CURRICULUM VITAE
There is no standard definition of “curriculum vitae,” “CV,” or “vita,” but generally the focus is more on academic preparation, research,
and publications than in a resume. Another significant difference is that a vita is not limited by length. A master’s level vita may be three
or four pages, while those with doctorates may have vitas of ten or more pages in length. Content determines the length.
As with a resume, a vita should be written in concise language, perfectly typed, edited, and duplicated, logically organized, and tailored
to each specific position. On pages other than the first, put the page number and your name. Begin descriptions with action verbs,
emphasizing accomplishments and achievements. Names, dates, and titles should be consistently in the same place within entries. Always
package a vita with a personalized cover letter.
Vitas have no set format. Consult with professionals in your field about what to include and appropriate layout. The order of sections is
determined by your strengths: experienced candidates may begin with experience; inexperienced candidates may begin with educational
background.
If you are applying for different types of positions and
jobs outside of academia, consider developing multiple
versions of your CV tailored to each position.
A CV is generally 3-5 pages for ABDs and recent PhDs.
The length of your CV will increase as you become more
accomplished.
GENERAL GUIDELINES
Always have your advisor review your CV to insure the
content and format are appropriate for your field.
Organize your CV so your strongest qualifications are
toward the top and can be quickly identified by the reviewer.
Submit the CV and other application materials in the
manner requested by the hiring institution. When mailing,
do not staple your CV.
FORMAT
• When ordering the sections of your CV, place the most important information toward the top (with the exception
of publications, which are generally the last section due to its length).
• Be consistent in the format, layout and spacing throughout your document.
• Within each section, list the information in reverse chronological order, with the most recent item first.
• Use a 10-12 point font throughout the body of your CV.
• Generally, a CV will include your name and contact information along with sections highlighting your education,
professional experience, publications, presentations, and honors. Additional sections may include professional,
extracurricular and community activities; research interests; grants received; teaching competencies; and
professional memberships. However, depending on your experience and the position you are applying for,
additional categories may be added to highlight your accomplishments.
• Use bullets and bold and italic font styles to differentiate your sections and draw the reviewer’s eye to important
WHAT TO INCLUDE?
cv
HEADER
• List your first name at the top of the page. Make it stand out by using a font slightly larger than the rest of the CV.
• List your home and office address, email address, and a telephone number where you can easily retrieve messages.
• Include a URL if you have one for portfolio work.
University Career Center | 785.864.3624 | ucc@ku.edu | career.ku.edu
LICENSURE, REGISTRATION/CERTIFICATION
• List credentials for positions in professional fields where they are required (e.g. social welfare, nursing, education,
architecture).
University Career Center | 785.864.3624 | ucc@ku.edu | career.ku.edu
EXPERIENCE
• List professional experience that is relevant to your professional objectives and the position you are applying for.
• For each position, include the institution where you worked, responsibilities, accomplishments, dates, location
and position title if appropriate.
• In this section, you may include teaching or research experience or you can create separate sections to emphasize
your experience in those fields.
• Start the description of your accomplishments with an action verb and include the outcome if possible.
• When describing a research project, include a brief description of the purpose and results.
• Include non-academic professional experience if it directly relates to the position for which you are applying.
WHAT TO INCLUDE CONTINUED...
cv
PUBLICATIONS
• Use the appropriate citation format for your field.
• Separate publication types by topic or format if you have a lengthy list.
• Don’t include any publication you would not want the hiring committee to read!
• It is acceptable to list submitted publications, but too many “submitted” publications may not impress the hiring
committee. This is true especially for those further along in their career.
GRANTS
• If you have received grants, list the funding agency, title of the project and the amount of funding for major
grants.
SCHOLARLY AND PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS/LEADERSHIP
• Include any committee work or memberships in professional organizations.
RESEARCH INTERESTS
• This section should clearly indicate your future research plans.
• Prepare to discuss your research interests in detail during an interview.
TEACHING INTERESTS/COMPETENCIES
• Add this section if the areas you are qualified to teach is not obvious from the rest of your vitae.
• Ideally, your teaching areas should be reinforced in another section of your CV.
• Prepare to discuss your teaching philosophy and how you would design a course in detail during an interview.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
• Summarize previous employment that is not directly related to your graduate degree.
• Include any foreign language skills.
• Include any computer skills or competencies that are not listed in another section.
REFERENCES
• It is not uncommon to list contact information for each of your references in this section.
• List the names, phone numbers and emails of individuals who are writing your letters of recommendation.
EDUCATION
• Education will likely be your first section if you are ABD, a recent PhD, or pursuing a doctorate.
• List your graduate and undergraduate education by including the name of the institution, degree, area of
concentration and the date the degree was received.
• Include the title of your dissertation, the name of your advisor, and your anticipated PhD completion date.
• If you are just beginning your dissertation include the completion date for the latest stage of your graduate
studies (e.g. Coursework completed, December 2011; Passed comprehensive examinations, May 2011).
• You may include academic honors in this section. However, if you have received multiple academic honors or
any prestigious or highly competitive awards you may want to include a separate “Honors” section.