Preparing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)
 
 

The Role of the Curriculum Vitae in Academic Life


The following is a presentation created by Diane J. Mick PhD RN CCNS GNP FNAP. It was designed to:

  • Articulate strategies for developing an effective CV
  • Outline elements of a carefully constructed CV
  • Differentiate items that belong on a CV from those that do not

 

It’s a fast scan and a great guide to review before you put together your CV.

 

What is the role of the CV?

The CV is a:

  • Formal record of one’s progress on the academic ladder
  • The centerpiece of the academic review process

 

What’s good about your CV?

Consider your CV as a:

  • Tool for self-assessment
  • Source of positive encouragement when your path deviates from the "Big Plan"

 

Why do you need to keep an updated CV?

You will be asked for it frequently for:

  • Job applications
  • Speaking engagements
  • Introductions

 

Getting started

  • Consult with the person in your deptartment who is responsible for the academic review process
  • Find out whether your institution has a required CV format
  • Ask more senior colleagues (faculty) for copies of their CVs

 

Design considerations

  • Be conservative
  • Keep it in perspective. The length of your CV is not an accurate indicator of
    your worth as a person.
  • Avoid
    • Fancy paper
    • Multiple colors
    • Spiffy fonts
    • Embedded photographs
    • Other desktop publishing marvels

 

Elements of a CV

  • Demographic information
  • Education
  • Research interest and research support
  • Accomplishments relevant to your professional career
  • Intramural and extramural professional activities
  • Invited speaking engagements
  • Teaching and other educational activities

 

Demographics

  • Do not include:
    • Date and place of birth
    • Marital status
    • Number, gender, and ages of your children
    • Political leanings
    • Religious tendencies
    • Social security number
  • Do include:
    • Post-secondary education
    • Degrees
    • Licensures
    • Certifications
    • Chronological listing of employment following post-secondary education
    • Academic titles
    • Administrative titles

 

Research Interests and Research Support

  • Limit this section to a few terse statements about your major area of interest. It should be just a line or two, not a full-scale description.
  • Statements should be analogous to global specific aims of a grant application
    • Advertise general direction
    • Allow titles of your published work to convey the details
  • List amounts, dates or duration, and titles of awards you have received as the Primary Investigator (PI)
  • Early in your career, list all research support, including individual fellowships to establish a funding history
  • When listing awards on which you are Co-Investigator or Consultant, be scrupulous about identifying the PI

 

Professional Accomplishments

  • List awards and honors relevant to your professional career
  • Prizes for research or teaching
  • Elected memberships in scholarly societies (it’s okay to list awards for volunteerism, but avoid activities like Eagle Scout, PTA Parent of the Year, etc.)

 

Professional Activities

  • Describe how you contribute to your institution and to your health care specialty
  • Distinguish between service to a divisional education committee from service to a campus-wide group
  • Include peer-review involvement
    • Grant reviewer
    • Editorial board member
    • Study section member
    • Include dates of service and your precise role

 

Invited Speaking Engagements

  • Invitations provide evidence of your reputation outside your own institution
  • Critical criterion for advancement in academia
  • Include title of presentation, audience, location and date

 

Teaching

  • Course load, contact hours, #s of students
  • Guest lectures in other courses
  • Outline course titles, dates, description of your role in course leadership, design, or development
  • Tutorial and/or advisory services
  • Thesis and dissertation advisement

 

“Paper in preparation” as a promissory note

  • Can backfire, if it remains on your CV for too long -- it can look like padding
  • “Submitted” is okay (it’s not necessary to identify the journal)

 

NIH Biosketch

  • Keep an updated copy of an NIH biosketch along with your CV
  • A biosketch forces you to pare down

 

Updates

  • Update at least quarterly
  • Update when you have published a paper, given a presentation, etc.

 

References

  • Barrett, K. E. (2002). Preparing your curriculum vitae. Journal of Pediatric Gastroenterology and Nutrition, 34, 362-365.
  • Hinck, S. M. (1997). A curriculum vitae that gives you a competitive edge. Clinical Nurse Specialist, 11, 174-177.