Pages.

Husky, J. Huskies Forever: Establishing an Alumni Outreach Program. Journal of College Student Success. 20XX; 22(1): 44-48.

Last F, Husky J. Wellness, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students. Journal of College Student Success . Forthcoming, accepted for publication in April 20XX.

Presenting your research at a professional conference or similar event is a valuable experience and one that should be noted on your CV. Presentations can be in their own section, or you can list them with each research experience. Consider having a separate presentations category when you have multiple experiences to include, or if you want to draw attention to your presentations.

Formatting for presentations will be based on the conventions within your field of study. Talk with faculty mentors about the correct way to go about this for your academic discipline.

Wellness, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students , 10th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research, June 1, 20XX, Boston, MA.

Frontiers in Undergraduate Research Poster Exhibition, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT, April 20XX. Husky, Jonathan. “Huskies Forever: Establishing an Alumni Outreach Program” (poster presentation).

“History of Mascots at the University of Connecticut: 1934 to 2014.” Presented at 4th Annual College Sports Symposium. New York, NY, May 20XX (oral presentation).

Husky, Jonathan. (20XX, June XX-XX). Self-Esteem, Motivation, and Healthy Lifestyles in College Students (Poster Session). 10th Annual Conference on Undergraduate Research, Boston, MA.

Skills and Certifications

Skills and certifications may be combined into one category, or you can divide them into their own categories. Consider including laboratory skills, equipment, technology and software, animal handling, sample preparation and processing, database management, languages, and certifications that are relevant to your academic discipline and goals.

If you have a significant amount of skills in a particular area that you want to draw attention to, consider breaking down your skills into additional categories (see example 2).

Laboratory: ELISA, Fluorescent microscopy, microdissection, cell culture, Gel Electrophoresis, PCR Technology: MatLab, Minitab, SPSS, Stata Certifications: CITI Human Subjects Research Course – Biomedical Research and Social/Behavioral Research, American Red Cross CPR/AED, Pediatric CPR and First Aid Languages: Fluent in Hindi, Advanced Urdu

Laboratory Skills

• Crystallization; Fractional, Vacuum, and Steam Distillation; Gravity and Vacuum Filtration; Thin-layer Chromatography, Interpretation of HPLC, NMR, UV/VIS and IR spectra
• Spectrophotometry; Ion Exchange, Gel Filtration, and Affinity Chromatography; Western Blot Technique; SDS-PAGE
• PAGE and Agarose Gel, Fluorescence Spectroscopy, DNA synthesis, PCR, Transcription, Enzymatic Ligation
• Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), Zeta Potential, DNA Functionalized Nanoparticles

Honors and Awards

Significant honors and awards that are not recognizable outside of UConn should be explained to give you credit for your accomplishments. Consider including a brief description to help readers understand the purpose and scope of the award. As you advance in your career, descriptions of undergraduate awards may be removed, listing only the award name and year.

• UConn IDEA Grant Recipient , April 20XX: Awarded $4000 grant from the University of Connecticut to support an independent research project conducted under the mentorship of Dr. Jonathan Husky.

20XX University Scholar, University of Connecticut

• Selected as one of XX students to participate in a prestigious program that supports design and pursuit of an intensive three-semester research project and learning plan during the final undergraduate semesters.

Summer Undergraduate Research Fund Award Recipient, Summer 20XX

• Awarded $4500 grant from the University of Connecticut through competitive application process to support an independent research project in collaboration with the ABC Lab.

CV Formatting and General Tips

• Review your CV with your faculty mentor/PI to assure you are not disclosing confidential research results or information and to assure you are clearly explaining the research project. Faculty mentors can also guide you on the appropriate conventions within your field of study.
• Be truthful – give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished but do not exaggerate or mislead your role in the research.
• Be careful with acronyms. If it is one that is widely used and recognizable within your field, it is fine to use it. If not, spell it out.
• CVs do not have a page limit. However, that does not mean you should include absolutely everything you have done. You want to strategically edit content and limit your CV to relevant information.
• CVs are formatted in an uncomplicated way. Avoid over-designing your CV. Use bold and italics strategically and minimally. Avoid underlining; this is typically reserved for hyperlinks.
• Use 11-12 point font and 1 inch margins. Your name should be 1-2 pts larger. Section headings can also be larger. Choose an easy-to-read font (e.g., Arial, Calibri, Times New Roman).
• Don’t crowd your content; use space!
• Faculty often include their CVs on their bio page or website. Review these to understand how this document is used and the conventions within your academic discipline.

Converting Your Undergraduate CV into a Research Résumé

The research résumé.

Your résumé provides potential employers and programs a snapshot of your background, skills, and experiences to help them assess your candidacy. Think of it as a marketing tool that you can use to strategically highlight and emphasize your most relevant background experiences and significant accomplishments.

Résumés are typically shorter than a CV (1-2 pages, depending on your field/industry), focusing on key highlights that are relevant to the opportunity you are seeking. You will need to tailor your résumé for each application or opportunity.

To convert your CV into a résumé, start by identifying the most relevant, applicable content. Copy that content into a new document. From there, you can adjust your formatting to fit your content on one page, possibly two, depending on the field/industry.

When formatting a résumé, you want to condense and tighten your formatting. Consider reducing the spacing between experiences, adjusting the margins to make them smaller (try .75” instead of 1”), and perhaps reducing the font size (10 or 11pt).

Key details about your research experience that are included on your CV need to be included on your résumé. These include your affiliations, PI/faculty mentor’s name, your position or title, and dates affiliated. Consider shortening your descriptions, trimming down to the most pertinent information that helps readers recognize the transferable skills gained through a research experience. Focus on the process and results of your work, aligning the skills you demonstrated and developed to the position you’re applying for. If your descriptions are in paragraph form, consider changing those to a bulleted list, as this is more common on a résumé.

General Research Résumé Tips

• Review your résumé with your faculty mentor/PI to assure you’re not disclosing confidential research results or information and that you are clearly explaining the research.
• Utilize strong action verbs to describe your research experiences. Contextualize your research experiences and contributions to the project.
• Quantify and qualify – provide numbers and details to help readers get a picture of your research involvement.
• Tailor your résumé to your target audience. Use different versions and/or format for different fields or types of opportunities.
• Make the category headings work for you. Similar to your CV, you can group related experiences together in categories such as Research Experience, Academic Accomplishments, Publications, and Presentations. Don’t feel limited to standard resume categories such as Work Experience or Activities.
• Use the correct tense: present tense for experiences you’re actively engaged in and past tense for those you are no longer engaged in.
• The higher up something is on the page, the more likely it will be read; be strategic about the order in which you present information.
• Format should be easy to read and not cluttered or text-heavy.
• Have your résumé reviewed by trusted advisors.
• Save your résumé as a PDF to maintain formatting (unless the program or recipient specifically requests it in another format).
• Be truthful – give yourself credit for what you’ve accomplished, but do not exaggerate or mislead.

• • Spearheaded complex data mining initiatives, identifying five key market trends that informed new business strategies, increasing market share by 12%.
• • Led a team of analysts to conduct a comprehensive competitive analysis, resulting in the development of three new product service lines over two years.
• • Managed the curation of bi-annual industry white papers that shaped the narrative around emerging market needs, cited by top industry players.
• • Designed and implemented a custom CRM analytics tool that cut report generation time in half, boosting team productivity.
• • Streamlined GDPR compliance processes for research data management, achieving a 100% compliance rate within six months.
• • Initiated and maintained strategic relationships with key sector clients, bolstering the company's market intelligence and consultancy portfolio.
• • Conducted in-depth industry pattern analysis using quantitative methods, contributing to a 10% increase in client acquisition.
• • Delivered monthly reports that revealed actionable business insights, such as potential areas for company expansion and customer acquisition strategies.
• • Collaborated on a large-scale data collection project that captured customer behaviour across multiple markets, enhancing service offerings.
• • Provided key data visualization dashboards to clients, which facilitated strategic decision-making and a 15% increase in their operational efficiency.
• • Implemented a new system of research tracking through the company CRM, improving data integrity and reporting speeds by 20%.
• • Assisted in market trend analysis and produced bi-weekly reports for internal strategy alignment, increasing project success rates by 25%.
• • Engaged in data collection and normalization, establishing a strong foundation for the subsequent market and financial analysis.
• • Supported the creation and revision of targeted client presentations, which resulted in a client satisfaction score improvement by 10%.
• • Maintained high levels of data accuracy, including GDPR compliant processes, reciprocally boosting client trust and retention.

Researcher CV Examples & Guide for 2024

Your researcher CV must showcase your educational background clearly. Highlight your highest degree and relevant courses. Demonstrate your experience with prominent projects or publications you've contributed to. This will exemplify your research capabilities and expertise.

All CV examples in this guide.

Traditional

Resume Guide

CV Format Tips

Summary or Objective?

Experience on Your CV

No Experience?

Top CV Skills

Education & Certifications

Key Takeaways

Finding adequate, unbiased datasets can be a daunting CV challenge due to the complexity and diversity of visual data required for accurate model training. Our comprehensive guide provides strategies to help you curate and augment datasets, ensuring your computer vision projects are both robust and ethically sound.

• Create an attention-grabbing header that integrates keywords and includes all vital information;
• Add strong action verbs and skills in your experience section, and get inspired by real-world professionals;
• List your education and relevant certification to fill in the gaps in your career history;
• Integrate both hard and soft skills all through your CV.

Discover more industry-specific guides to help you apply for any role in the links below:

• Biology CV Example
• Lab Technician CV Example
• Research Assistant CV Example
• Chemist CV Example
• Scientist CV Example
• Data Analyst CV Example
• Lab Assistant CV Example

Structuring your researcher CV layout: four factors to keep in mind

• Follows the reverse chronological order in the experience section by first listing your most recent jobs;
• Incorporates your contact information in the header, but do skip out on the CV photo for roles in the UK;
• Is spotlighted in the most important sections of your CV, e.g. the summary or objective, experience, education, etc. to show just how you meet the job requirements;
• Is no longer than two-pages. Often, the one-page format can be optimal for your researcher CV.

Before submitting your CV, you may wonder whether to export it in Doc or PDF. With the PDF format, your information and layout stay intact. This is quite useful when your CV is assessed by the Applicant Tracker System (or the ATS) . The ATS is a software that scans your profile for all relevant information and can easily understand latest study on the ATS , which looks at your CV columns, design, and so much more.

Use font size and style strategically to create a visual hierarchy, drawing the reader's eye to the most important information first (like your name and most recent job title).

The top sections on a researcher CV

• Education background is essential, showcasing degrees pertinent to research.
• Research experience highlights relevant projects and your role within them.
• Publications list demonstrates contributions to the scientific community.
• Skills section outlines technical and analytical capabilities.
• Conference presentations show communication skills and subject matter engagement.

What recruiters value on your CV:

• Highlight your research achievements by listing publications, presentations, and any notable research projects you've led or contributed to, ensuring that the most impactful items are clearly emphasised.
• Include a detailed skills section that showcases your proficiency with research methodologies, statistical software, lab techniques, or other tools and languages pertinent to your field of research.
• Provide an overview of your research interests and objectives at the beginning of your CV to give potential employers insight into your academic focus and future research direction.
• Document any grants, scholarships, or funding you have successfully secured to demonstrate your ability to attract financial support for research endeavours, along with the amounts, if substantial.
• Mention any experience with peer review, editorial responsibilities or scientific committee memberships to highlight your involvement and recognition within the research community.

Recommended reads:

• CV Margins: Standard, Custom, Alignment & Considerations
• Choose the Best Layout for Your CV in 2024 with Ready-to-Use Templates

Making a good first impression with your researcher CV header

Your typical CV header consists of Your typical CV header consists of contact details and a headline. Make sure to list your professional phone number, email address, and a link to your professional portfolio (or, alternatively, your LinkedIn profile). When writing your CV headline , ensure it's:

• tailored to the job you're applying for;
• highlights your unique value as a professional;
• concise, yet matches relevant job ad keywords.

You can, for examples, list your current job title or a particular skill as part of your headline. Now, if you decide on including your photo in your CV header, ensure it's a professional one, rather than one from your graduation or night out. You may happen to have plenty more questions on how to make best the use of your CV headline. We'll help you with some real-world examples, below.

Examples of good CV headlines for researcher:

• "Senior Data Scientist | Machine Learning Expert | PhD in Computer Science | 10+ Years of Experience"
• "Postdoctoral Research Fellow | Immunology and Infectious Diseases Specialist | Published Author | 5 Years of Post-PhD Work"
• "Clinical Research Associate | Oncology Trials Coordinator | GCP Certified | 3 Years of Field Experience"
• "Lead Environmental Scientist | Climate Change Impact Assessor | MSc Environmental Science | 15 Years' Professional Insight"
• "Junior Materials Engineer | Nanotechnology Innovator | MEng in Materials Science | 2 Years Industrial Exposure"
• "Principal Statistician | Biostatistics and Public Health Analyst | PhD Statistics | 20+ Years of Expertise"

What's the difference between a researcher CV summary and objective

Why should it matter to you?

• Your researcher CV summary is a showcasing your career ambitions and your unique value . Use the objective to answer why your potential employers should hire you based on goals and ambitions. The objective is the ideal choice for candidates who happen to have less professional experience, but still meet some of the job requirements.

Before you select which one will be more relevant to your experience, have a look at some industry-leading CV summaries and objectives.

CV summaries for a researcher job:

• Dynamic bioinformatics specialist with over a decade of experience, skilled in next-generation sequencing and big data analytics. Distinguished by a landmark publication in 'Nature Genetics' revolutionising genome-wide association studies and awarded the 2021 Bioinformatics Excellence Prize.
• Seasoned marine biologist transitioning to computational biology, bringing forward 8 years of oceanic ecosystem expertise. Proficient in Python and data modelling, with a strong track record in peer-reviewed publications focussing on coral bleaching recovery mechanisms. Eager to apply marine life data analysis to genomic research.
• Electrical engineer with a 12-year career at blue-chip technology firms pivoting to machine learning research. Expertise in algorithm development complemented by published works on AI applications in smart grids. Recent completion of an MSc in Artificial Intelligence with distinction from the University of Edinburgh.
• An accomplished materials scientist with upwards of 15 years' experience, specialising in polymer nanocomposites. Holder of 10 patents, with significant contributions to advancing lightweight materials for aerospace applications. Recognised with the Innovative Materials Award in 2022.
• Recent physics graduate from University of Manchester, deeply fascinated by quantum computing. Demonstrated keen aptitude through undergraduate research project on quantum algorithms. Eager to translate theoretical knowledge into practical advancements by contributing to a team pioneering in quantum technologies.
• Motivated recent master's degree recipient in computational neuroscience from the University of Cambridge. Committed to understanding neural network modelling and cognitive function enhancement. Aspires to join a research group dedicated to pushing the boundaries of artificial intelligence and human-computer interface development.

How to meet job requirements with your researcher CV experience

We've now reached the essence of your actual CV - your experience section. This is the space where you can list your career roles and on-the-job successes. Many candidates tend to underestimate just how much time and effort they should put into writing this CV section. Your experience shouldn't be a random list of your responsibilities, but instead:

• Match the job description with your skills, values, and accomplishments;
• Start each bullet with a strong action verb, followed up with one key skill and your outcome of applying this skill;
• Spotlight parts of your career history that are relevant to the job you're applying for .

Before we move on, make sure to check out some professional CV experience sections.

Best practices for your CV's work experience section

• Highlight key research projects and include your role, the objectives, the methodology employed, and any significant outcomes or contributions that resulted from the project.
• Detail any publications with citation information, indicating your contribution to each work, such as first author, co-author, or contributor.
• Specify any grants or scholarships you've attained, including details about the funding body, the value of the grant, and the purpose of the funding.
• Include presentations and posters at conferences, the date, location, and the title of the presentation to underscore your active participation in the academic community.
• Explain any teaching or supervisory experience, including course names, levels taught (undergraduate, postgraduate, etc.), and any innovations or improvements you introduced.
• List technical and laboratory skills that are relevant to your field of research, providing examples of techniques you've mastered or equipment you've used.
• Describe any peer review or editorial experience for academic journals or conferences, which highlights your reputation within the research community.
• Include involvement in professional societies or organisations related to your field, showcasing your networking and collaborative efforts.
• Mention soft skills such as project management, teamwork, and communication, giving relevant examples of how these have been applied in a research context.
• Lead interdisciplinary research team in biotechnology, overseeing a budget of $1.5M, resulting in 2 patents and a 30% acceleration in product development.
• Developed novel analytical methods that increased detection sensitivity by 25%, enhancing product quality and safety standards.
• Authored and co-authored 15 peer-reviewed scientific papers that contributed to the company's reputation as a leader in pharmaceutical research.
• Conducted comprehensive market analyses that identified new market opportunities and influenced the strategic planning process.
• Collaborated with cross-functional teams to develop and refine data collection methodologies, improving data accuracy by 20%.
• Presented research findings to stakeholders through detailed reports and presentations that advised on investment strategies.
• Assisted in the design and execution of clinical trials, contributing to a 15% increase in trial efficiency through process improvements.
• Managed data entry and analysis for over 10 studies, ensuring accuracy and compliance with regulatory standards.
• Supported grant writing efforts that secured $500,000 in funding for ongoing research projects.
• Designed and prototyped new materials for solar panels, increasing energy efficiency by 10% over previous models.
• Led a team of junior researchers in a project to reduce manufacturing costs, ultimately saving the company $200,000 annually.
• Maintained active collaboration with industry partners to integrate cutting-edge technologies into the development of sustainable products.
• Spearheaded a research project that discovered a new compound reducing the progression of neurodegenerative diseases in preclinical models.
• Implemented machine learning algorithms to analyze large datasets, reducing analysis time by 40% and identifying key biological markers.
• Facilitated knowledge transfer sessions with project teams to ensure the application of best practices in scientific research.
• Analyzed consumer behavior trends, delivering insights that contributed to a 15% improvement in product targeting.
• Utilized advanced statistical techniques to validate data integrity and provide a reliable foundation for business decisions.
• Played a pivotal role in a team that successfully launched a new analytics software, leading to a 20% increase in departmental efficiency.
• Orchestrated the deployment of environmental monitoring systems across various ecosystems, significantly enhancing data collection accuracy.
• Conducted in-depth data analyses that informed governmental policy on sustainable land use and conservation efforts.
• Authored a comprehensive research report that influenced a major corporate client's decision to invest in green technologies.
• Coordinated multi-center research studies, optimizing the protocols to standardize practices across teams and improve overall data quality.
• Managed a research portfolio of $3 million, ensuring projects adhered to budget constraints and timelines.
• Mentored junior researchers and provided ongoing education in research methodologies, resulting in higher productivity and research output.

What to add in your researcher CV experience section with no professional experience

If you don't have the standard nine-to-five professional experience , yet are still keen on applying for the job, here's what you can do:

• List any internships, part-time roles , volunteer experience, or basically any work you've done that meets the job requirements and is in the same industry;
• Showcase any project you've done in your free time (even if you completed them with family and friends) that will hint at your experience and skill set;
• Replace the standard, CV experience section with a strengths or achievements one. This will help you spotlight your transferrable skills that apply to the role.
• CV Job Descriptions: What Are They & How to Use Them
• How to List Qualifications on Your CV (Tips & Examples for 2023)

Include examples of how you adapted to new tools, environments, or work cultures, showing your flexibility.

Mix and match hard and soft skills across your researcher CV

Your skill set play an equally valid role as your experience to your application. That is because recruiters are looking for both:

• hard skills or your aptitude in applying particular technologies
• soft skills or your ability to work in a team using your personal skills , e.g. leadership, time management, etc.

Are you wondering how you should include both hard and soft skills across your researcher CV? Use the:

• skills section to list between ten and twelve technologies that are part of the job requirement (and that you're capable to use);
• strengths and achievements section to detail how you've used particular hard and soft skills that led to great results for you at work;
• summary or objective to spotlight up to three skills that are crucial for the role and how they've helped you optimise your work processes.

One final note - when writing about the skills you have, make sure to match them exactly as they are written in the job ad. Take this precautionary measure to ensure your CV passes the Applicant Tracker System (ATS) assessment.

Top skills for your researcher CV:

Data Analysis

Research Design

Statistical Software Proficiency

Technical Writing

Literature Review

Laboratory Skills

Qualitative and Quantitative Methods

Data Presentation

Project Management

Subject Matter Expertise

Critical Thinking

Problem Solving

Communication

Attention to Detail

Time Management

Adaptability

Persistence

Ethical Judgement

Order your skills based on the relevance to the role you're applying for, ensuring the most pertinent skills catch the employer's attention first.

CV education and certificates: your academic background as proof of your skill set

A common misconception about your researcher CV education is that you only need it, if you have less professional experience. That is completely false. The CV education section serves to back up your technical (and sometimes personal) capabilities, fill in gaps in your work history, and show you have the initial industry background and know-how. When creating your education section:

• List your degrees in the reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent (and relevant) ones first;
• Include your degree and university names, start and graduation dates. It's optional to also denote you received a "First-Class Honours" for diplomas that are more relevant to the role;
• Curate your relevant university coursework, projects, or thesis work if you happen to have less professional expertise and need to integrate more job keywords and skills.

Your professional qualifications don't need to stop at your academic background. It's advisable to also select up to three of your most noteworthy (and relevant) industry certificates and feature them in a dedicated section . Once more, include the certificate name, the institution that issued it out, and the date you obtained it on. You could feature both hard skills and soft skills certificates, as in the examples below:

If you have received professional endorsements or recommendations for certain skills, especially on platforms like LinkedIn, mention these to add credibility.

• How to Showcase Your Educational Achievements on CV: Examples, Templates, & Guide for 2024
• How to Include CV Coursework on Your CV

Key takeaways

What matters most in your researcher CV-writing process is for you to create a personalised application. One that matches the role and also showcases your unique qualities and talents.

• Use the format to supplement the actual content, to stand out, and to ensure your CV experience is easy to comprehend and follows a logic;
• Invest time in building a succinct CV top one third. One that includes a header (with your contact details and headline), a summary or an objective statement (select the one that best fits your experience), and - potentially - a dedicated skills section or achievements (to fit both hard skills and soft skills requirements);
• Prioritise your most relevant (and senior) experience closer to the top of your CV. Always ensure you're following the "power verb, skill, and achievement" format for your bullets;
• Integrate both your technical and communication background across different sections of your CV to meet the job requirements;
• List your relevant education and certificates to fill in gaps in your CV history and prove to recrutiers you have relevant technical know-how.

Looking to build your own Researcher CV?

• CV Examples

Frequently Asked Questions About Researcher CVs:

Q: what should i include in my researcher cv, q: how do i showcase my research experience on my cv, q: how long should my researcher cv be.

CV Structure: Most Common Formats and Attention-Keeping Sections

Lying on CV: Risks, Consequences, and Strategies for Truthful CVs

CV Design: 3 Unique Curriculum Vitae Designs for 2024

What is a CV? Definition, Structure, Purpose, Types & Meaning

Understanding and Creating an American CV: A Guide for British Job Applicants

Understanding the Different Sections in Your CV - Guide for 2024

• Terms of Service
• Privacy Policy
• Cookie Preferences
• CV Templates
• AI CV Builder
• How to Write a CV
• English (US)
• French (FR)
• German (DE)
• Spanish (ES)
• Swedish (SE)

© 2024 . All rights reserved.

Made with love by people who care.

Skip to content. | Skip to navigation

Personal tools

• Log in/Register Register

https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/pursuing-an-academic-career/how-to-write-an-academic-cv/how-to-write-an-academic-cv

This page has been reproduced from the Vitae website (www.vitae.ac.uk). Vitae is dedicated to realising the potential of researchers through transforming their professional and career development.

• Vitae members' area

Creating an effective academic CV

• publications
• your research  activities
• funding awarded.

Although academic CVs are longer than other types of CVs, no more than four pages is often recommended. There is variation in the expected format in different countries, so try to find out what is expected. Here is some general guidance on creating your academic CV.

• Tailor your academic CV for every application. Analyse the job description and specification, if available. Your CV needs to present strong evidence that you fulfil the job requirements
• Highlight your academic achievements and research interests. Find out as much as you can about the research area you are applying to, so you understand how your expertise complements theirs and can judge their familiarity with technical language of your research area
• Keep jargon to a minimum and write with clarity. Spell out your qualifications, research, publications and any other relevant information. Describe your contribution to publications, particularly high impact publications. See the section on writing a statement of research interest . Don't be modest
• Publications: a reverse chronological list is a prerequisite, best presented as an appendix. Include journal articles, books or chapters of books, reports and patents
• Research experience: in reverse chronological order. Emphasise specialist/technical expertise, IT skills, plus any skills required for the job. including project and people management
• Education: in reverse chronological order. Focus on higher education onwards. Include awards and scholarships. Include the name of your doctoral supervisor and funding body, if appropriate
• Funding: include awards for research projects or to attend meetings or conferences, prizes. Include the amount of money allocated, where useful
• Teaching experience: include lecturing, supervision, demonstrating, curriculum development, seminar and group work, assessment etc. especially if teaching is in the job description
• Administrative experience -. Highlight any positions of responsibility, event and course organisation, committee membership, etc, especially if administration features in the job description.
• Professional qualifications: membership of learned societies or professional bodies
• Professional development activities, including any training undertaken - eg teaching and learning qualifications, specialist research or analytical techniques, time management, academic writing, research supervision
• Attendance at conferences and seminars - highlight any invitations to present, provide papers or posters
• References - details of two or three referees (usually at least two academic). Ask for permission first
• Outside interests are unlikely to be relevant.

Make sure other people read your CV. They will pick up on whether it is clear, any spelling mistakes etc. Consider asking:

• careers advisors: most institutional careers services offer CV clinics
• mentors or other academics.

Do not use the academic CV format to apply for non-academic jobs: use a chronological CV or competency-based CV.

Researchers’ academic CVs examples

Six researchers’ experiences and capabilities presented as academic CVs These are fictional examples, but they are all modelled on real successful examples of CVs. They show different approaches to presenting a range of experience, subject and style.

Also check out examples of these researchers’ CVs written as chronological  and competency-based CVs.

Alan MacDonald , part-time doctoral researcher, arts and humanities and teacher

Alison Parry , doctoral researcher, social sciences

Mike Robinson , research staff, biological sciences

Nabil Anwar , research staff, physics

Rebecca King , research staff, arts and humanities

Susan Weaver , research staff, social sciences

Bookmark & Share

6 Research Scientist Resume Examples and Templates for Your Successful 2024’s Job Search

Our Resumes are featured in

• • Led a project to optimize the lab's data analysis workflow, reducing processing time by 40% and resulting in $50,000 annual savings.
• • Collaborated with a team of 10 researchers to design and implement a novel research protocol, leading to a 15% increase in data accuracy.
• • Managed a database of over 20,000 research entries, ensuring data integrity and quick access to crucial information for ongoing projects.
• • Authored and co-authored 5 peer-reviewed research papers, with one being cited over 50 times within the first year of publication.
• • Trained and mentored junior researchers and graduate students, creating training materials and leading workshops resulting in enhanced lab productivity.
• • Facilitated cross-departmental collaborations, contributing to 3 groundbreaking multidisciplinary research projects recognized at national conferences.
• • Assisted in the development and validation of a new diagnostic assay, improving test reliability by 25%.
• • Conducted extensive literature reviews, summarizing findings in comprehensive reports that guided strategic research directions.
• • Analyzed large datasets using advanced statistical tools, contributing to the publication of 3 research papers.
• • Presented research findings at weekly lab meetings, fostering an environment of continuous learning and feedback.
• • Implemented standardized operating procedures for lab equipment, reducing operational errors by 15%.

Research Scientists map the future with their unparalleled drive for discovery. They're the unsung heroes behind groundbreaking innovations, improving our daily lives bit by bit. Enjoying both the thrill of the quest and the reward of a solution, their contributions make waves in various fields, from medicine to technology.

Clinical Research Scientist Resume Example

Clinical Research Scientists play an integral role in companies by designing, conducting, and analyzing clinical trials to ensure the safety and efficacy of new products. Your resume should showcase your experience with clinical trial phases, regulatory compliance, data analysis, and scientific publication. You need to highlight technical skills such as proficiency in statistical software, knowledge of Good Clinical Practice (GCP) guidelines, and familiarity with Electronic Data Capture (EDC) systems. Soft skills and people skills like effective communication, critical thinking, collaboration, and problem-solving should also stand out. Remember to tailor your resume to highlight specific achievements and quantifiable impacts you've made in previous roles.

Senior Research Scientist Resume Example

Senior Research Scientists shoulder a range of responsibilities, including leading research projects and ensuring the technical direction aligns with the company's strategic goals. When crafting your resume, make sure to detail your experience in project management, data analysis, and publication of research findings, among other things. Being proficient in software tools like MATLAB, Python, and various data visualization technologies is going to make your hard skills stand out. Moreover, showcasing your ability to work collaboratively, mentor junior scientists, and communicate complex ideas clearly to non-technical stakeholders is super important. Always remember that a well-crafted resume for a Research Scientist should be both comprehensive and concise, leaving a strong impression without overwhelming the reader.

Junior Research Scientist Resume Example

Junior Research Scientists handle the foundational research that supports a company's innovation and product development. On your resume, you should definitely include responsibilities such as conducting experiments, analyzing data, and collaborating with senior researchers. Highlight hard skills like proficiency in advanced statistical software, laboratory techniques, and experience with specific technologies pertinent to your field. Soft skills shouldn't be overlooked; make sure to mention communication abilities, teamwork, and problem-solving skills. Always remember, your resume must clearly demonstrate your successful contributions to past projects to stand out.

Lead Research Scientist Resume Example

Lead Research Scientists are at the helm of innovation in a company, guiding exploration and development in their field of expertise. Their resumes must reflect skills in project management, data analysis, and strategic planning while showcasing successful past projects and collaborations. Highlighting hard skills like proficiency in Python, R, and advanced statistical methods will set you apart from the crowd. Don't forget to emphasize your communication and teamwork capabilities, as these are just as important in a collaborative research environment. Above all, a Research Scientist's resume should clearly demonstrate a continuous commitment to learning and staying updated with the latest scientific advancements.

Associate Research Scientist Resume Example

Associate Research Scientists play a pivotal role in conducting experiments, analyzing data, and contributing to the development of new products or solutions within a company. Your resume should list responsibilities like designing experiments, managing lab equipment, and publishing findings in peer-reviewed journals. Highlight hard skills such as proficiency in PCR, data analysis software, and advanced statistical methods. Don’t forget to include soft skills like teamwork, project management, and effective communication. Remember to underscore any peer-reviewed publications or patents, as they can significantly bolster your credibility.

Looking for more specific tips? Check all related jobs’ resume guides here:

• Senior Research Scientist resume
• Junior Research Scientist resume
• Clinical Research Scientist resume
• Associate Research Scientist resume
• Lead Research Scientist resume

The most important tips for Research Scientist resumes:

The first glance at your resume should immediately show a well-organized document. Use clear headings to separate sections such as Contact Information, Education, Experience, Publications, and Skills. Clean formatting such as bullet points and consistent font size makes it easy to read and helps emphasize key details.

List your past positions in reverse chronological order to spotlight your most recent roles first. Use bullet points to detail specific projects, experiments, and research you have conducted, emphasizing the impact and implications of your work. Avoid generic job descriptions and instead highlight outcomes, awards, or recognition that stemmed directly from your efforts.

Specify the technical skills and methodologies that are unique to your field, such as specific laboratory techniques, software programs, or statistical methods. Provide context by mentioning how and where you’ve applied these skills in your research. Demonstrating hands-on experience with the tools and technologies relevant to the job shows your capability and readiness.

Include a separate section for your published work, listing articles, papers, and conference presentations to illustrate your contributions to scientific knowledge. Arrange publications in reverse chronological order, and consider using a consistent citation format for clarity. This section offers tangible evidence of your expertise and engagement with the academic community.

List your degrees, starting with the highest level achieved, such as Ph.D., followed by Master's, and Bachelor's degrees. Mention the institutions, graduation dates, and any notable honors or distinctions. If relevant, include coursework or projects that directly relate to the position you're applying for, showing a continuous learning path that aligns with the role.

Keep your resume to two pages to maintain the reader's attention while providing comprehensive information. Use concise language and focus on the most relevant experiences and achievements. Avoid including unrelated job roles or excessive details that don't directly enhance your scientific profile or qualifications.

Must-Have Sections on a Research Scientist Resume:

Landing a job as a Research Scientist requires a well-organized resume that highlights your expertise and experience.

• Contact information: This needs to be at the top of your resume. It makes it easy for employers to reach out to you. Include your full name, phone number, email address, and possibly LinkedIn profile.
• Professional summary: Give a short overview of your qualifications and career goals. This section helps prospective employers quickly understand your background. Make sure to tailor it to the specific role you’re applying for.
• Education: List your degrees, institutions, and graduation dates. Mention any honors or relevant coursework. This section shows your academic foundation in the field.
• Work experience: Detail positions held, with bullet points highlighting responsibilities and achievements. Provide specific metrics where possible. This section demonstrates your practical experience.
• Skills: Include both technical and soft skills relevant to the role. Use bullet points for readability. This section helps recruiters quickly assess your qualifications.
• Publications and presentations: List any research papers, articles, or presentations you’ve contributed to. Include titles, publication names, and dates. This shows your active involvement in the research community.

Beyond the main sections, including additional ones can help make your resume stand out.

• Awards and honors: Highlight any accolades or recognitions you’ve received. This could be from academic institutions, conferences, or professional organizations. It helps to underline your achievements and acknowledgment by the community.
• Certifications: Mention any certifications related to research skills and techniques. Include the certificating body and the year obtained. This shows your commitment to continuous learning and professional development.
• Professional memberships: List relevant professional organizations you’re a member of. This includes societies and networks in your field. It signals your dedication and engagement with the broader professional community.

How to Write Your Research Scientist Resume Experience Section

As a research scientist, your resume should highlight your significant contributions to scientific knowledge and underscore your ability to innovate within the lab. Your work experience section should be crafted to exhibit a blend of your technical skills, methodologies applied, and successful project outcomes. This will give potential employers a clear snapshot of your capabilities and past achievements. Below are practical tips to effectively showcase your experience as a research scientist.

• Highlight your key responsibilities by detailing your core tasks and duties. Explain your role in different projects, programs, or experiments. Use specific terminologies relevant to your field to demonstrate your expertise.
• Quantify your achievements wherever possible. If you led a project that resulted in a notable discovery, mention the impact and any measurable outcomes. Numbers can provide a clearer picture of your contributions.
• Discuss collaborations with other departments or researchers. Explain the nature of these collaborations and how they contributed to the success of a project. This shows your ability to work in team settings.
• Include any grants or funding you secured. Detail how you obtained the funding and its purpose. This showcases your ability to support your research initiatives financially.
• Mention any publications, patents, or presentations. List the peer-reviewed journals where your work has been published or any conferences where you presented. This signifies your contribution to the scientific community.
• Describe the methodologies and technologies you used. Specify any advanced techniques, equipment, or software you are proficient in. This demonstrates your technical expertise and adaptability to new tools.
• Emphasize problem-solving skills by mentioning how you addressed specific challenges. Illustrate the steps you took and the innovative solutions you implemented. This highlights your critical thinking and creativity.
• Include leadership roles and responsibilities. If you supervised a team or managed a lab, describe your managerial tasks. Leadership experience adds weight to your ability to guide and mentor others.
• Talk about any regulatory compliance and safety protocols you followed. Emphasize your commitment to maintaining high standards of safety and ethics in your research. This shows your observance of industry regulations and standards.
• List any awards or recognition you have received. Point out any accolades that speak to your excellence and impact in your research field. Awards can significantly boost your credibility.

Next, we’ll demonstrate how to quantify your experience effectively, identify common responsibilities that HR managers typically look for on your resume, and how to more specifically customize it to align with job descriptions. For those at the entry-level or applying for internships, we’ll also discuss strategies to downplay your lack of experience.

Examples of How To Quantify Your Experience

• Increased efficiency of experimental workflows by 35% through development and implementation of automated data analysis pipelines, resulting in a $50,000 annual cost saving.
• Published 12 peer-reviewed articles in high-impact journals with an average impact factor of 8.5, contributing to a 20% increase in departmental research visibility.
• Secured $1.2 million in grant funding by writing and presenting compelling research proposals, supporting the continuation and expansion of critical projects.
• Mentored 5 PhD students and 3 postdoctoral researchers, leading to 4 successful dissertation defenses and 6 published co-authored papers.
• Developed a novel algorithm for protein structure prediction that improved accuracy by 25% and was adopted by 3 leading pharmaceutical companies.
• Led a cross-functional team of 10 researchers, engineers, and technicians on a project that reduced drug development time by 18 months and lowered R&D costs by 15%.
• Presented research findings at 7 international conferences, resulting in collaborations with 4 universities and 2 industry partners.
• Generated over 200 citations for key publications within 2 years, significantly enhancing the scientific community's engagement with our research.
• Initiated a collaborative study with a prestigious institution, leading to a joint publication that won the Best Paper Award at a major symposium.
• Developed and validated a new diagnostic assay that increased detection sensitivity by 40%, now in use in over 50 clinical laboratories worldwide.
• Designed and executed 15 complex experiments that resulted in the discovery of 2 novel biomarkers, advancing personalized medicine research.
• Improved lab safety compliance by 22% through the implementation of stringent safety protocols and regular training sessions for all lab personnel.
• Managed a project budget of $500,000, ensuring on-time and within-scope delivery of 4 key milestones, leading to an additional $300,000 in follow-up funding.
• Developed a machine learning model for analyzing genomic data, which increased prediction accuracy by 30% and was shared with research teams in 10 institutions.
• Identified and patented 3 novel compounds with potential therapeutic applications, significantly contributing to the intellectual property portfolio of the institution.

Job Description Bullet Points on Research Scientist Resumes:

• Conduct thorough literature reviews to identify gaps in existing research and establish a foundation for new scientific studies.
• Design and implement experimental protocols, ensuring adherence to regulatory guidelines and industry best practices.
• Develop and validate analytical methods to quantify and qualify research results for accurate data interpretation.
• Collaborate with cross-functional teams, including engineers, product managers, and clinical researchers, to align project objectives.
• Utilize advanced statistical tools and computational models to analyze complex datasets and derive meaningful insights.
• Present research findings at scientific conferences, seminars, and meetings to disseminate knowledge and gain feedback.
• Supervise and mentor junior researchers, providing guidance and support in their professional development and project execution.
• Author and co-author peer-reviewed publications to communicate discoveries and advancements to the scientific community.
• Secure funding through grant proposals by identifying potential funding sources and articulating the significance of research projects.
• Maintain accurate and detailed records of research activities, experimental procedures, and resultant data for reproducibility and audit purposes.
• Ensure compliance with safety protocols and ethical standards in all laboratory practices and research activities.
• Coordinate with external partners, including academic institutions, industry stakeholders, and regulatory agencies, to facilitate collaborative research efforts.
• Lead the development and refinement of research hypotheses based on preliminary findings and emerging scientific trends.
• Manage research budgets, including allocation of resources and procurement of necessary equipment and supplies.
• Contribute to the creation of patents by documenting innovative methodologies and discoveries for intellectual property protection.

How to Tailor Your Research Scientist Resume To the Job Description:

• Focus on the qualifications mentioned in the job listing. Describe your previous roles highlighting these qualifications. Say how your past roles make you a perfect fit.
• Bring attention to relevant projects that align with job requirements. Describe the outcomes and the impact on your previous employer. Mention specific tools or methodologies used.
• Highlight any collaborations with teams or departments directly tied to the job. Explain the nature of these interactions and outcomes. Mention skills that reflect teamwork and communication.
• Include data and statistics to show your contributions. Employers love seeing quantified results demonstrating your effectiveness. Showcase improvements you made through your initiatives.
• Reflect the terminology and language used in the job description. This helps with the ATS parsing similar skills and experiences. Ensures your expertise matches job requirements closely.
• Emphasize unique skills you possess that the job requires. Describe instances where you applied these in your previous roles. Make connections between your background and position you're targeting.

How to Write Your Resume Summary/Objective Section

The summary section of a resume for a Research Scientist positions you effectively within the competitive job market. It highlights your key achievements, skills, and areas of expertise in a concise manner. A well-crafted summary can make you stand out to recruiters who often have limited time to review each candidate. Be clear and compelling in showcasing your capabilities and contributions to previous research projects.

The primary difference between a resume summary and an objective is their focus and purpose. A summary gives a brief overview of your professional experience and qualifications, while an objective outlines your career goals and the value you aim to bring to the employer. For a Research Scientist role, using a summary can be more impactful as it emphasizes your experience and specific skills. Employers often look for those who can directly contribute to their ongoing or future projects.

• Highlight significant contributions you made to research projects and your role in them. Provide specific details on what research topics you focused on. Mention any noteworthy publications or presentations derived from your research.
• Emphasize your technical skills and methodologies you are proficient in. This can include lab techniques, data analysis, and any specialized equipment you have used. Clearly explain how these skills have been applied in your past roles.
• Include collaborations with other researchers, institutions, or interdisciplinary teams. State the purpose of these collaborations and the outcomes. Showing you can work well with others is crucial in a research setting.
• Articulate your problem-solving abilities and innovative approaches to research challenges. Provide examples of complex problems you’ve addressed and the methodologies you applied. Talk about the impact of your solutions on the project or organization.
• Detail your commitment to staying updated with the latest scientific developments. Mention conferences, workshops, or courses you’ve attended. It shows your dedication to continuous learning and improvement in your field.
• Discuss your mentorship or leadership roles if applicable. Mention how you’ve guided junior researchers or led a project team. This indicates your potential to take on greater responsibilities within a new role.

Now, let's move on to see actual examples that can illustrate these tips effectively.

Resume’s personal statement examples:

• Experienced Research Scientist with over 10 years in molecular biology and biochemistry, adept at leading cross-functional teams and managing multi-million dollar research projects from conception to completion.
• Innovative Research Scientist specializing in nanotechnology and materials science, with a proven track record of authoring high-impact publications and securing competitive research grants.
• Results-driven molecular biologist with extensive experience in CRISPR and gene editing technologies, dedicated to advancing human health through innovative research and collaborative efforts.
• Aspiring Research Scientist with a strong foundation in organic chemistry and analytical techniques, seeking to leverage hands-on laboratory experience in a challenging and dynamic research environment.
• Passionate Research Intern with proficiency in data analysis and laboratory techniques, aiming to contribute to impactful research projects and gain deeper insights within the fields of pharmacology and medicinal chemistry.
• Diligent Research Assistant with hands-on experience in ecological and environmental studies, skilled in fieldwork, data collection, and laboratory analysis, eager to support groundbreaking environmental research.

Top Resume Skills for Research Scientist

The top skills, expertise, and competencies for a Research Scientist are varied but fundamentally center around a few key areas. Critical thinking and analytical skills are the backbone of any effective research and allow for detailed examination and innovative problem solving. Technical proficiency, especially in relevant software and laboratory techniques, is indispensable. Communication skills are also essential, as complex data must be presented clearly and concisely to both academic and lay audiences.

• Highlight your technical skills in specific areas such as software proficiency and laboratory techniques. Mention specific tools or software that you've mastered, like Python, R, or any specialized research tools. Make sure to align these with the job requirements you are applying for.
• Showcase your ability to design and conduct experiments or studies. Mention any relevant experience with experimental design, data collection, and data analysis. Highlight how your work has contributed to advancing knowledge in your field.
• Include soft skills that demonstrate your ability to work in a collaborative environment. For instance, cite teamwork and your role in interdisciplinary projects. Emphasize your communication skills, both written and verbal.
• Detail your publication and presentation experience. List any journals you've been published in or conferences you've presented at. Mention the effectiveness of your communication in these forums.
• Show your track record of problem-solving and innovative thinking. Describe situations where you successfully identified a problem and developed a solution. Discuss the impact of your solutions on your project or field.
• List any relevant certifications or special training you've received. Include any continuing education courses, certifications in specialized research techniques, or relevant professional affiliations. This shows your commitment to staying current in your field.

Next, we’ll provide a list of skills to help you craft an effective resume for a Research Scientist position.

Top Hard Skills for Research Scientist Resumes

• Data Analysis
• Statistical Methods
• Molecular Biology Techniques
• Programming
• Machine Learning
• Experimental Design
• Biochemical Assays
• Genomic Data Analysis
• Mass Spectrometry
• Bioinformatics
• Scientific Writing
• High-Performance Computing
• Lab Management

Top Soft Skills for Research Scientist Resumes

• Critical Thinking
• Attention to Detail
• Communication
• Problem Solving
• Collaboration
• Adaptability
• Time Management
• Interpersonal Skills
• Organizational Skills
• Project Management
• Conflict Resolution

Include a Research Scientist Cover Letter for a Stand-Out Application

Cover Letter Writing Tips for Research Scientist Applicants

Writing a compelling cover letter is crucial for a Research Scientist aiming to stand out in job applications. This opening document introduces your skills and experience, setting the stage for your resume. It's more than just a formality; it's your first opportunity to engage with potential employers. Let's explore some practical advice to make your cover letter truly impactful.

• Start with a strong opening sentence that grabs attention immediately while indicating your enthusiasm for the role at their company. Mention how you found out about the position, be it through a job board or a professional connection. This makes your application feel more personalized and shows your initiative.
• Discuss your most relevant experience early on in the letter. Focus on specific achievements or projects that relate closely to the job you're applying for. This helps make your cover letter targeted and showcases your suitability for the position.
• Use keywords from the job description. If they mention certain technologies, methodologies, or skills, be sure to incorporate those into your experience. This can help your cover letter pass through automated screening tools.
• Provide concrete examples of your skills. If the job description highlights data analysis, share an example of a research project where your analysis led to significant findings. Specific anecdotes make your abilities more vivid and reliable.
• Avoid generic phrases and clichés. Instead of saying you're a "hard worker" or "detail-oriented," show this through your work or achievements. Personal stories tend to be much more convincing than overused adjectives.
• Keep your tone professional yet human. While you should avoid being overly casual, it's important not to sound like a robot either. Adding a touch of your personality can make your letter more engaging.
• Highlight any unique skills or experiences that differentiate you from other candidates. Maybe you have international research experience or are proficient in an uncommon software. These unique aspects can make a huge difference.
• Be concise and focused, sticking to one page. Avoid long-winded explanations; instead, get to the point swiftly. A well-organized and brief letter is often more impactful.
• Express your passion for the field and for the company's mission or projects. Employers want to know you’re not just looking for any job, but specifically one with them because of what they do. Show your excitement and genuinely link it to the job role.
• Proofread rigorously for errors in spelling, grammar, and formatting. Mistakes can be distracting and diminish your credibility. Taking the time to review your cover letter shows your attention to detail and your professionalism.

Next, let's discuss how you can align your cover letter seamlessly with your resume.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should my research scientist resume be one page or longer.

Whether your Research Scientist resume should be one page or longer depends largely on your level of experience and accomplishments. If you are early in your career, a one-page resume may be sufficient to showcase your skills, education, and relevant experiences. For more seasoned professionals with extensive publications, research projects, and professional experience, a two-page resume might be necessary to fully capture your qualifications. It is crucial to present your information concisely and ensure that every element adds value to your application, regardless of the length.

What is the best format for a Research Scientist resume?

The reverse-chronological format is often the most effective for a Research Scientist resume. This format allows you to highlight your most recent and relevant experiences first, which can be an immediate draw for hiring managers. By organizing your work history from the most recent to the earliest, you provide a clear and easy-to-follow timeline of your career progression. This format is particularly beneficial for those with a steady career path in research, as it emphasizes your continuous development and contributions in the field.

What should I highlight on my Research Scientist resume to stand out?

Focusing on your research achievements and contributions is key to making your Research Scientist resume stand out. Emphasize your publications, grants, and significant projects you have worked on. Include any prestigious awards or recognitions you have received. Make sure to detail specific methodologies or techniques you have become proficient in, especially those relevant to the job you are applying for. Additionally, showcasing your collaborative work with other researchers and institutions can also highlight your ability to work well in team settings.

What are some action verbs I should use on my Research Scientist resume?

To make your Research Scientist resume more dynamic and impactful, incorporate action verbs like 'developed,' 'analyzed,' 'conducted,' 'published,' 'presented,' 'collaborated,' 'innovated,' 'designed,' and 'engineered.' These words not only describe your responsibilities but also highlight your proactive role in driving research forward. Using action verbs ensures your resume conveys both your competence and your active contributions to your field.

For more inspiration, why not check out our free resource of job-focused resume examples?

When creating a dog sitter resume in 2024, there are a few key formatting considerations to keep in mind. First, keep the resume length to one page to ensure that hiring managers can quickly and easily review your qualifications. Additionally, choose a clean and professional design that is easy to read and navigate. Remember, the format of your resume should effectively showcase your skills and experience while maintaining a polished and organized appearance. To make a strong impression as a dog sitter, there are several essential sections you should include on your resume. These include: Summary or Objective Statement: Begin your resume with a brief summary or objective that highlights your experience, skills, and passion for working with dogs. Experience: In this section, provide detailed information about your previous dog sitting roles, including the duration of each position and any specific responsibilities or achievements. Education: List any relevant education or certifications related to dog sitting, such as completion of a dog training course or membership in a professional dog sitters association. Skills: Include a section that highlights your specific skills as a dog sitter, such as knowledge of dog behavior, ability to administer medications, or familiarity with various breeds. References: If you have references from satisfied clients or employers, consider including them in a separate section or upon request. While the sections listed above are crucial, there are also a few optional but impactful sections you may choose to include. These can include additional certifications, volunteer work or relevant hobbies. Remember to prioritize the sections that best showcase your qualifications and align with the requirements of the dog sitter role you are applying for. To effectively communicate your experience as a dog sitter on your resume, it is recommended to use the Context-Action-Result (CAR) framework. This framework allows you to clearly articulate the situation you encountered, the actions you took, and the results you achieved. Here are a few examples of bullet points using the CAR framework: Context: Managed a roster of 10+ clients with varying dog breeds, sizes, and temperaments. Action: Conducted initial meet-and-greets to assess dogs' needs and establish rapport with owners; implemented personalized care plans for each dog. Result: Ensured the well-being and happiness of all dogs in my care, resulting in positive client feedback and repeat business. Context: Assisted in training dogs through positive reinforcement techniques and proper leash handling. Action: Developed and implemented customized training plans tailored to each dog's specific needs and behavior challenges. Result: Helped improve dogs' obedience and overall behavior, resulting in happier and more enjoyable experiences for both dogs and their owners. By using the CAR framework, you can effectively showcase your skills, experience, and the positive impact you have made in previous dog sitting roles. In summary, when creating a dog sitter resume in 2024, remember to: Keep the resume length to one page and choose a clean, professional design. Include essential sections such as a summary, experience, education, skills, and references. Consider including optional sections such as additional certifications or relevant volunteer work. Use the Context-Action-Result framework to highlight your experience with clear and impactful bullet points. By following these guidelines, you can create a standout dog sitter resume that will impress potential employers and increase your chances of landing your dream job in the pet care industry.

Leasing Agent

Leasing Agents are the gatekeepers to new beginnings, connecting people with their dream homes. They turn the abstract concept of "home" into a concrete reality for many. Through their expertise, they help prospective tenants make one of the most important decisions of their lives. To succeed, Leasing Agents must have great communication skills and the ability to build relationships quickly. Prospective employers are looking for candidates who are confident in their sales capabilities and can manage multiple tasks efficiently. When crafting your Leasing Agent resume, highlighting these skills and experiences is crucial.

Alliance Manager

Formatting Your Resume When it comes to creating a resume for an Alliance Manager position in 2024, there are a few key factors to keep in mind to ensure your application stands out. First and foremost, pay attention to the length of your resume. In today's competitive job market, hiring managers typically spend just a few seconds scanning each resume. *Therefore, it's crucial to keep your document concise and focused.* Aim for a one-page resume that highlights your most relevant skills and experiences. In terms of design, a clean and professional look is essential. *Choose a simple and modern font,* such as Arial or Calibri, and use appropriate font sizes for headings and body text to ensure readability. Don't forget to *use bullet points* to organize information and make it easier for hiring managers to skim through your resume. Sections to Include To create a comprehensive Alliance Manager resume, consider including the following sections: 1. Contact Information: Start your resume with your name, contact information, and professional links, such as LinkedIn or a personal website, if applicable. 2. Summary: Craft a concise summary that highlights your key qualifications and experiences as an Alliance Manager. 3. Skills: List relevant skills, both technical and soft, such as partnership development, contract negotiation, project management, and strategic planning. 4. Experience: This section is crucial for showcasing your relevant work history. Use the Context-Action-Result framework to effectively communicate your accomplishments and impact in previous roles. 5. Education: Include your educational background, degrees, and any relevant certifications. 6. Awards and Recognition: If you have received any professional awards or recognition, include them in this section. Remember, these sections are not set in stone, and you can customize your resume according to your specific experiences and industry preferences. *Optional but still impactful sections* may include volunteering experience, professional affiliations, or publications. Writing About Your Experience When describing your experience as an Alliance Manager, it's important to highlight your achievements and contributions using the Context-Action-Result (CAR) framework. This framework enables you to provide context for the situation, describe the actions you took, and showcase the outcomes or results achieved. Here are a few examples of bullet points that align with this framework: 1. Context: Managed strategic alliances with key industry partners in the technology sector. - Action: Developed and executed partnership agreements, including terms on revenue sharing, joint marketing campaigns, and product integration. - Result: Increased revenue by 20% within the first year of partnership, resulting in a significant market share growth. 2. Context: Led cross-functional teams to develop and implement alliance strategies for expanding into new geographic markets. - Action: Conducted market research, identified potential partners, and negotiated mutually beneficial agreements. - Result: Successfully entered and established a strong presence in three new markets, resulting in a 30% increase in overall revenue. 3. Context: Oversaw the alliance program, including partner onboarding, enablement, and performance evaluations. - Action: Implemented a partner training program to enhance knowledge sharing and collaboration. - Result: Improved partner satisfaction by 25% and increased the number of active partnerships by 40%. Key Takeaways - Keep your resume concise and focused, aiming for a one-page document with a clean and professional design. - Include sections such as Contact Information, Summary, Skills, Experience, Education, and Awards. - Use the Context-Action-Result framework to highlight your achievements and outcomes in previous roles as an Alliance Manager. - Customize your resume to emphasize your specific experiences and industry preferences. - Proofread your resume carefully and consider seeking feedback from professionals in your field. Remember, your resume is your first opportunity to make a positive impression on potential employers. *By following these guidelines and tailoring your resume to the Alliance Manager position, you can increase your chances of landing an interview and securing your dream job.*

An official website of the United States government

The .gov means it’s official. Federal government websites often end in .gov or .mil. Before sharing sensitive information, make sure you’re on a federal government site.

The site is secure. The https:// ensures that you are connecting to the official website and that any information you provide is encrypted and transmitted securely.

• Publications
• Account settings

The PMC website is updating on October 15, 2024. Learn More or Try it out now .

• Advanced Search
• Journal List
• AEM Educ Train
• v.5(4); 2021 Aug

A guide to creating a high‐quality curriculum vitae

Michael gottlieb.

1 Department of Emergency Medicine, Rush University Medical Center, Chicago Illinois, USA

Susan B. Promes

2 Department of Emergency Medicine, Penn State Health System, Hershey Pennsylvania, USA

Wendy C. Coates

3 Department of Emergency Medicine, UCLA David Geffen School of Medicine, Los Angeles California, USA

Associated Data

Introduction.

The curriculum vitae (CV) is nearly ubiquitous in academic medicine, often beginning prior to medical school and continually being refined throughout graduate and postgraduate training. The CV serves as a formal record of your experiences and accomplishments, which can help others to better understand what you have done thus far and your potential qualifications for a position or promotion. 1 An academic CV differs from a resume, in that the latter is much more condensed (typically 1–2 pages) and focuses more on specific skills and qualifications, rather than cataloguing your full academic history.

A well‐crafted CV is important throughout an academic career. A CV is not a static document and can be formatted to serve a variety of needs. One of the most common uses of a CV is to apply for a new job or leadership position. Most chairs and hiring committees will expect a CV and cover letter as the initial component of the application materials. Additionally, the CV is utilized as one of the primary criteria as part of the dossier used for making decisions about promotion and tenure (P&T). We wish to emphasize that the CV should not be the sole criterion for a position or advancement and that it is important to engage in holistic review of applications 2 ; however, the CV is one important component of this process. In addition to the above, a CV is important personally for considering and reevaluating your niche and career path. It can serve as a tool for you and your mentor to discuss your interests and current progress and identify areas for future growth. Finally, the CV serves as a record of your personal progress and achievements and can be invaluable in crafting your personal statement for academic advancement. It can also be a valuable tool to help boost morale and combat imposter syndrome. 3

Despite the important role that a CV plays in career and academic advancement, we have seen wide variations in the quality, format, and structure of CVs. Building upon a recent CV workshop at the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Scientific Assembly, we sought to share our experience and insights to help guide resident and attending physicians when embarking on creating or refining their CV.

COMPONENTS OF A CV

While the exact naming conventions and order may vary by institution, we will review the most common components of a CV and provide tangible recommendations for each component. In general, a CV should have a consistent and legible font, appropriate spacing and use of line breaks, bolding to highlight key components or headers, and the dates should be listed in a consistent order (either chronological or reverse chronological). A sample CV is included here as Appendix S1 .

The first page should include your name and degrees at the top. We recommend that your name be written in a larger font and bolded. This allows your name to stand out and reduces the risk of your CV being accidentally confused with another person when there are multiple applicants. The top of the page should also include your contact information, such as your address, phone number, and email address. We generally recommend using your work address for privacy. However, if you are applying for a new job, you may want to consider using an email address that is more confidential, such as your personal email. A cell phone number, work number, or both could be included depending on your preferred contact number(s). Finally, the first page should include the date that the CV was last updated. This will assist you with tracking the versions, as well as the recipient if you send an updated CV later. All subsequent pages should include your italicized name at the top right as a header along with the page number on the bottom right as a footer. This can assist with ensuring that no pages are lost or reviewed out of order if the CV is printed.

The next section is your education. This begins in reverse chronological order with your postgraduate training (e.g., residency, fellowship), followed by graduate training (e.g., undergraduate institution, medical school, masters degree programs). When listing your undergraduate training, make sure to include the institution and dates attended, degree obtained, major(s), minor(s), and any honors (e.g., cum laude, distinctions, Alpha Omega Alpha). You should include any advanced leadership training that does not fall within the above categories (e.g., leadership courses, speaker courses) as a separate section located after the education section, which could be entitled “Additional Training” or “Faculty Development.”

The next component of the CV should contain appointments, such as academic appointments and nonacademic or hospital appointments. For faculty, you should include your current and prior academic appointments along with the dates at each rank. This will be particularly valuable for P&T committees. You should also include all relevant employment. This can include your current role as well as prior clinical roles. These should include the title, department, institution, and date range. As a general rule, you should limit these to jobs most relevant to the current position and should routinely trim these back as you advance your career. For example, being a scribe in the emergency department would be relevant for medical students and residents but would no longer be relevant for a full professor. Some prefer to maintain selected early accomplishments, but these are individual decisions that warrant deliberate consideration. For those with prior careers outside medicine, consider keeping them in, particularly if they are directly relevant to the current role. As an example, if you are applying for a chair position, a history of being the chief financial officer of a company would be relevant regardless of the timing.

You should generally list all honors and awards that you have received along with the corresponding date. If an award is not readily apparent by the name, consider adding a brief description or annotation. As you move forward in your career, you may consider removing less relevant awards and honors, similar to positions as discussed in the preceding paragraph.

Certifications and licensure are important to include along with the dates active. However, you should avoid including information such as your DEA or medical license number unless explicitly required to reduce the risk of this being misappropriated. Additionally, you should include the societies to which you belong. While society memberships could be listed later (given the reduced impact compared with other aspects of your CV), we believe it is valuable to list early because it allows you to abbreviate societies with long names if used later in the CV (e.g., leadership positions, committee roles, invited lectures). However, this may depend on your institution's format.

You should also include a dedicated section on your leadership positions at your institution and within professional societies as well as any committee or task force membership roles within professional societies. While traditionally these are listed in order based on the dates of involvement, you could consider grouping these by organization to demonstrate dedication to a specific group. This can be particularly valuable if you are applying for a leadership role in one of those societies as well as for helping support the citizenship components of your P&T application. For some institutions, this may alternatively be listed in a “service” or “administrative leadership” category.

The teaching section should include your involvement with leading any local, regional, and national curricula. While not as comprehensive as an educator's portfolio, 4 you should consider including sufficient information for the reader to understand the scope, size, and time commitment of the program. It is important to separate this curricular section (i.e., a set of courses) from the latter section on individual courses. You may also consider separating into undergraduate medical education (e.g., medical students), graduate medical education (e.g., residents, fellows), and other learners (e.g., paramedics, nursing). We recommend including the program title, your role, the number of learners, type of learners (specialty and experience level), frequency of the courses, length of the sessions, and dates that the program occurred. As you advance in your career, you may consider removing low‐impact internal teaching activities.

The mentorship section should include any people you are or have been mentoring. When deciding who to include, consider whether you could readily describe the skills, knowledge, insights, or value you have provided to the mentee. This section should include their name, length of mentorship, current role (e.g., faculty role, fellow, resident, medical student), and institution as well as their prior role when you began mentoring them (if applicable). As not all institutional CV formats have a designated location for this, you could consider making this a separate appendix file.

The scientific and scholarly activities section (also known as the research section) can include a wide array of components. We recommend including any research‐specific service roles (e.g., editor, reviewer for professional journals, reviewer for granting agencies) as well as scholarship (e.g., grant funding, abstract or poster presentations, peer‐reviewed manuscripts, books, blog posts), in accordance with your institution's preferred format. We recommend that all publications be numbered and listed in chronological or reverse chronological order, depending on your institution's preference. Publications should be listed in a citation format consistent with your institutional guidelines, and you should consider adding the Digital Object Identifier (DOI) or PubMed identifier (PMID). When listing grant funding, you should include the funding source, amount, grant award name, date(s), and your role. You could also consider adding an annotation here to describe the importance of an item or your contribution to a grant or manuscript. For the research presentations, manuscripts, and book chapters, we recommend putting your name in bold and/or italics to help your name stand out. You could also consider adding your research metrics here (e.g., h‐index, i‐10) to help demonstrate your scholarly impact. 5 , 6

Lectures, podcasts, and nonresearch presentations could be listed within either teaching or scholarship and we advise following your institutional guidelines. 7 These should include the URL, link, or website and data on downloads if available. For individual lectures and didactic sessions, include the institution or professional group, date, location, number of attendees, contact hours (i.e., length of session), and topic. Consider separating this out into local lectures; grand rounds at outside institutions; and invited sessions at regional, national, or international conferences, with higher‐impact (i.e., international or invited) presentations listed first.

Additional categories may be added and may include your fluency in another language or additional expertise (e.g., SPSS, RevMan). It is advisable to be honest when listing these, because they may be challenged. For example, if foreign language proficiency is indicated as “fluent,” it is possible that a prospective employer may wish to conduct the interview in that language. Some people also list a few extracurricular passions (e.g., sports, literature) that may serve to foster a connection with a potential interviewer.

Finally, your last page should include your references. Depending on the position, you could either list your references or add a comment “references available on request.” The latter component may be useful when you are applying for an external position. When including references, identify three references who can speak to your qualifications for a given position. This may include your department chair, mentors, those in similar roles that you are applying for, and those who are a direct supervisor to you. In many cases, your references may not be from your institution. Make sure that your references know they have been listed as a reference. You should include their role and current address, phone, and email to guide the reader when reaching out to them.

BEST PRACTICES FOR MANAGING YOUR CV

In this section, we describe recommended strategies to manage your CV (Table  1 ). Even though institutions often require the same information, each may have a specific format for organizing and/or building your CV. Some institutions furnish a guideline that includes the desired headings and order of the entries on the CV, while others provide an electronic fillable template. By adhering to the desired format for your institution and advancement track (e.g., research, clinician‐educator, tenure), your P&T committee will be able to access all information easily to process academic advancement decisions. Since most formats include similar categories, you can send this version of your CV to prospective employers or other interested parties upon request. However, if you are seeking a new career or hope to delve into a niche within a particular academic realm, it may be useful to tailor your CV to highlight relevant aspects.

Best practices for creating and managing the CV for career advancement

Abbreviations: CV, curriculum vitae; PDF, portable document format; P&T, promotion and tenure.

If you relocate to a new institution, it is prudent to update your CV to the new format as soon as possible. One strategy to ensure you are compliant with the correct CV format for your institution is to reach out to the people in your department who manage this area. It may also be helpful to ask a respected role model who has been successful in the same career track to share their CV as a real‐world example. 1 In addition to simply seeing their formatted CV, it is a good chance to consider your own career aspirations and to identify a potential local mentor.

A busy academician who is working hard to advance in the appropriate career track may generate numerous additions to their CV in a short period of time. Waiting until the last minute during dossier preparation for an academic action may lead to omission of important details, such as collaborators, dates or locations of occurrence, and even the events themselves, so it is critical to develop a process that reliably captures all aspects of each accomplishment (e.g., lectures, awards, publications). There are many strategies, but the most important factor is to identify those that fit into your natural routine. Some examples include real‐time entry as soon as an event or accomplishment occurs, creating an email folder of items to add to your CV, scheduling a recurring calendar event weekly or monthly to update your master CV, or using a voice recorder or handwritten or electronic notes to add events in real time and transfer to the CV at planned intervals. You can also refer to your electronic calendar for details about prior sessions. It is also important to update the details on events that have already been entered as they become available, such as adding DOI, PMID, and publication details (e.g., volume, page numbers). To facilitate this, you could create a Google Scholar alert for your publications and citations. 8 This will allow you to know when your publications are released in print or are assigned to an electronic issue and provide citation metrics as described above.

Some people keep an easily accessible file on their desktop that links to an unpaginated working document of their CV that uses accurate spelling, punctuation, grammar, headings, bold typeface, underlines, logical hyphenations, margins, fonts, alignment, and indentations as they should appear in the final formatted CV (Table  2 ). This can facilitate real‐time updating without the need to reformat the pages after every entry. Another option is to create a table without borders under each section heading with the necessary columns and subheadings. This can be an efficient way to easily add items as a new row with consistent formatting and pacing. When it is time to send your CV to a prospective employer, a professional organization, or your P&T committee, you should present your CV in a visually pleasing, well‐organized manner. This includes formatting page breaks to avoid having items split across pages, including boldface type and/or capitalization for section headers, ensuring consistent alignment, and eliminating spelling and grammatical errors. This will also allow you to add or remove specific components to best meet the objectives for this particular CV.

Strategies for converting your working document into the finalized CV

Abbreviations: CV, curriculum vitae; DOI, digital object identifier; PDF, portable document format; PMID, PubMed identifier.

When updating your CV, we recommend opening the working document and saving each revision as a new file with the updated date listed (e.g., Gottlieb CV [10‐5‐21]). This prevents inadvertent changes to the working document and allows for final formatting prior to dissemination. We recommend saving this as both a PDF and an editable Word document. The PDF can be sent to others to ensure that the formatting is not altered when opened on the recipient's computer.

SPECIAL CONSIDERATIONS: RESUMES, COVER LETTERS, AND THE EXECUTIVE SUMMARY

It is important to delineate the difference between a CV and a resume. A CV is generally expected for people applying for academic positions, whereas a resume is more commonly requested for other professional positions that are nonacademic or non–research oriented (Table  3 ).

Comparison of a CV versus resume

Adapted from the Princeton University Center for Career Development Guide. 11

Abbreviation: CV, curriculum vitae.

CVs generally include a comprehensive (exhaustive) list of positions you have held, honors and awards you received, and activities you have participated in up to current time. In fact, curriculum vitae is Latin for “course of (one's) life.” As defined by the Merriam‐Webster dictionary, a resume is a short account of one's career and qualifications. 9 A resume is concise and much shorter than a CV, typically being no longer than two pages in length. The goal of a resume is to highlight your unique attributes, skills, and accomplishments and align them with your career goal to open the door for an interview. It does not contain all the items that are listed chronologically in a CV. 10 Listing a career goal that is in line with the position you are applying for is common practice when preparing a resume. The career goal is generally explicitly stated on the first line of the document under your name and contact information. Research is generally not included in a resume unless it is explicitly required for the position you are seeking. References are also commonly omitted on a resume.

Regardless of whether you are submitting a CV or resume for a job you are seeking, you should prepare a cover letter to introduce yourself and your interest in the position. If there is something that specifically attracted you to the position or the area, this is the place to include that information. If there is a specific area of expertise asked for in an advertisement or mentioned by a recruiter be sure to address it in your cover letter. It is important to address your cover letter to the individual who will be making the decision on who will be invited to interview or possibly a search committee chair or recruiter. The cover letter is an important tool to persuade the reader through a personalized message that you are the right person for the job, though it should not simply be a rehash of your resume or CV. The cover letter should be brief, no more than one page in length. In general, you will need to craft a separate cover letter for each application.

For those individuals with longer CVs, you may want to consider preparing a one‐ to two‐page high‐level executive summary of your key work experiences, personal qualities, and skills you possess that will set you up for success in the position you are pursuing. An executive summary is placed at the top of your document to help the employer zero in on key aspects of your candidacy. It should be direct and focused on the key components you wish to highlight. Think of it as an abstract or teaser of what can be found in more detail in your CV. An executive summary should showcase your best attributes up front.

Curricula vitae are important for a variety of uses, including applying for new leadership and employment positions, seeking academic advancement through promotion and tenure, and reevaluating your niche. This article highlights the key features of a curriculum vitae, recommendations for creating and maintaining a curriculum vitae, and key differences from a resume. We hope this provides a valuable guide for those at any career stage who are seeking to enhance the quality of their curriculum vitae.

Supporting information

Appendix S1. Sample CV.

Gottlieb M, Promes SB, Coates WC. A guide to creating a high‐quality curriculum vitae . AEM Educ Train . 2021; 5 :e10717. doi: 10.1002/aet2.10717 [ PMC free article ] [ PubMed ] [ CrossRef ] [ Google Scholar ]

Supervising Editor: Daniel J. Egan, MD.

• Resume Writing
• Resume Examples
• Cover Letter
• Remote Work
• Famous Resumes
• Try Kickresume

CV for PhD Application: How to Write One Like a True Scholar (+CV Example)

• Klara Cervenanska , 
• Updated March 13, 2024 11 min read

A PhD is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. To secure your position, however, you first need an impressive CV for your PhD application.

Earning a PhD degree requires you to produce extensive research in a narrowly defined subject within a certain discipline and to make a considerable original contribution to your field.

Hence why PhD programs are always very selective. The admission rates hover around 10% and only about half of the admitted candidates actually finish the degree, according to a recent psychology research .

As a result, less than 1% of the population attains a PhD.

So, how do you become a part of the 1%?

The process of attaining a PhD starts with a strong application which includes an impressive academic CV .

A CV for PhD application needs to be carefully crafted, well formatted, and contain specific sections.

We'll show you how to craft a stellar PhD application CV, and a sample academic CV from a real person admitted to a PhD program in France.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is an academic CV?

What to include in an academic cv for phd application.

• How to write an academic CV for a PhD application?

Tips on how to write a CV for PhD application

How to tailor your cv for different phd programs, phd cv example.

First, there are two types of career documents job seekers widely use. A resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

These two documents are similar but not identical.

So, let's have a look at the key differences between a CV vs a resume :

• A resume is used when applying for a position in industry, non-profits, or the public sector. It should focus on skills and past experience while being tailored to a specific job position. The length of the document shouldn't be more than 1 or 2 pages.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) is used when applying for positions in academia, science, or medicine. It focuses on education, research background and scholarly accomplishments. Finally, its length depends on the number of references, publications, etc.

There are even more types of CVs. A general CV, an industry (professional) CV, or an academic (research) CV — which is exactly the one you'll need.

In a nutshell, an academic CV is a career document that provides extensive information about your educational and research background. Scholars and researchers use this document when applying for jobs in academia — such as a PhD application.

Lastly, an academic resume is a term you can often come across, too. To avoid any confusion, it's the same as an academic CV. A more appropriate term is, however, the latter.

Rules are important in academia. That's why all academic CVs usually follow pretty strict structures regarding their content and formatting.

First, let's have a look at the resume sections you should include in a CV for PhD application:

• Contact information. Include your full name, email, phone number, and location.
• (Research) objective. A concise, brief paragraph outlining your research plans and strategies.
• Education. It should form the bulk of your CV and detail you educational background.
• (Research) experience. Your research experience can often set you apart from other candidates.
• Publications. Include anything from journal articles, published reports, to your research dissertation.
• Awards. Mention all awards and accomplishments you’ve received in reverse chronological order.
• Skills. These should be relevant to the PhD project or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher.
• References. Finally, try to include at least two references, such as your dissertation supervisor and one other member of staff.

Let's have a closer look at each of the 8 CV sections in the next chapter.

How to write an academic CV for a PhD application ?

Applying for a PhD will be a lot less stressful if you follow this quick guide on how to write a CV for a PhD application:

You should always start your CV or your resume by providing your contact details to form the CV header . Include your full name, your professional email address, and your mobile number. Additionally, you can include your location. However, we don't advise including your full home address for privacy reasons. Entering the country and city you reside in is usually enough. Since a CV is a bit different than a resume, we don't recommend including links to your social media .

Research objective is basically a brief paragraph at the beginning of your CV outlining your research plans, interests, and strategies. It paints a picture of you as a person and will guarantee that the admissions committee will be interested in reading and learning more about your professional background. Your research plans and strategies should align with the PhD project you're applying for. Hence, read the project description carefully and make sure to tailor your objective accordingly. Ideally, without making stuff up.

The education section should form the bulk of an academic CV. No one expects a potential PhD candidate to have 10 years of experience in the field. But what's expected is an appropriate educational background. A common practice is to list your education in a reverse chronological order. This means listing your Master's degree first and then a Bachelor's degree. For each degree, provide the full name of the degree, the type, its duration, the relevant courses and modules, the corresponding (or expected) marks, GPA , and any relevant projects or presentations. Also, include the name and the description of your final year dissertation project.

In this section, introduce all of the research projects you worked on, whether they were a part of your undergraduate degree, your master's degree, or you have undertaken this project elsewhere. You can include any voluntary , part-time , or full-time work experience you deem relevant for the PhD project of your choice. For instance, skip the part-time bartending job and rather include a teaching experience or a voluntary project you undertook.

Of course, it's okay if you don't have any publications yet. If that's the case, simply skip this section. However, if you do have any work published at this stage, list it in this section. The publications can include anything from journal articles, published reports, contributions to peer-reviewed journals, or an adaptation of your dissertation project. Make sure to check the citation style your institution or field prefers and use it consistently in your publications section. The most common ones are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

In this CV section, list relevant honors, achievements, or awards you earned for going beyond average — again in reversed chronological order. It includes scholarships, university fellowships, competitions, work-related awards, or academic awards . For instance, you can mention a very high GPA, subject-specific awards, or any grants you received. However, keep in mind that mentioning how much money was involved is only common in scientific fields.

The skills you mention in your academic CV should be relevant to the PhD project you're applying for or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher. Between the two types of skills , hard and soft, hard skills are more appropriate to include in your CV for PhD application. Examples of hard skills include Python, data analysis, polymer synthesis, C++, Chem Draw, Ahrefs , languages, or other computer skills . However, completing a PhD degree usually also involves demonstrating your teaching abilities. For this reason, listing soft skills such as a good oral communication and presenting is also a good idea.

While a references section in a regular resume is pretty much redundant, in a CV for PhD application it's a must-have . Why? Well, having a person attest to your skills and achievements is a great way to leverage your professional experience. The person you ask should be articulate and in a reputable position. Your best bet is to ask your dissertation supervisor, a professor you had a good relationship with, or one who taught the subject most relevant for the desired PhD program. Finally, don't forget that your references have to agree with having their contact information shared, first. Read our quick guide on how do you ask someone to be your reference .

Apart from making sure the content of your CV is spot on, you should also follow some well-established formatting tips.

A clear layout and composition ensure your CV is professional and easy to read.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve that:

• Keep the formatting consistent. If you choose a certain font type and size, stick to it. The same goes for margins, spacing, and capitalization.
• Less is often more. It might be tempting to use bolding, italics, or underlining in order to make the document "easy" to read. However, an excessive use of these features actually has the exact opposite effect.
• Avoid long paragraphs. A CV is all about providing objective facts regarding your professional background. Hence, no need to provide generic statements or go into too much detail. And if you happen to write more text, you can always divide it using bullet points.
• Use professional language. It goes without saying, but don't use slang. Similarly, use professional jargon and abbreviations within reasonable limits.
• Don't limit yourself to one or two pages. The length of your academic CV depends on the number of publications, awards, references, and experiences. Unlike a resume, a CV is a complete summary of your academic and professional background.
• Convert your CV to PDF. Doing this considerably reduces the risk of compatibility and formatting issues. A PDF file keeps your formatting intact across various devices.

Too much to keep in mind? Kickresume's CV & resume builder can save you the headache and provides useful templates with appropriate formatting designed by career professionals.

When applying for different PhD programs, it's crucial to tailor your academic CV to suit each specific program. 

This doesn't just improve your chances of catching the eye of admissions committees ; it demonstrates your genuine interest and alignment with their goals. 

To effectively tailor your CV for different PhD programs, follow these three tips:

#1 Understand program requirements and values

How do you do that? Start with in-depth research about the PhD program:

• Visit the program's website
• Look at the curriculum
• Attend open days
• If possible, reach out to alumni 

Once you have a clear picture of the program's values and requirements, you can begin to customize your CV. 

For example: If a program emphasizes community outreach, you might highlight your involvement in science education for underprivileged youths or your participation in community-based research projects. 

This demonstrates not only your alignment with their values but also your active contribution to areas they care about.

#2 Emphasize transferable skills for PhD programs

This applies to people switching fields or applying to a program that isn't a direct continuation of your undergraduate degree. 

Let's say you're moving from a background in chemistry to a PhD in molecular biology. 

It's crucial to highlight how your analytical skills, understanding of chemical processes, and any lab work or research experience directly apply to molecular biology. 

For instance: Discuss your experience with techniques that are common in both fields, like chromatography or spectrometry, and how they've prepared you for the research you aim to conduct in molecular biology. 

Tailoring your CV in this manner demonstrates your ability to bridge different disciplines and apply your skills in new contexts.

#3 Adapt your CV for international PhD programs

Adapting your CV for international programs involves more than just translating it into another language. 

Start by researching the academic culture and CV formats preferred in the country you're applying to. This might include:

• the preferred length
• whether to include personal information such as a photo
• emphasis on certain types of experience or qualifications

For instance: in some countries, a detailed list of courses and grades might be important, while in others, a focus on research experience and publications is key. 

Websites of the target universities, country-specific academic career resources, advice from current international students, or even online forums like Reddit are invaluable for this purpose.

Finally, to help you tie everything we talked about together, we thought one picture is worth a thousand words.

Here's a CV sample from a person who managed to get accepted into a PhD program at the university of Lyon in France.

There are several things Herrera included to ensure her CV was successful:

• A complete professional and academic background. We can see that this section forms the bulk of the resume. As it should.
• Plenty of hard skills. Herrera included 7 hard technical skills and multiple languages. All of these skills are very valuable in academia.
• A succinct description of all projects. She includes the full name of the projects, their duration, and theme.
• References, publications, and certifications. All of these sections are included in the full version of this resume and can be found by clicking the button below the sample CV.

Lyon University PhD Student Resume Sample

This resume sample was contributed by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

Klara graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After having written resumes for many of her fellow students, she began writing full-time for Kickresume. Klara is our go-to person for all things related to student or 'no experience resumes'. At the same time, she has written some of the most popular resume advice articles on this blog. Her pieces were featured in multiple CNBC articles. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her chasing dogs or people-watching while sipping on a cup of coffee.

Related Posts

3 minimalistic resume templates for maximum career success, resume cheat sheet: 222 action verbs to use in your new resume, share this article, join our newsletter.

Every month, we’ll send you resume advice, job search tips, career hacks and more in pithy, bite-sized chunks. Sounds good?

Academic CV Example [Full Guide, Free Template + Tips!]

Whether you’re looking to start your Ph.D. or you’re an experienced professional in your academic field, navigating academic expectations and standards can feel overwhelming when preparing your CV.

And, like it or not, a CV can be the difference between landing the position you have your eyes set on or your application going completely unnoticed.

But there’s good news.

We’ve prepared a detailed guide to turn your CV into a compelling presentation of your accomplishments and academic potential and help you take the next step in your academic career.

Some things we’re going to cover include:

Academic CV Example

How to format an academic cv, 11 academic cv layout tips, academic cv templates, what to include in an academic cv.

Let’s get started!

Here’s a great academic CV example made with our very own CV builder :

The CV example above covers the candidate’s entire educational history, is formatted the right way, and has all the other essential experiences documented.

Want your academic CV to look just as impressive?

Browse our free templates!

The first thing you want to do is pick the right format for your academic CV.

You want your CV to be well-structured and easy to read, as well as to highlight your greatest achievements to date.

This is where the reverse-chronological CV format comes in. 

It’s the most popular format out there, and since it starts with your most recent experiences and works its way back, it also does a great job showing off your most recent achievements first.

While different formats may apply to other job hunts, academics should always stick to this classic CV format .

Academic CV Vs Resume

If this is your first time preparing an academic CV, you might be wondering - what is a CV anyway?

The term CV is an abbreviation of the Latin words Curriculum Vitae, and it means “the course of your life”.

Across most of the world, the differences between a CV and a resume are superficial if you’re applying for most jobs.

But in the academic context, a CV is a very in-depth document.

Essentially, your CV is a comprehensive description of everything you’ve ever done. It details your work experience, education, all the achievements you’re proud of, and any publications you have to your name.

Any time you accomplish something new, you should add it to your CV . This includes when you earn a new certificate, finish a new publication, or get a new job.

An academic CV is typically used for applying to post-graduate or graduate institutions, either as a student or as a faculty member. For some colleges, if it isn’t specified that a CV is necessary, you can use a college application resume instead.

Here’s a visual representation of how a CV is different from a resume:

In academic CVs, education comes before work experience, which is the opposite of the typical resume rule. In fact, work experience might not even make the cut if it isn’t relevant to the academic position you’re applying for.

There are several things you should keep in mind when making your academic CV, starting with:

• Keep it visually simple. An academic CV is not the place to show how creative you are with design and colors. Keep the background plain white, with only one or two complementary colors at most to highlight section headings, icons, and links.
• Use the right font style and size. Some CV fonts should never make it to an academic CV. Sticking to a professional font is the way to go. When it comes to size, use 10-12 pt for the main body of your text. Your headings and subheadings can be between 14 and 16 pt, but make sure to keep the font size consistent throughout the CV.
• Make the CV as long as necessary. The goal of an academic CV is to list your whole career path, so there’s no limit to how long a CV should be . Use as many pages as you need to show everything relevant to your career so far.
• Tailor the CV to the position. Research your employer beforehand. Find out what the department you’re applying for values and is looking for, and emphasize that in your CV. Your most impressive and relevant accomplishments should always go first, so if they want experienced educators, put your professional appointments or teaching experience before your other achievements.
• Stay concise. There’s no need to overexplain your academic record or use bullet points to list all your achievements in each education or work entry. A couple of short sentences that convey the point are enough.
• Skip irrelevant information. If you had a part-time job while getting through college, you shouldn’t list it unless it’s related to your field of study. When applying for a position as a professor of mathematics, mentioning your brief teenage gig as a cashier is irrelevant. But your time spent tutoring classmates could make the cut.
• Avoid field jargon. Everyone should have an easy time reading your CV, not just experts in your field. University admissions departments, grant reviewers, and hiring committees alike may not be well-versed in your field but they will be reviewing your application, so make it as accessible as possible.
• Touch base with advisors. Every academic department has a slightly different way of doing things when it comes to CVs. After all, arts and humanities differ from economics, sciences, and mathematics. Expand your professional network and talk to someone more experienced in the field you’re applying for to clear up any confusion.
• Save your CV in the right format.  Unless stated otherwise, always save your CV as a PDF . It’s the best file format guaranteed to keep your CV looking as you intended it across any software or device, whereas Word or Google Doc files might be skewed.
• Name the file appropriately. This might be a no-brainer but it’s worth mentioning. The file containing your CV should be named some variation of your full name, rather than a placeholder name. E.g. John-Doe-Academic-CV.pdf , not draft1final.pdf
• Adjust the file size. If you’re sending your CV through an application portal, there might be a file size limit. Consider compressing your documents with a tool like ILOVEPDF .

You can gain a competitive advantage not just from what your academic CV contains, but also from how it looks .

So, if you really want to stand out from the crowd, take your CV design to the next level with one of our templates.

Our professional CV builder comes with a dozen of modern and professional CV templates you can choose from to easily make a detailed CV while keeping your formatting intact. 

Any of Novorésumé’s templates can be adapted to suit your needs, whether you’re a research candidate or an academic looking to become a tenured professor.

The academic CV has many of the same sections as a resume. They include:

• Contact Information
• Work Experience

But there are also some critical differences between the two. 

For starters, academic CVs put education above work experience. This is especially important when it comes to Ph.D. candidates since research is at the forefront of their position.

Some sections which are considered optional for resumes are mandatory for an academic CV. Examples of this include publications, conferences, or research experience.

Overall, an academic CV should include the following sections, in this order:

• Personal Profile/Research Objective
• Professional Appointments
• Publications
• Grants and Fellowships
• Awards and Honors
• Conferences and Talks
• Teaching Experience
• Research Experience
• Other Activities
• Hobbies and Interests

If you don’t have enough experience in one of the sections listed, there’s no need to add those to your CV. For example, if you don’t have any fellowships or conferences to showcase, you can just skip those sections.

Now, let’s break down how each CV section should be written:

#1. Contact Information

This section should be the easiest to spot, so it should always go at the top of your CV.

Here’s what you should include in the contact information section of an academic CV:

• Full Name. It’s recommended that you use your name as it is in your passport, including any middle names, particularly if you’re a Ph.D. candidate. Adding your middle name or even just the initial to your CV is only optional if you’re already an established academic, and it’s necessary if your middle name is included in your formal academic name.
• Professional Title and Affiliation. If you’re a professor, this is where you should list your title, as well as the institution you’re affiliated with.
• Institutional Address. This should be the mailing address of the institution you’re formally affiliated with or based in. For example, if you’re an assistant researcher at the University of Columbia, you want to give the university’s exact mailing address.
• Home address. Provide your home mailing address.
• Email address. If you have a formal email address provided by the institution you’re affiliated with, you should list that. If not, use a personal email address with some variation of your first and last name (e.g. [email protected]).
• Telephone number. Be sure to include the international dialing code for your number, especially if you’re applying for a position abroad.
• Optional links. For some fields, such as business and marketing, a LinkedIn profile fits in, while for IT-related departments, GitHub can be more appropriate. Other academics could benefit from adding a Google Scholar or ORCiD profile.

Your academic name should be consistent throughout your career as that’s how you’ll be credited when your research is used. If you legally change your name during the course of your career, you might want to keep your academic name the same as it was when you started.

#2. Personal Statement or Research Objective

The next thing you want the admissions committee to see is a short paragraph at the top of your CV, similar to a resume profile .

This short pitch can be a personal statement or research objective , depending on what you’re applying for exactly.

If you’re applying for a research position, such as a Ph.D. or a grant, you should write a research objective. Even if you’ve provided a different document that already details your research goals, your CV’s objective should provide a concise summary that outlines your plans.

Here’s an example of a research objective on an academic CV:

Nutrition and Dietology MA student at Harvard University. Graduated BA in Psychology magna cum laude. Looking to undertake postgraduate research on the connection between digestive inflammation and mental health in adolescents in the USA in the twenty-first century.

A personal statement, on the other hand, consists of a few brief sentences that summarize your academic background and biggest achievements. It’s meant to highlight the essential experiences, skills, and qualities that make you the right candidate for the position.

Take a look at this personal statement for inspiration:

Innovative researcher and lecturer with 6+ years of experience teaching courses on undergraduate and postgraduate levels. Supervised 11 BA theses, 4 MA theses, and 1 Ph.D. dissertation. Published over 17 articles in peer-reviewed journals and 3 books.

#3. Education

The most important part of any academic CV is the education section .

It’s no coincidence that this comes listed before any practical work experience. Academic achievements are valued in academia, and your CV is the place to make yours shine.

Your education should always be listed chronologically, with your most recent degree at the top.

List the information on each entry in the following order:

• Name of the degree. E.g. B.A. English Language, Literature, and Culture
• Name of the department. (Optional) E.g. Department of Linguistics and Literature
• Name of the educational institution. E.g. University of Groningen
• Years attended. If you haven’t graduated yet, you can write down the year of expected graduation. E.g. 2020 - 2024
• Honors. While honors are optional in other fields, academics would do well to include them. E.g. Magna Cum Laude.
• Relevant courses. (Optional) The courses you’ve taken could be useful if they’re relevant to the exact position you’re applying for.
• Dissertation. Provide the full title of your dissertation or project.
• Location of the program. (Optional) If the university or school you attended is less renowned, you can specify its location. E.g. University of Marmara, Istanbul, Turkey
• GPA. (Optional) You should only list your GPA if it’s over 3.5, otherwise, it won’t add to your CV’s academic shine. But adding your GPA isn’t necessary for an experienced candidate at all. If it’s been more than five years since you graduated, or you already have honors listed, it’s not something that you should add to your CV.

Here’s an example of education listed on an academic CV:

Education Ph.D. in French Literature

Department of Linguistics and Literature

University of Maine

2021 - Present  

MA in Literary Theory

Magna Cum Laude

2019 - 2021

Dissertation: The blend of culture, activism, and art in the early work of Richard Guidry  

BA in English Language, Literature, and Culture

Louisiana State University

2016 - 2019

- Literary analysis, Phonology, Cultural Theory, French language, Cajun Poetry

#4. Professional Appointments

If you already have the necessary experience in academia under your belt, make a section for your professional appointments.

This should include:

• Position. E.g. Professor of History.
• Name of the institution. E.g. King’s College, London
• Dates employed. E.g. 2015 - 2022
• Description and achievements. Use short paragraphs to describe your professional appointments, not bullet points.

Professor of Architecture

The University of Montana, 2017 - 2023

• Taught 15 undergraduate and 12 postgraduate courses, mainly focused on the history of architecture and principles of interior design.
• Supervised 9 BA and 5 MA theses.

As you can see, this section is similar to how a work experience section would be formatted in a resume.

It’s important to remember that this section pertains exclusively to contracted, professional appointments in universities and similar institutions.

It’s not meant to describe all of your teaching experience , so don’t detail your time as a Teaching Assistant (TA), adjunct professor, or any part-time teaching job. You have the opportunity to do that in a separate section later on in your CV.

Professional appointments take years, hard work, and academic recognition to achieve, so this section is where your career progression can shine. While most academics have experience teaching as TAs during the pursuit of their Ph.D., that experience should be in a separate teaching experience section further down your academic CV.

Has one of your former students reached out to you for help with their postgrad application? Check out our guide on how to write a stellar letter of recommendation .

#5. Publications

Having published research brings a lot of value to your academic reputation and, by extension, to your CV. Publications show you’ve done research that’s given back to your field and that you’re a dedicated academic.

In fact, if you’re already an established expert in your field, this section can even be listed ahead of professional appointments or education. Publications in peer-reviewed journals have a lot of value since they’re difficult to achieve.

Your publications should be divided by “peer-reviewed” and “other”, and then further subcategorized by where they were published. Examples include:

• Book chapters
• Book reviews
• Contributions to edited volumes
• Web-based publications

Provide full citations for each of your publications, and list them in their respective categories by year of publication.

When citing journals and edited volumes, authorship is usually listed by order of contribution. If your paper is the third in the publication listed, your name should be third in the citation. You can underline your name for each of your publications to highlight which contribution is yours.

However, some fields, like mathematics, always list authors alphabetically. In any case, ensure you’re consistent with your citation format throughout your whole academic CV.

If you have publications under review, you can still list them on your CV. Provide the citation as you usually would but swap out the year of publication for “in press”.

But your publications section shouldn’t necessarily include a full bibliography. If you’re a frequently published writer , make sure to limit your listed publications to the most relevant and recent titles.

Let’s see how this section looks on an academic CV:

Publications:

• Smith, J. (in press). The Mythical Beasts of French Literature: Uncovering Symbolism and Allegory in Magical Creatures. Journal of French Literary Studies, 46(3), 157-179.
• Rousseau, P., Smith, J. , & Dubois, M. (2022). Love, Longing, and Lost Letters: Exploring Epistolary Narratives in 18th-Century French Literature. Studies in French Literature and Culture, 27(2), 82-102.
• Smith, J. , Martin, L., & Dupont, C. (2021). From Boulevards to Backstreets: Urban Imagery and Identity in Contemporary French Literature. Modern French Studies, 58(4), 223-245.

#6. Grants and Fellowships

This section showcases that your research is deemed valuable enough to fund.

Grants and fellowships on an academic CV are must-haves, as they show agencies and admissions committees that you’re equipped to conduct future research projects successfully.

Depending on how many grants you’ve received or applied for, you can divide them into subcategories for “Active Grants”, “Pending Grants”, and “Completed Grants”.

In each subsection, list the grants in reverse chronological order with the following information:

• Name of institution. Provide the name of the institution which provided the funding.
• Duration of funding. Use the dd/mm/yyyy format. E.g. 15/03/2020 - 15/06/2023
• Role and effort. (Optional) If applicable, give the specific role you were given on the approved grant and what percentage of the total work was designated to you.
• Monetary value. (Optional) Mentioning the monetary value is field-specific, so consider checking in with other experts in your field before adding it.

Simple enough, right? Now let’s see it in practice.

National Endowment for the Arts (NEA) - “Challenge America”

01/2021 - 07/2021

• Project Title: Sunshine Street
• Project summary: Facilitated outdoor workshops and organized art programs for children from families below the poverty line in Middleton, NY.

#7. Awards and Honors

A little showing-off never hurts when it comes to an academic CV.

Take your time to list the awards and honors you’ve received so far, including any scholarships . Start with the latest additions first and work your way back.

Be sure to include:

• Name of the award. E.g. The RSPB medal
• Year it was received. E.g. 2023
• The institution it was presented by. E.g. Royal Society for the Protection of Birds
• A brief description. (Optional) If the name isn’t clear enough, you can give a brief introduction to what the award was for.

Here’s an example:

The RSPB medal, 2023

• The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds’ most prestigious medal, which is awarded annually to a single individual in recognition of wild bird protection and countryside conservation.
• Awarded for research on the decline of the hawfinch and proposals for reintroduction to its once-native woodlands. The project was successful, with over 45 hawfinch families now nested in Leicestershire.

#8. Conferences and Talks

If you’ve been invited to speak at conferences or as a guest lecturer at other institutions, you should dedicate a special section to it in your CV.

Use subcategories to list them, such as:

• Campus Talks. You lectured at your home institution’s campus.
• Invited Talks. You lectured at other institutions or conferences.
• Conference attendance. You participated in a conference but didn’t give a lecture. 

Then list each talk and conference, including the following information:

• Name of the institution. E.g. Queen Mary University of London
• Location. E.g. London, United Kingdom
• Department. If applicable, such as in the case of a university guest talk. E.g. The Department of History.
• Dates. Use the dd/mm/yyyy format.
• Title or brief description. Usually, the title is descriptive enough but if you have space, you can clarify the topic of the event.
• Presentation type. (Optional) This applies to conferences, as they can be a session talk, plenary lecture, or other.

Depending on the amount of experience you have with conferences and talks, you could separate them into one section for Conferences, and a separate section for Talks. Keep one section for conferences where you participated but weren’t a speaker, and one for events where you lectured.

Do you have an upcoming conference or talk? Plan ahead and check out 12 Ways to Improve Your Presentation Skills [for Work & Life] !

#9. Teaching Experience

With academic CVs, work experience is divided into distinct sections, such as:

• Professional appointments
• Teaching experience
• Research experience
• Other work experience

If you already have experience as a contracted professor, that should be listed in your professional appointments section at the start of your CV.

For aspiring professors, though, the first of these sections should be teaching experience.

This is where you can list any TA or adjunct professor positions in reverse chronological order, and mention the courses you’ve taught. 

Provide the following information for each entry:

• Name of the institution. E.g. University of Ohio
• Department. E.g. The Department of History and Classics
• Courses. E.g. Roman Poetry of the Republican Period
• Dates taught. Use the mm/yyyy format. E.g. 09/2017 - 06/2020
• Type. Specify if the course was undergraduate or graduate , and whether the course was taught in person or online.
• Duties. (Optional) For TA positions, you should only include your duties if your institution required you to create and teach your own courses.

If you have a lot of experience in this section, tailor it according to your application.

There’s no need to include all the courses you’ve taught if their number is in the double digits. Focus only on the top ten courses that are relevant to the position you’re applying for.

Alternatively, if you’re an experienced academic and your professional appointments section already details enough courses, you can be brief here. Just list the institutions where you were a TA and the dates you taught there.

Here’s an example of how to list teaching experience:

Teaching Assistant

Queen Mary’s College, London

Department of History and Classics

01/2022 - present

• Designed courses on Ancient Roman History and Culture, adjusted to students majoring in Art History, Classics, and Theology. Supervised undergraduate dissertations and assessed students’ performance in class.
• Postgraduate courses: Late Roman Mithraism, Imperial Symbolism in Eastern Roman Mosaics
• Undergraduate courses: Roman Poetry of the Republican Period, Latin Grammar, Introduction to Catullus
• Online courses: Roman Orientalism: The Allure of the East

If you’re using your CV to apply for a position at the beginning of your academic career, you might not have any teaching experience yet.

In that case, you can either list informal experience, such as tutoring, or you can remove the section altogether.

Thinking of applying for a job as a teacher? Check out our step-by-step guide on how to write a teacher resume with examples and templates.

#10. Research Experience

Any academic research position is welcome in this section. Start with your most recent post and work your way back.

• Name of the institution. E.g. Lund University
• Position. E.g. Research Assistant.
• Dates. E.g. 06/2019 - 08/2021
• Description. Specify the research question and explain how the research was conducted, and what methodologies you used.

If you’re an experienced researcher, you should only list the following positions:

• Full-time Researcher
• Research Associate

Research Assistant

Here’s how to list it on your academic CV:

Columbia University

09/2017 - 07/2019

• Collected field samples of fungi on expeditions.
• Analyzed mycelium production in different environments.
• Conducted detailed reports on the effects of fungal spores on the human respiratory system and their potential medicinal uses.

For graduates who don’t have experience yet, any research projects can be listed, not just formal research positions.

#11. Other Activities

This is a versatile section where you can list other optional but relevant information. You can divide your entries here into as many subsections as you deem necessary.

Some activities you can list are:

• Professional service. This can include conferences you’ve organized, journals you review for, students you’ve mentored, public outreach programs, and more.
• Professional memberships. If you’re a member of an association or council, you can mention it in this section. E.g. Voting member of ICOM (International Council of Museums) since 2016.
• Other qualifications. All other certifications , licenses, or qualifications go here.
• Extracurricular university activities . Any clubs or communities you were part of while pursuing your degree can make an appearance here.
• Media coverage. Any coverage you’ve received in the media, including talk show attendance or magazine interviews.
• Non-academic work. If you worked in a corporate environment before switching to academia, any of that work experience would be listed here.

Since these sections are all optional, it’s best to only add impressive activities. Your time as an au pair during your gap year isn’t as interesting as the time you were interviewed for your innovative research.

#12. Languages

The rule of thumb for language skills is that you should only list those you know well enough to read academic texts.

List languages by including your proficiency, starting with your native language. Depending on your field or country of origin, you might want to use the Common European Framework of Reference for Languages (CERFL) to indicate your level of proficiency.

If you’ve studied one or two foreign languages, you can list your fluency level for reading, writing, and speaking for each. If you’ve studied more than that, you can summarize your fluency with the appropriate CERFL score.

It’s generally best not to list a language if you’re a complete beginner in it. This section is also optional, so if you don’t know any foreign languages, you can skip it entirely.

#13. Skills

As a general rule, academic CVs shouldn’t list any skills.

Unlike in the corporate world, where adding skills to your resume is crucial , in academia, it might seem unprofessional.

However, exceptions are made for scientific and technical fields. If the position you’re applying for requires specialized methods that are worth listing, dedicate a section to highlight those skills.

#14. Hobbies and Interests

Another optional section is hobbies and interests .

These can be personal, professional, or research interests. Generally, it’s best to only mention hobbies and interests that are relevant to your field, if any at all.

For example, if you’re interested in historical reenactments, it might add more value to your application to the Department of History. But for a mathematician, it’s irrelevant.

#15. References

At the end of your academic CV, you can optionally include a list of references .

Choose a few people who are familiar with your work and can refer you. List them vertically and provide the following information for each entry:

• Full name and title. E.g. Jane Donovan, Ph.D.
• Mailing address. This should be a work address, rather than a personal one.
• Telephone number. Be sure to include the country dial code, especially if your CV is going to be reviewed abroad.
• Email address. List their professional email address, not a personal email.

Here’s how it should look on your CV:

Jane Donovan, Ph.D.

Department of Physics and Astronomy

University of Massachusetts

73 Einkorn street

Amherst, MA 94720-3840

+1 907-212-6234

[email protected]

Attach an Academic Cover Letter

An academic CV is only one part of your application. Make sure to also include an academic cover letter so you come across as a professional and well-prepared candidate.

Depending on the nature of your application and your field, you might have to write an academic personal statement or an academic cover letter.

The difference between the two is that an academic personal statement focuses primarily on the applicant, and is meant to highlight your knowledge, expertise, and strengths. 

The academic cover letter, on the other hand, focuses on the job you are applying for and on what makes you the proper candidate for that job.

Here are the steps you need to follow to write one:

• Choose a cover letter template that matches your CV.
• Provide all the essential details in the header. These should include your contact information, such as your full name, phone number, mailing address, and email address.
• Address the letter to the admissions officer or other appropriate recipient. Include their title, email address, institution name and department, and mailing address. Then add a date to your letter right after.
• Start with a formal opening line, such as “To whom it may concern.”
• Write an attention-grabbing introduction explaining why you’re writing.
• In the body of your cover letter, expand on why you’re the right candidate for the position and why you’re a good choice for the institution you’re applying to.
• Summarize your key points, and use a call to action that asks the reader to take some sort of action, such as calling or otherwise contacting you.
• Finish your letter with the appropriate closing line, such as “Best Regards,” or “Sincerely.”

Are you applying for your postgraduate research degree? Check out our detailed guide to writing a motivational letter for a Ph.D. candidate !

Key Takeaways

And that’s our guide to academic CVs! Hopefully, you’ll be more confident when writing your CV and applying for that academic position you have your eye on.

To be on the safe side, let’s recap some of the main points we discussed:

• Academic CVs are used for faculty and research applications in universities. These CVs should highlight education, publications, teaching, research, and other experiences and achievements relevant to the position, not skills or general work experience.
• There’s no page limit you have to be wary of when writing your CV. Academics don’t have to worry about Applicant Tracking Systems rejecting their CV or that a hiring manager might only skim through the contents and discard it without reading. 
• The sections on your CV are listed in order of importance, depending on the position you’re applying for. The top sections are usually Education, Publications, Professional appointments, and Teaching or Research experience.
• Be sure to pair your CV with an appropriate Motivational Letter, Personal Statement, or any other document relevant to your application.

To provide a safer experience, the best content and great communication, we use cookies. Learn how we use them for non-authenticated users.

Explore Jobs

• Jobs Near Me
• Remote Jobs
• Full Time Jobs
• Part Time Jobs
• Entry Level Jobs
• Work From Home Jobs

Find Specific Jobs

• $15 Per Hour Jobs
• $20 Per Hour Jobs
• Hiring Immediately Jobs
• High School Jobs
• H1b Visa Jobs

Explore Careers

• Business And Financial
• Architecture And Engineering
• Computer And Mathematical

Explore Professions

• What They Do
• Certifications
• Demographics

Best Companies

• Health Care
• Fortune 500

Explore Companies

• CEO And Executies
• Resume Builder
• Career Advice
• Explore Majors
• Questions And Answers
• Interview Questions

How To Put Research On Your Resume (With Examples)

• How To Write A Resume
• How To Build A Resume
• Specific Resume Words
• Action Verbs On A resume
• Words To Describe Yourself
• Resume Outline
• How To Make A Resume
• How To Make A Resume On Word
• How To Write A Resume Profile
• General Resume Examples
• Resume With No Experience
• Student Resume
• College Resume
• Entry Level Resume
• Military Resume
• Internship Resume
• First Resume
• College Application Resume
• 2 Page Resume
• Blank Resume Template
• College Freshman Resume
• Work History
• Resume Templates
• Resume Tips
• Best Resume Writing Services
• Things To Avoid On A Resume
• Resume Paper To Use
• What To Include In A Resume
• How To Write A Bio
• How To Write A Personal Statement
• Lied on Your Resume?
• Avoid Age Discrimination
• Words and Phrases You Shouldn't Include in Your Resume
• How Many Skills Should You List On A Resume
• Send A Resume As A Pdf
• Resume Critique
• Make A Resume Stand Out
• Resume Spelling
• Resume Past Or Present Tense
• How To List Projects On A resume
• Best Resume Action Words
• How To Quantify Your Resume
• Resume Bullet Points
• Are Resume Writers Worth It
• How Many Jobs To List On Resume
• Please Find Attached My Resume
• How To List Contract Work On Your Resume
• How To Put Research On Your Resume
• What Is A CV?
• CV Vs Resume
• CV Templates
• CV Examples

Find a Job You Really Want In

Research experiences and skills are an incredibly important aspect of many job applications, so it’s important to know how to put them on your resume correctly. Hiring managers and recruiters want employees who can help drive innovation by being able to apply research skills to problem solve and come up with creative growth solutions. If you’re a job seeker looking to include your research skills on a resume , we’ll go over how to list research on resume, where you can include it on a resume, and give you some examples. Key Takeaways: If you don’t have traditional research experience, highlight the skills used for research that you’ve used in past jobs. Consider creating a separate research section in your resume if you have a lot of research experience or merge sections, depending on which section you want to bolster with research. Research experience is one of the best assets to include on a resume so be on the lookout for more opportunities. In This Article    Skip to section What are research skills? Where to put research experience on your resume How to include research on your resume Examples of research on a resume How to put research on your resume FAQ References Sign Up For More Advice and Jobs Show More What are research skills?

Research skills are any skills related to your ability to locate, extract, organize, and evaluate data relevant to a particular subject. It also involves investigation, critical thinking , and presenting or using the findings in a meaningful way.

Depending on what job you’re applying for, research skills could make or break your ability to land the job. Almost every job requires some research skills and you probably already have some of those skills mastered by now.

For most careers, research is a vital process to be able to answer questions. “Research skills” are not a single skill, but multiple ones put together.

Some skills that are necessary for research are organization, problem-solving, critical thinking, communication, and specific technical skills, like coding, Excel, and copywriting.

Where to put research experience on your resume

Including research experience and skills on a resume can be incredibly flexible. When thinking about how to add it to your resume, you want to consider how the research experience adds to your resume.

Your research experience can be included in a few different sections of your resume. Some of those sections include:

Academic accomplishments

Research experience

Work experience/history

College activities

Volunteer work

Presentations and publications

Skills section

If you’ve had smaller research roles but no “official” research experience, you can highlight the skills associated with the types of research mentioned above in your job description under the work history section in your resume.

If your job history is a research position, then naturally, you would include research under the work history section. You can also merge your sections depending on what type of position you are applying for.

For example, you could create a “Research and Education” section or a “Research and Publications” section. If your research is not related to your education and you don’t have any publications, you can also detail it in a separate “Research” section in your resume.

How to include research on your resume

To include your research on your resume, you should gather all the necessary information and then quantify your accomplishments to fit into specific sections. Here is a more detailed list of how to write about research experience in resume:

Gather all the necessary information. The first step is to collect all of the important details like the title of the research project, the location of the research project, the principal investigator of the project (if applicable), and the dates of the project. You will list these details much like you would list a company you have worked for in the past.

Read the job description carefully. Every resume and cover letter you write should be tailored to the job you’re applying for. When a hiring manager puts a necessary qualification in their job posting, you must be sure to include it in your resume.

Make sure that you highlight the right types of research skills on your job applications and resumes.

Quantify your accomplishments. When describing your role on the project, you will want to summarize your accomplishments and deliverables. Hiring managers and recruiters love seeing numbers. When you write out the deliverables from your project, make sure you quantify them.

Incorporate into your work history section. If there were times when you used your research skills in your past employment opportunities, include them in your work experience section. You can also include publications, conferences you may have presented at, and any awards or recognition your research had received.

If you have completed research in an academic setting, then presentations (oral and poster) are an important part of the research process. You should include those details along with the titles of your publications.

Add to your research section. Other aspects of research that you can detail to make your application more competitive are adding skills specific to your project to the skills section of your resume.

These skills will vary depending on the subject matter, but some examples include coding languages, interviewing skills, any software you used and are proficient in using, managerial skills , and public speaking if you have presented your research at conferences.

Add research to your skills section. If the specific research you did is less important than the skills you used to perform it, highlight that in your skills section. That way, you don’t have to take up a lot of work or education history with slightly irrelevant information, but hiring managers can still see you have research skills.

Just be sure you’re more specific about a research methodology you’re an expert in because the skills section doesn’t give you as much room to explain how you leveraged these abilities.

Sprinkle research throughout your resume. If you have a lot of experience performing research in professional, volunteer, and educational settings, pepper it in a few different sections. The more hands-on experience you have with research, the better (for jobs that require research).

Examples of research on a resume

Let’s look at some examples of how research can be included on a resume:

University research example

EDUCATION Undergraduate Thesis, University of Connecticut, Dec. 2017-May 2018 Worked alongside UCONN English Department head Penelope Victeri to research the poetry of New England writers of the 20th century. Explored common themes across the works of Elizabeth Bishop, Wallace Stevens, and Robert Lowell. Performed online and in-person research on historical documents relating to each author , including information on the political, religious, and economic landscape of the US at the time. Analyzed poetic works of each author and drew on similar contemporary regional authors’ works. Prepared 20,000 words thesis entitled “Place, Allegory, and Religion: Three 20th Century New England Poets” and defended my written arguments to a panel of English professors.

Customer service research example

WORK EXPERIENCE Conducted interviews with 20 customers each week to gain insight into the user experience with company products Used Google analytics to determine which pages were driving most web traffic, and increased traffic by 11% Reviewed thousands of customer surveys and compiled findings into monthly reports with graphic findings Presented at weekly marketing meeting to inform marketing team of trends in customer experience with our products

Laboratory research example

RESEARCH Conducted experiments on rat brains by introducing various novel chemical compounds and levels of oxygen Ran electricity through brain slices to view interaction of different chemical compounds on active brain cells Prepared sterile samples for daily check and maintained 89% percent yield over the course of a 3-month study Presented findings in a final 15 -page research report and presentation to the Research and Development team

Examples of common research skills to list on your resume

Here are examples of research skills in action that you may have overlooked:

Searching for local business competition

Sending out customer satisfaction surveys

Summarizing current policies and laws in effect for a particular topic

Creating lesson plans based on current education standards

Reading literature reviews and implementing changes in clinical practice

Attention to detail

Problem-solving skills

Critical thinking

Project management skills

Communication skills

How to put research on your resume FAQ

Why are research skills important?

Research skills are important because they can help you identify a problem, gather information, and evaluate that information for relevancy. Including your research skills on a resume will show hiring managers that you have the ability to suggest new ideas and help their organization adapt and change as the industry changes.

What are research skills?

Some common research skills include:

critical thinking

Computer skills

Can I list research as a skill?

Yes, you can list research as a skill on your resume. Including your research skills in your resume can help show a potential employer that you have the ability to suggest new ideas and use critical thinking to find solutions to problems. Most research skills will use attention to detail, problem-solving, and project management skills.

California State University San Bernardino – Incorporating Research Project Experience on Your Resume

University of Missouri – How to Put Research on Your Resume

How useful was this post?

Click on a star to rate it!

Average rating / 5. Vote count:

No votes so far! Be the first to rate this post.

Heidi Cope is a former writer for the Zippia Career Advice blog. Her writing focused primarily on Zippia's suite of rankings and general career advice. After leaving Zippia, Heidi joined The Mighty as a writer and editor, among other positions. She received her BS from UNC Charlotte in German Studies.

Related posts

How To Negotiate A Job Offer- 9 Tips To Increase Your Salary

How To Write A College Student Resume (With Examples)

How To Ace Your Phone Interview And Get the Job

Job Hunter Toolkit: All The Resources You Need To Land Your Dream Job

• Career Advice >
• Get The Job >
• How To Put Research On Resume Research Experience

• How to write an Academic CV for a PhD Application
• Applying to a PhD
• The purpose of an academic CV for a PhD application is to provide a summary of your educational background and demonstrate the research skills and relevant experience you have that make you capable of undertaking a PhD.
• It should be divided into nine sections : (1) contact information, (2) research interests, (3) education, (4) research and work experience, (5) teaching experience, (6) relevant skills and experience, (7) publications and conferences, (8) professional memberships, (9) referees.
• It should ideally be up to two pages for a new research student, but can extend up to four pages if required.
• The smaller details matter more than you think – write concisely, use consistent formatting, avoid jargons and general statements, check spelling and grammar, and have at least one academic to proofread it for you, ideally in the same area you are applying to.

Introduction

So you are nearing the end of your current degree or making a return to education, and you’ve decided to make your next step a PhD. While the road ahead will be filled with much excitement, you’ll need to secure your position first. This will all begin with a strong PhD application and an equally impressive academic CV and personal statement or cover letter.

Together with your personal statement or cover letter, your CV will show who you are as an individual and what you have to offer. It needs to be concise, correctly formatted and well written to convince your preferred university and supervisor that you are the right student for the project.

This step-by-step guide will get you on your way to creating an outstanding academic CV for your next PhD application. We’ll discuss the sections your CV should be structured into, what each of these sections should include, and how it should be written. We’ll also give you valuable tips that are sure to get your readers’ attention.

What Is an Academic CV?

When applying for a PhD position, it’s common for the university to request a curriculum vitae (CV) from you to accompany your application.

An academic CV may appear similar to a standard CV used for job applications, but they are two relatively unique documents.

Where a standard CV focuses mostly on what your previous responsibilities have been and what you have accomplished to date, an academic CV concentrates on your academic background, achievements and experiences . Your academic CV will be used by a PhD supervisor to determine whether you can meet the challenges associated with undertaking a demanding PhD research project, as not everyone can.

How to Write an Academic CV for A PhD Application

A good academic CV should be broken into nine section headings:

• Contact Information
• Research Interests / Personal Profile
• Research and Work Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Relevant Skills and Experience
• Publications and Conferences
• Professional Memberships
• Referees / References

Below, we discuss what each of these sections should contain and how they should be written.

1. Contact Information

Start your CV by providing your contact details. All of the following should be included:

• Full name  – Your name should be your document title, formatted in bold and centralised text.
• Email address and contact number
• Location  – Your town/city and country, e.g. ‘Birmingham, UK’, will be sufficient; it’s not necessary to provide your full home address.
• Profiles  – Include a link to any professional profiles you may have, such as LinkedIn or ResearchGate.

NOTE:  Some individuals include a profile photo but be careful before doing so. While this would be expected in some countries such as those in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, this would not be the case in other countries such as the UK and US. This is because it can lead to complications with labour and anti-discrimination laws and potentially cost you your application. We therefore strongly advise you to look into the norms and regulations of the host country before deciding to do so.

2. Research Interests / Personal Profile

For an academic CV written for a PhD position, your ‘research interests’ section will double as you ‘personal profile’. As a brief introduction to yourself, this will be an important section as it sets the first impression of you for the reader.

Use bullet points or a brief paragraph to summarise who you are, your relevant qualifications, your research interests and your relevant skills and experience. When writing this section, your focus should be on two aspects: demonstrating your  ability to conduct a PhD  and your  enthusiasm for the project .

To create an impactful research interests’ section, adhere to the following:

• Tailor to each research project you apply for:  One of the easiest ways to do this is to read the project description attached to the PhD advert, identify two to three of the most prominent keywords, and incorporate them into your writeup.
• Keep it short:  This section is only an introduction, so keep it concise and punchy over long and detailed; 50 – 60 words is a good target.
• Make every word count:  As 50 – 60 words isn’t much, be as specific as you can. Avoid clichés such as “I am committed to research and have a high attention to detail” at all costs; not only are they generic and overused, they also don’t provide the reader with any useful insights into you.

3. Education

A PhD CV is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so your education section should be given high importance and form the bulk of your CV, especially as it will be used to determine if have the core skills required for the position.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a breakdown of your current academic qualifications. For most of you, this will be an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate Master’s degree.

When listing your qualifications, provide the full name of the degree, the degree type, and the duration in terms of its start and end year. You do not need to limit this to your past qualifications; if you’re currently studying or taking an external course, include them as well, but state that they are ongoing and provide an expected grade if you have one.

If your degree is relevant to the PhD project you are applying to, include a list of the modules you completed and your corresponding marks; the same applies to your final year dissertation project.

Note:  If you list your relevant modules, streamline their names by removing any course codes. For example, “FN01 Fluid Dynamics” should become “Fluid Dynamics”. Course codes are only used for internal purposes, and each university will have its own system, so remove them to avoid any possible confusion.

Feel free to also list your GCSEs, A-Levels or other relevant academic qualifications if applicable to the field you are applying to, however, this isn’t necessary, and most supervisors will not ask for them. The exception to this is if your university degree is not directly related to the project you are applying for, but your previous qualifications are. In these cases, include them to help demonstrate the suitability of your academic background.

Finally, list any honours, awards and prizes that you have won or any other notable academic achievements that will help to strengthen your application.

4. Research and Work Experience

Your research and relevant work experience is just as, if not more, important than your educational background. This is because most applicants applying for the position will have similar qualifications, so your research experience can often be the deciding factor when all other things are considered equal.

Your research experience may include both paid and voluntary, full-time and part-time work, as well as university project work. However, in all cases, the experience you mention should be relevant to the project you are applying for or have helped you develop skills that make you a more capable researcher. For example, it’s not necessary to mention your time in retail, but any previous time as a laboratory or teaching assistant or teaching support absolutely will be.

If you any discuss research that you have done as part of your studies, present them as individual project listed in reverse chronological order, as before. You can also include research projects you are currently working on, regardless of how developed they are.

When discussing any projects, include the following:

• What the project was about,
• What research methods you used,
• The skills you gained,
• Any notable achievements or outcomes.

5. Teaching Experience

Since one of the main career paths after a PhD is an academic career, teaching experience can significantly strengthen your academic CV. However, it is generally accepted that not all applicants will have teaching experience, but if you do, include it here.

When discussing your teaching experience, state what level it was at, e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate, and what it involved, i.e. marking, teaching, supervising or organising.

6. Relevant Skills and Experience

This section should describe all other skills and experiences that will help strengthen your application.

They should be specific to the PhD project or demonstrate your potential to become a competent researcher. This includes:

• Technical skills and experience, e.g. the use of computer software packages or research equipment common to the project you’re applying for.
• Non-project specific courses you’ve sat, e.g. an academic writing and communication course.
• Languages you know with their proficiencies noted.

7. Publications and Conferences

Most students won’t have academic publications, but if you do, list them here. Formal publications can include anything from journal articles, which is most likely to an adaptation of your final year dissertation project if you do have one, and published reports. If you have these, list them in reverse chronological order using the reference system adopted by the university you are applying to, as this is what the PhD supervisor will most likely be used to.

If you aren’t a published author or co-author, you can still include other text publications that you may have been involved in, such as online articles, magazines, newsletters and blogs. The topics of these publications should relate to your field or academia in general and be written in a formal tone that showcases your critical thinking and writing skills.

If you’ve ever given a conference presentation, include it here with details of the name, date and location of the conference, the title of your presentation and a summary of what it was about.

Even if you haven’t presented in conferences, you should still list any you have attended, including any seminars or talks. This is a useful way to illustrate your interest in the subject and your commitment to gaining new knowledge within your field.

TIP:  If you haven’t attended many conferences or seminars, consider attending several upcoming ones relevant to the research area you’re interested in. Not only is this a great way to learn more about the field in terms of its latest developments and gaps, but it can also be an effective way to make your academic CV more relevant if it’s currently light on research experience.

8. Professional Memberships

Being affiliated with an academic group, society or professional body demonstrates your enthusiasm for your field and for connecting with other like-minded individuals within the community.

When listing these, include the name of the group, the associated membership dates and the position you have held within it.

9. Referees / References

Your references will form the last section of your academic CV.

Your PhD application should specify the number of referees you should include, but if it does not, try to include at least two, but ideally three.

Two of the referees should be academic, with most students choosing their personal tutor and their final year’s dissertation project supervisor. It can be other staff members, but the essential requirement is that it is someone who knows you well enough to be able to substantiate your abilities and character.

If you don’t have two academic referees, you can use a professional referee as long as they are still relevant to the project you are applying for. This will most likely be the case for those who have worked in industry for some time before deciding to return to education.

When creating your reference list, list your referees in order of relevance and how well they know you, not in alphabetical order. This is so if only the first referee is called upon, it will be the individual who can provide you the most useful reference. The following information should be provided:

• Professional title,
• Name of current university,
• Phone number and email address.

It’s imperative that you first seek permission from the individuals before listing them as a referee. It would also be beneficial to send them a copy of your CV, cover letter and application form so they can familiarise themselves with the broader details in case they are called upon.

Tips for Creating a Standout Academic CV

No matter how impressive your academic achievements are or how much experience you have accumulated in your field, the PhD supervisor may never find out if your CV is too difficult to read. With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving a high degree of clarity:

Formatting for Clarity

• Highlight key information through the use of bolding, italics and underlining, but be careful not to overdo it so that it loses its purpose.
• Keep your formatting consistent throughout, such as indentations, font type and font size, vertical spacing and margins.
• Insert page numbers on each page.
• Avoid jargon and abbreviations to maximise clarity.
• Avoid splitting sections across two pages.

Keep It Concise

• Try to limit your CV to two pages and not more than four. If you need to go over two pages, make sure the most important information is on the first two pages.
• Avoid dense paragraphs, overly long sentences and generic statements. The aim is to pass on essential information in a way that doesn’t require the reader to have to extract it themselves. This leads to the next tip,
• Use bullet points whenever possible, they’re easier to digest than paragraphs.

NOTE:  Remember that you will also submit a cover letter or personal statement alongside your CV, so don’t feel the need to cover everything to a high level of detail here as you will have the opportunity to do so elsewhere.

Check and Revise

• As a rule of thumb, the academic CV you submit as part of your PhD application should be the third or fourth version you produce. Try to keep a day or two between each version so that you always approach it with a fresh perspective.
• Proofread for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Although this will seem like we’re stating the obvious, a small mistake can be enough to jeopardise your chances considering that there will be many other high-profile candidates for the supervisor to choose from.
• Have your document checked, first by an academic such as your tutor, and second by a professional proofreader or by an advisor from your university’s careers team. The former will check for technical issues, the latter for common curriculum vitae formatting, spelling and grammar mistakes.

Save in PDF Format

If the submission method allows for it, convert your CV to PDF format. This significantly reduces the likelihood of compatibility and reformatting issues when opened by the supervisor.

Finding a PhD has never been this easy – search for a PhD by keyword, location or academic area of interest.

Browse PhDs Now

Join thousands of students.

Join thousands of other students and stay up to date with the latest PhD programmes, funding opportunities and advice.

A Guide to Listing Research and Publications on your Resume or CV

With there being only so much room on your resume or CV, space can get taken up very easily…

Making you wonder…

Should all my publications and research get listed on my resume?

It’s a big question with a simple answer.

If you’ve got work or papers that:

Then you most definitely should include them on your resume. You want your prospective employer to be able to see exactly what you’re capable of and the actual work you’ve done is perfect.

You want to make it easy for the person thinking about hiring you to see your range of experience and knowledge in your field; this is what citing your published work will do.

Papers will also demonstrate some soft skills like good writing and the ability to analyze data .

When you’ve got a good library of publications, how do you choose which ones to include?

What format should you use in your citation?

For answers, you’ve come to the right place.

We’ve pulled together the rules and tips you need for adding your publications to your resume or CV to help get things perfect.

The right time to add publications to a resume or CV

The first thing you need to do is assess the job role that you’re applying for and decide if your published work is relevant.

You only have a small amount of space and it gets full, quickly.

The best advice you’ll get is to only include publications that match the job you’re applying for and support the points you’re making elsewhere in the resume.

To make it easy to follow, here are the main times you’re going to find listing your publications to be useful on your resume or CV:

Deciding which publications to use on your CV or resume

Your first instinct is probably to add everything you’ve ever achieved in life, but you need to make sure you’re targeting your information to the person reading your document.

• When you have papers that confer kudos, make you look more qualified, or demonstrate key skills for the role, these are the papers that you include.
• When you’ve got industry-specific publications or ones that really highlight a skillset, make sure you add them on.
• Articles about hobbies or casual subjects probably aren’t going to impress the hiring manager and can be omitted.

With all of this to think about, you’re probably thinking about which publications are the right ones to add to your resume or CV.

For your curriculum vitae , note down anything that has authority in its field that has been or will soon be published.

These could be:

• Books for academia
• Journal and publication research papers
• Not-yet-published research papers
• Articles of a scholarly nature
• Papers presented at conferences

The right type of publications to list on your resume include:

• Presentations at trade conferences
• Chapters of books or whole books
• Trade association magazine articles
• Industry journal publications

Pro-Tip Not every publication belongs on your CV. Don’t include blogs, website content, or nonscientific or magazine articles. Also, if your thesis didn’t get published, it belongs in your “ Education ” section.

Why are resumes and CVs different for listing publications?

The question of the difference between a CV and resume should probably be tackled first!

Your resume contains a summary of your skills and experience in brief, covering just one or two pages.

Conversely, your CV is packed with detail and will run well over two pages in length.

You should be writing a different resume that’s specific to each position you’re applying for, whilst your CV remains static and you tailor your cover letter for each job you go for.

How does all of this affect how you show your published work?

This breaks it down for you:

Getting to the nitty-gritty…

Examples for listing publications on a resume

You’re here because you’re wondering…

Let’s answer that for you…

We’re going to give you the rules you need to follow for citing publications on your resume. It includes the order you need to use and the simple structure to follow to give you the perfect Publications section of your resume:

• Use a dedicated section called “Publications” so it’s easy for the recruiter to find
• Order it using reverse chronology , meaning you start with the most recently published and give each publication its own bullet point. Pick out your recent and relevant works so you can conserve space for all the other important things
• Pick the right style for your list. You don’t need to follow MLA (Modern Language Association) or APA (American Psychological Association) styling, rather you can make a list that covers the title of the work, where it was published, and the date it was featured. As an example: “Components of Neo-gothic Churches in Nineteenth-Century England” British Journal of Architecture, June 2018

Pro-Tip APA style is a writing style and format for academic documents such as scholarly journal articles and books. It is commonly used for citing sources within the field of behavioral and social sciences. It was developed by The American Psychological Association. MLA style is the leading style of documentation for literary research, as well as academic papers in the humanities field. It was developed by The Modern Language Association.

For including a written publication, it should look like this:

• Title of article or chapter, then the name of the journal/magazine/website
• Last name of the author, then first and middle names or initials
• Publication year
• Issue or publisher’s number, and volume and page numbers where applicable
• If the paper is available online, be sure to add the URL too

To cite a paper presented at a conference:

• Note your role, such as presenter, panelist, or keynote speaker
• The topic or title that was discussed
• Conference or forum name
• Where and when the presentation took place

Imagine you’re looking for a SEO consultant role and the skills you need to be showing are around SEO.

This is an example of how you’d cite relevant publications for these key skills:

• Panelist: “Native SEO and How to Host It” HostCon, 2019
• “SEO in the Next Decade” Internet Trends, June 2019
• “Best Advanced SEO Techniques” Content Guru, Turin Publishing, Dec 2018
• “Hold the Front Page: Modern SEO” Searchzone, Feb 2018

Want to whip up your resume whilst dinner is cooking? Use our resume builder to easily make an effective resume. We’ve got ready-made content that you just click to use. Check out the template and choose the right one to make your resume shine. Browse examples 👈

Examples for listing publications on a CV

We’ve already established that…

Your CV, or curriculum vitae, is what you use instead of a resume in the world of academia.

Rather than picking out the best bits of your publication history for your resume, on your CV you get to show absolutely everything you’ve had published during your career, except obsolete one.

There are a few different things to consider when you’re formatting your publications to go on to your CV :

• Have the right format. With only a few publications to cite you can just add a section called “Research and Publications” within your CV, when your list is more comprehensive you’ll need to use dedicated pages for your citations
• Be consistent with your style of citations , whether you choose to use MLA or APA. A general rule of thumb is that humanities fields like languages, social sciences, and philosophy generally use MLA whilst science and engineering fields tend to opt for APA style.
• Go in reverse chronological order starting with your most recent published work and go back in descending order, all the way back to your first published article
• Don’t refer to publications that are now obsolete , you’re fine to ignore things that have been superseded or aren’t relevant to your job or field any more
• Note work that’s yet to be published but is being peer-reviewed at the time you’re writing your CV. Format these papers in italics and don’t include the name of the journal you have sent them to.
• Highlight your byline when you have co-authors or collaborators by putting your name in bold, remember not to miss out on anyone’s name

Here’s a guide to the different styles that you may be expected to use:

To give you some examples of what your listed publications would look like based on the type of work and the style you decide to use:

Pro-Tip Make sure you keep your list up to date as your career progresses and you get more articles, books, or presentations published. Each time something new goes live, add it to the top of your CV’s Publication and Research section.

When you have publications to cite on your CV or resume, it shows that you have skills, knowledge, and interest in your field. A potential employer will only see this in a positive light; they want you to be engaged in the work that you do.

It’s really important that everything that you include about your published history is correct and up to date, as well as relevant.

You can add publications to your CV or resume in a number of ways, depending on your field and purpose.

To be doubly sure that you’ve got it, here’s how to write publications on a resume and CV:

Publications on your resume :

• Put them in a separate section called “Publications”
• Include each publication in a new bullet point
• List the year and title
• Add the name of the magazine, website, or journal
• Only include publications that are relevant to the job you’re applying for

For your CV, usually, you'd include all your academic publications.

Publications for your CV :

• Include all of your academic publications
• Choose a citation style for your list and stick to it
• Start with the most recent publication and work backward
• Bold your byline when you’ve shared credit
• Don’t use outdated, disproved, or obsolete works

However, you choose to format your list, make sure that it looks tidy and well organized so any hiring manager knows exactly what they’re looking at.

Create my resume now 🔥

If you have licenses or certificates you want to put on your resume, read this article to create an effective certifications section.

Does volunteer experience require resume? How to describe voluntary roles? Volunteering is valuable so check out how to write up your experience in resume.

• Resume Templates
• Resume Examples
• Create a Resume
• Resume Writing
• Cover Letter Writing
• Career Blog
• Resume vs CV
• Resume Samples
• Product Updates
• Special offers
• [email protected]

Skip navigation

• Fall Updates
• For Employers
• In the Know
• Make An Appointment
• Internships
• Employer Connections
• CCE Programs
• Funding Programs
• Drop-in Hours
• Career Counseling Appointments
• Practice Interviews
• Programs & Services
• Design Your Next Steps
• Resumes & CVs
• Cover Letters
• Negotiating
• Career Advancement
• Graduate School
• Premium Resources
• Communications & Media
• Engineering & Technology
• Environment & Sustainability
• Financial Services
• International Affairs
• Non-Profits & Social Justice
• Psychology, Counseling, & Social Work
• Ways to Gain Experience
• Career Assessments
• Connect With Alumni
• Student Experiences
• First-Generation/Low-Income Students
• International Students
• Students with Disabilities
• Veteran Students
• LGBTQ+ Students
• Visiting Students
• Students of Color

Creating an Undergraduate CV

Your curriculum vitae (CV) is a representation of your scholarly identity and trajectory in your field. 

A CV is used to apply to research roles or other academic positions. It shows your academic credentials and achievements, experience conducting research in your field, and other experience relevant to the opportunity you’re targeting.

Your goal is to convey your interest in the field, as well as the relevant skills and knowledge that will prepare you to excel in the target opportunity.

When might I use a CV as an undergraduate?

You may be asked for a CV when you’re applying to a research position, to a fellowship, or to graduate school in the sciences. If you’re applying to a research position in industry, pay attention to whether they ask for a resume or a CV in their posting, as they may prefer a resume. In your cover letter, you can let them know that a CV is available upon request.

Many faculty may be happy to receive either a resume or a CV from undergrads looking to conduct research with them. Remember that in this case, whichever document you submit should still be tailored toward research in their field! If you haven’t done research before, convey your interest and preparedness by showing the transferable skills and knowledge you’ve built through your coursework and other experiences.

What should my CV look like as an undergraduate?

Unlike your one-page resume, your undergraduate CV can be two pages.

Sections on a CV

The sections on a CV are designed to feature the experiences that academics (like professors or researchers) acquire over time. As an undergrad, the sections on your CV will depend on the experience you’ve had so far—and the professors or researchers interested in hiring undergrads won’t expect you to have graduate-level experience. So, don’t worry if you don’t have information to go in all of these categories!

Start with these mandatory sections:

Contact information.

Include your name, address, phone number, email address, and professional website or profile (if you have one).

Include the degree-granting institution and school, the degree you’re receiving, your major or concentration, and your expected graduation date. If you’re writing a departmental thesis, include the title and the names of your thesis advisers. You can include relevant coursework, which we generally recommend keeping to two lines of text or less.

If you have additional higher education, you can also include it. If you’ve studied abroad, for instance, you can include the institution name, the month and year range you attended, and relevant coursework you took during this program.

Your CV may include some of the following sections: 

Research experience.

Include the name of the lab or department and institution, the position you held, the location, and your dates of involvement. We recommend including a brief description of the project, your role, the primary methods used, and key findings.

Publications

This section includes scholarly publications such as journal articles, book chapters, and published conference proceedings.

Format each bibliographic entry according to your discipline’s style guide, with the article or chapter title, journal name, and publication information. Include authors in publication order, bolding your name.

Include publication status if the piece is not yet published—e.g., in preparation, under review, forthcoming. We recommend listing the DOI if the article has been accepted but does not yet have page numbers.

Presentations

This section showcases scholarly presentations you’ve made, usually at conferences or symposia.

Include the author(s) and title of presentation, the conference or symposium name, and the location and date (or month if a range) of the presentation. Specify the format of the presentation—e.g., poster or oral presentation.

Grants / Awards / Academic Honors

List any academic awards, fellowships, grants, or funding received. In each entry, include the award name, award-granting institution, and year of the award.

If the nature of the award will not be clear based on the award name, you can briefly clarify parenthetically.

Teaching Experience

Include the name of the course and institution, the position you held (e.g., Teaching Assistant, Instructor of Record), the location, and month-year range of the teaching engagement. We encourge you to include a brief description of your role.

Additional Professional Experience

On a CV, you may include recent professional experience that is pertinent to your scholarly trajectory. You can title this section by the job area if helpful—e.g., Additional Engineering Experience, Editorial Experience, Museum Experience.

Include the name of the organization, your job title, and the location and month-year range of the experience. You can include a brief description of your role and accomplishments to highlight relevant transferable skills.

Leadership / Activities / Service / Volunteer Work

Include the organization, your position title, the location, and dates of your involvement. You can include a brief description of your role and accomplishments.

Professional Memberships or Affiliations

List any memberships you maintain to professional organizations in your field. Many scholarly associations have low-cost student memberships.

Certifications

Include any relevant certifications or licensures you hold.

Create categories for your skills, such as languages, technical or computer (software, hardware, coding languages), laboratory, machining, and design. In each category, list the relevant items—e.g., language names, tools, programs. For languages, we recommend indicating your proficiency level. Keep each category to 3 lines maximum.

This includes a list of relevant references, including their name, title, institution, and contact information (phone and/or email).

How should I format my CV?

CVs typically have a much simpler format than resumes. You’ll left-justify the content, use one-inch margins all around, and a size 11 or 12 font. Use bold and italics sparingly, and avoid extra design elements. Include a right-justified header includes your last name and page numbers (#/#).

How should I describe my experiences on my CV?

Typically, undergraduate CVs include short descriptions of your experience that focus on field-related content such as a description of the research project and the methods you used. Remember, your reader is likely another scholar in your discipline who will be able to interpret this technical language. It is more common to display these descriptions in paragraph form, but some people prefer bullet points for clarity.

Learning About CV Conventions in Your Field

Many professors, postdocs, and graduate students post their CVs on their departmental or lab website. Their CVs will be a lot longer than yours—some professors’ CVs run up to 15 pages. You may notice that faculty CVs will be, in most cases, less detailed than your undergraduate one, with fewer descriptions: they may be serving as records of research and teaching conducted, rather than job-search documents. Nevertheless, these CVs can help you understand trends and conventions in your discipline.

Can I see what a CV might look like?

Sure! We’ve created a couple of sample undergraduate CVs for your reference.

• Sample Undergraduate Science CV
• Sample Undergraduate Humanities / Social Science CV

Where can I get feedback on my CV?

You can get feedback on your CV from your previous research mentors (faculty, postdocs, grad students), instructors of relevant courses you’ve taken, career counselors , fellowship advisers , or writing consultants .

We recommend always seeking feedback from mentors in your field, as they will be able to offer discipline-specific insights and tips.

Related Resources

Finding an Undergraduate Research Position

Getting research experience during your time as an undergraduate can aid in your pursuit for graduate school or certain career opportunities. There are many opportunities available to conduct research alongside faculty at Columbia or other universities and research institutes.

Privacy Policy Accessibility Notice of Non-Discrimination Terms of Use

Redirect Notice

Biosketch format pages, instructions, and samples.

A biographical sketch (also referred to as biosketch) documents an individual's qualifications and experience for a specific role in a project.  NIH requires submission of a biosketch for each proposed senior/key personnel and other significant contributor on a grant application. Some funding opportunities or programs may also request biosketches for additional personnel (e.g., Participating Faculty Biosketch attachment for institutional training awards).  Applicants and recipients are required to submit biosketches

• in competing applications for all types of grant programs,
• in progress reports when new senior/key personnel or other significant contributors are identified, and
• to support prior approval requests for changes in senior/key personnel status and changes of recipient organization.

NIH staff and peer reviewers utilize the biosketch to ensure that individuals included on the applications are equipped with the skills, knowledge, and resources necessary to carry out the proposed research. NIH biosketches must conform to a specific format. Applicants and recipients can use the provided format pages to prepare their biosketch attachments or can use SciENcv ,  a tool used to develop and automatically format biosketches according to NIH requirements.

Biosketch (Fellowship): Biographical Sketch Format Page - FORMS-H

Biosketch (non-fellowship): biographical sketch format page - forms-h.

• How to Apply — Application Guide
• Format Attachments (fonts, margins, page limits, and more)
• Research Performance Progress Report (RPPR)
• Create your biosketch here!