Download (CV) Writing Guide

CV WRITING GUIDE FOR THE
SCIENCES
Purpose of a CV
When to Use a CV
A CV (curriculum vitae) is a detailed résumé with an academic
focus that is typically two or more pages long. A résumé, in
contrast, is a clear, concise summary of your education and
experience that is more of a marketing tool for a specific job; it is
usually one page long.
You will need a CV when applying
to graduate or professional school,
for grants or fellowships, and for
positions in research and higher
education teaching. These are fields
where employers need more
detailed information than is
available from a résumé, which is
more focused on your work
experience.
CVs usually include more sections than do résumés. As a more
academic document, a CV typically includes more coursework
and information on presentations, publications, poster sessions,
research skills and experience, professional memberships,
awards, grants, fellowships, and honors.
CV Writing Assistance for Students Walk-­‐in Hours with Career Advisors: Stop by the Center for Career Development from Monday to Friday, 10:00 am to 12:00 pm and 1:30 pm to 3:30 pm Scheduled Meetings with Career Advisors: Call 704-­‐894-­‐2132 or Stop by the Center for Career Development to Schedule a Meeting Academic Breaks & Students Off-­‐Campus: Call 704-­‐894-­‐2132 or Email [email protected] to be Matched with a Career Advisor You will also need a CV when
applying to some international jobs,
including those in Europe, the
Middle East, Africa and Asia. A CV
in Europe traditionally includes
more personal information than
would otherwise be appropriate to
include in a US style CV. In some
countries, adding a photograph on
your CV is expected. Research the
specific protocols for the country
where the position is located before
starting a CV for that position.
Often, the application instructions
for a particular position will state
whether a CV or résumé is
requested. If you are unsure, it is
worth your time to contact the
agency and ask which would be
most appropriate for the position.
Davidson Faculty: Receive Feedback from Your Formal and Informal Davidson Faculty Advisors in the Sciences 201 Alvarez College Union ♦ [email protected]
davidson.edu/careers ♦ 704-894-2132
Preparing to Write
Before writing a CV, become familiar with the requirements of your academic field and review various
CV examples. Here are some tips:
•
Visit your advisor and other trusted faculty members in your department for advice on vocabulary or
CV preferences specific to your field
•
Visit your academic department's web site and view faculty CVs
•
Visit websites of professional organizations related to your interests; they often contain CV advice
•
The Chronicle of Higher Education includes career advice for writing a CV in various disciplines—see
The CV Doctor and use the search term “undergraduate CV” to get started
•
Look at the information on the Purdue OWL (Online Writing Lab) website page Writing a Curriculum
Vitae
Organizing and Formatting Your CV
Order the sections according to relevance to the position you are seeking. An initial scan of a CV is usually
just 20-30 seconds by the employer, so strategically highlight information about your most relevant skills
and experience. The sections you choose will differ depending on your background and the opportunity
you are targeting. Science CVs often focus more on research, while CVs for the humanities and social
sciences may focus equally on teaching and presentations.
You will tailor your CV to different graduate programs or positions by emphasizing content more
appropriate to the areas you wish to study or work in at each particular institute or organization. This will
make you a more competitive candidate.
Descriptions within each section of your CV should be specific and concrete. Relevance is critical; refrain
from including unnecessary details or experience within any section. If you cannot explain something in
terms of the position that you are applying for, do not include it.
Sample CV Section Headings
Education
Community Service
Laboratory Experience
Relevant Coursework
Software Skills
Presentations
Fellowships/Grants
Summer Education
Publications
Teaching Experience
Work Experience
Languages
Special Training
References
Research Experience
Honors/Awards
Honors Thesis
Fieldwork
Internship Experience
Study Abroad/Travel
Conferences
Poster Sessions
Shadowing Experience
Professional Affiliations
Relevant Experience
Leadership Experience
Certifications/Licensure
Readability is very important to a CV.
Information should be concise and
presented in a consistent style throughout
the document. Keep each section uniform.
For example, if you put the name of one
organization in italics, every organization
name should be in italics.
The preferred style, format, and content of
a CV varies by discipline. Each CV will
reflect an applicant’s unique experience.
You may use all or only a few of the
categories suggested below.
Tips for CV Sections
General Formatting Tips
Header
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•
•
•
At the Top: Center your name
(larger font size ~18-20 point),
address, cell phone number, and
email address; do not include a
photo
Address: Use your Davidson city
and state unless you are looking
for a job close to home
Cell Phone Number: Make sure
you have a formal greeting on
your voicemail
Email: Use your Davidson email
address unless you are
graduating in two to
three months
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Education Section
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Margins: 0.5” to 1”
Font Type: Arial, Calibri or Helvetica
Font Size: 10 to 12 point
Bold: Use it to emphasize school names and
employer/organization names
Italics: Consider using italics to emphasize
position titles
Length: A CV does not need to be confined to a
single page, but should still be concise and easy to
find information quickly
Bullets: Use bullet points when describing your
experiences (Bullet points do not need to be
complete sentences and therefore do not need
periods at the end)
Follow a Consistent Format: Make sure titles,
locations, employers, and dates are listed in the
same format with each entry. Commas, spaces,
sizes, abbreviations, etc. should also be internally
consistent
Absolutely No Grammatical or Spelling Errors:
Employers are interested in your accuracy and
attention to detail
Spacing in each section should be appropriate so
that information is organized and easy to read
Key Points To Include: school
name, location, graduation date,
•
degree, major(s), concentration(s),
minor(s)
GPA: Include if 3.00 or above;
•
can also list major GPA if it is
better than your overall GPA;
format correctly out to two
decimal places (i.e., 3.36)
High School: Only include if you
are a first or second year student
or if you graduated from a
specialized (science/mathematics, arts) focused high school
Study Abroad & Summer Education Experiences: Include as separate education entities
Relevant Coursework: Include relevant, upper-level courses. Add the course titles. For the sciences,
indicate which included labs
Academic Honors, Honor Societies, & Scholarships: Can be listed here if you have one or two. You
can also include any prestigious awards from high school. Students with many honors may want to
create a separate Honors and Awards section
Senior Thesis Title: Include title in this section, a brief descriptive sentence or two, and the name of
your advisor. Use the format appropriate for your academic discipline (MLA, Chicago style, or APA)
Honors and Awards Section
•
•
Include departmental awards, scholarships, and memberships in any honors associations
Include a brief description and the date awarded
Laboratory and Software Skills Section
•
•
Laboratory: Skills are relevant, even if you’ve only practiced them in your classes and labs. Skills with
which you have particular familiarity should also be highlighted in the research experience section
Software: List knowledge of software programs and computer languages. For students in technical
fields and the arts, list all programs that are known well
Research and Lab Experience Section
•
•
•
•
Key points to include for each experience: institution, department/program, your title, who you
worked with, dates (be specific here – use months or semesters in addition to years), location
Use bullets to describe each experience:
o Title or description of the research project
o Supervisor/mentor name - if different than head of lab/project, make sure to also list lab head’s
name
o For science, a brief description including the general type of lab techniques used (molecular,
biochemical, genetic, bioinformatics, behavioral, qualitative, etc.)
o For art, any methods/techniques used can be detailed, if relevant
o List most recent experience at the top of the section
Examples of research and laboratory experiences to list:
o DRI, HHMI, and other summer research experiences
o Research or honors thesis details
o Independent research/study or academic year work in a lab
If position applying for is not research-based (is more liberal arts based), “Research Experience”
heading is placed in a lower position on the CV
Publications, Poster Sessions and Presentations Section
•
•
Publications: Provide the full reference if already published. If in progress or submitted, make that
status clear. Bold your last name in the list of authors
o Give bibliographic citations (using the format appropriate to your particular academic discipline)
for articles, pamphlets, chapters in books, research reports, or any other publications that you have
authored or co-authored. In fine arts areas, this can include descriptions of recitals and art exhibits
Poster Sessions and Presentations: Include authors (with your name bolded), year, abstract title, title
and location of meeting or conference
Work, Leadership, and Volunteer Experience Section(s)
What to include: You do not need to include every experience from your time at Davidson; choose
only those that are most relevant where you have made a positive impact, worked hard, perfected a
technique, gained relevant insight, etc.
o Consider adding summer jobs and your most important volunteer or student organization activities
o For example, positions like babysitting, lawn care, or waiting tables show that you can work hard
and follow directions – important skills in entry-level research positions
• Key points to include for each experience: organization/employer name; job, volunteer or leadership
position title; location of organization/employer; dates of involvement (be specific here – use months
or semesters in addition to years); list jobs in reverse chronological order, starting with the most recent
• Use bullets to describe each experience – emphasize outcomes:
o Two to four bullets depending on the depth of the experience
o Consider starting with a summary statement describing what you did and the main results of your
work
o Use a project/task-centric structure for each bullet
o Provide the results of your work and accomplishments, specifically describe your contributions
o Quantify accomplishments with numbers when possible, though qualitative results also help
o Use action verbs to lead off each bullet
• Include pre-college experiences if you are a first or second year student or
if the experience is extremely relevant
•
References Section (minimum three professors/research supervisors)
• Key points to include for each reference: name; relationship (mentor, advisor, supervisor,
course instructor, etc.); title; department; institution; address; phone number, email address
• Most relevant reference is listed first
• Ensure correct spelling - Names are spelled correctly; titles are correct; institution names are spelled
correctly and in full; mailing addresses, telephone numbers and email addresses are listed correctly
Examples of Action Verbs
Use the most powerful and expressive verbs possible to accurately describe what you accomplished.
Communication
Address
Advertise
Arrange
Ascertain
Author
Brief
Collaborate
Communicate
Compose
Consult
Contact
Convey
Convince
Correspond
Define
Describe
Develop
Direct
Document
Draft
Edit
Educate
Enlist
Explain
Express
Follow-up
Formulate
Act
Adapt
Advertise
Broaden
Combine
Compose
Conceive
Conceptualize
Create
Customize
Design
Develop
Direct
Discover
Display
Dramatize
Draw
Entertain
Execute
Exhibit
Explore
Account for
Administer
Allocate
Analyze
Audit
Balance
Budget
Calculate
Compute
Control
Correct
Determine
Advise
Advocate
Aid
Answer
Arrange
Assess
Assist
Coach
Collaborate
Contribute
Counsel
Diagnose
Educate
Enable
Encourage
Accomplish
Administer
Adjust
Analyze
Appoint
Approve
Assign
Assume
Attain
Chair
Choose
Conceptualize
Conduct
Consolidate
Consult
Contact
Coordinate
Decide
Decrease
Delegate
Design
Determine
Incorporate
Influence
Inform
Interact
Interpret
Interview
Involve
Lecture
Market
Creative
Fashion
Formulate
Illustrate
Imagine
Improvise
Initiate
Institute
Financial
Estimate
Finance
Forecast
Manage
Helping
Enlist
Ensure
Evaluate
Facilitate
Foster
Meet
Motivate
Negotiate
Network
Observe
Outline
Participate
Persuade
Present
Promote
Publicize
Publish
Question
Recruit
Refer
Reinforce
Report
Resolve
Respond
Solicit
Specify
Speak
Suggest
Summarize
Synthesize
Translate
Write
Invent
Market
Model
Modernize
Modify
Originate
Perform
Photograph
Plan
Present
Produce
Recommend
Redesign
Rehearse
Remodel
Revise
Revitalize
Shape
Sketch
Spearhead
Transform
Measure
Model
Monitor
Plan
Prepare
Procure
Project
Purchase
Reconcile
Reduce
Research
Transfer
Guide
Moderate
Observe
Predict
Prescribe
Protect
Prevent
Provide
Refer
Rehabilitate
Represent
Serve
Simplify
Support
Volunteer
Perfect
Preside
Prioritize
Produce
Propose
Protect
Realize
Recommend
Recruit
Regulate
Reorganize
Replace
Review
Revitalize
Reward
Save
Schedule
Streamline
Strengthen
Supervise
Terminate
Unify
Leadership/Management
Develop
Devote
Direct
Dispense
Eliminate
Employ
Emphasize
Enforce
Enhance
Establish
Evaluate
Execute
Formulate
Generate
Handle
Head
Implement
Improve
Incorporate
Increase
Initiate
Institute
Lead
Leverage
Manage
Maintain
Merge
Motivate
Orchestrate
Organize
Overhaul
Oversee
Plan
Approve
Arrange
Categorize
Classify
Code
Collaborate
Collect
Compile
Conserve
Consolidate
Correct
Diagram
Distribute
Enlist
Execute
Expedite
Extract
Generate
Identify
Implement
Incorporate
Inspect
Integrate
Join
Accumulate
Acquire
Amplify
Analyze
Calculate
Chart
Clarify
Collect
Compare
Conduct
Critique
Diagnose
Design
Detect
Determine
Discover
Disprove
Dissect
Achieve
Accelerate
Accomplish
Add
Advance
Attain
Augment
Award
Complete
Compound
Contribute
Decrease
Double
Effect
Eliminate
Enlarge
Establish
Exceed
Excel
Expand
Extend
Accept
Adapt
Advise
Analyze
Apply
Appraise
Appreciate
Assess
Assign
Attend
Challenge
Choose
Clarify
Coach
Command
Communicate
Compliment
Conduct
Cooperate
Coordinate
Correct
Critique
Define
Demonstrate
Designate
Develop
Direct
Discipline
Educate
Elaborate
Elicit
Emphasize
Enable
Encourage
Evaluate
Explain
Activate
Adapt
Apply
Appraise
Assemble
Begin
Build
Calculate
Compute
Configure
Conserve
Consolidate
Construct
Contrive
Convert
Coordinate
Create
Define
Deliver
Design
Detect
Determine
Develop
Devise
Organizational
Log
Maintain
Monitor
Obtain
Operate
Organize
Prepare
Prioritize
Process
Purchase
Record
Reshape
Reorganize
Respond
Retrieve
Revamp
Review
Revise
Schedule
Screen
Set up
Shape
Specialize
Specify
Streamline
Substitute
Standardize
Systematize
Tabulate
Target
Update
Validate
Hypothesize
Identify
Inspect
Interpret
Interview
Investigate
Locate
Modify
Organize
Process
Review
Research
Study
Summarize
Survey
Systematize
Test
Troubleshoot
Map
Maximize
Measure
Obtain
Pioneer
Prove
Reduce
Re-establish
Resolve
Restore
Selected as
Solicit
Stabilize
Standardize
Succeed
Transform
Trim
Triple
Validate
Widen
Won
Inform
Initiate
Inquire
Instill
Instruct
Interact
Integrate
Investigate
Listen
Model
Motivate
Observe
Organize
Persuade
Postulate
Praise
Provoke
Question
Reinforce
Rephrase
Research
Reward
Set Goals
Set Standards
Simplify
Solicit
State
Stimulate
Structure
Synthesize
Systematize
Teach
Thank
Theorize
Train
Tutor
Integrate
Maintain
Navigate
Operate
Overhaul
Participate
Program
Reconfigure
Rehabilitate
Remodel
Repair
Rectify
Regulate
Resolve
Retrieve
Screen
Service
Solve
Streamline
Supply
Survey
Train
Troubleshoot
Upgrade
Research
Evaluate
Examine
Experiment
Extract
Formulate
Gather
Results
Fortify
Improve
Increase
Initiate
Introduce
Launch
Lower costs
Teaching
Explore
Facilitate
Focus
Generate
Guide
Head
Hypothesize
Identify
Implement
Incorporate
Indicate
Individualize
Technical
Display
Engineer
Exhibit
Fabricate
Formulate
Fortify
Implement
Install
Firstname Lastname
704-888-8888, [email protected], Davidson, NC
EDUCATION
Davidson College
Davidson, NC
Bachelor of Science in Biology; concentration in Biochemistry
Expected May 20XX
GPA: 3.24 overall; 3.43 in science/mathematics courses
Beta Beta Beta, Biological Honor Society (January 201X–present)
Advanced Coursework: Biological Chemistry (+lab), Molecular Biology, Immunology (+lab), Cellular & Molecular
Neuroscience, Developmental Biology (+lab), Genetics (+lab), Cell Biology (+lab), Physical Chemistry (+lab)
Biology Honors Thesis: The Developmental Expression of Glucose-6-Wildcatase in Drosophila Neurons
IHP Health and Community: Globalization, Community, and Care
Brazil, Vietnam, & South Africa
Study Abroad Program
Spring 20XX
• Field based academic program analyzing the biological, ecological, economic, political, and socio-cultural factors
that affect human health
LABORATORY & SOFTWARE SKILLS
Biochemistry:
fraction collection, protein purification, enzyme assays, SDS-PAGE, HPLC,
ultracentrifuge, column and thin layer chromatography, spectrophotometry (UV/vis)
Molecular/Cell Biology:
brightfield, phase contrast, and confocal microscopy; quantitative imaging; sterile
technique and cell culture; DNA purification; cryostat sectioning, in situ hybridization,
density gradient and differential centrifugation; E. coli transformation
Model Systems Used:
Experience with E. coli, Drosophila, Xenopus laevis, zebrafish, chick embryos, mice, rats,
and human blood samples
Software:
MS Office; Adobe Photoshop; ImagePro+ and MetaMorph image analysis systems
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE
Davidson College Biology Department
Davidson, NC
Honors Thesis Research
Fall 20XX–Present
• Designed, conducted, and analyzed experiments to visualize the expression of a novel enzyme in ten stages of
the developing and adult invertebrate nervous systems using three distinct probes
• Performed cryostat sectioning of Drosophila and zebrafish tissue, in situ hybridization, quantitative imaging, etc.
University of North Carolina Biochemistry Department
Chapel Hill, NC
HHMI Summer Research Fellow
Summer 20XX
• Worked 40 hours per week assisting postdoctoral fellow Dr. Brenda Jones in Dr. John Smith’s lab in a variety of
biochemical experiments characterizing a novel enzyme
• Performed gel electrophoresis, wildcatase activity assays, chromatography, bacterial transformations, etc.
• Participated in HHMI Summer Research Program activities on research ethics, negative data, presentations, etc.
Davidson College Animal Care Facility
Davidson, NC
Animal Care Assistant
Fall 20XX–Spring 20XX
• Maintained, sanitized, and cleaned amphibian and rodent housing suites and support areas
• Monitored and documented frog, mouse, and rat feedings, health, breeding, activity, and environmental
information
• Assisted with injections, medications, venipunctures, wound dressings, etc. as needed
Davidson College Biology Department
Davidson, NC
Developmental Biology (Bio306) Research Project
Fall 20XX
• Designed, conducted, and analyzed experiments assessing toxicity of the pesticide parathion on chick heart
development for an eight-week independent project as part of upper-level laboratory course
• Performed in ovo electroporation, heart rate analysis, and morphology assessment of heart muscle histology
LabCorps
Middletown, RI
Laboratory Assistant
Summer 20XX
• Assisted with data collection, analysis, and record keeping for clinical hematology lab processing 100-300 blood
samples/day
Firstname Lastname
PRESENTATIONS & PUBLICATIONS
Jones B, Lastname F, Doe JA, Smith JQ Characterization and expression of glucose-6-wildcatase in the developing
nervous system. Manuscript in preparation – submission to Journal of Neuroeverything anticipated spring 20XX
Lastname F, Smith, JQ, Doe JA (20XX) Expression patterns of glucose-6-wildcatase in the developing Drosophila and
zebrafish nervous systems. Society for Neuroscience Annual Meeting, Washington, DC
Student O, Student X, Lastname F (20XX) The pesticide parathion reduces heart rate and sarcomere structure in
developing chick embryos. Joint Science Symposium for Student Research, Davidson College, Davidson, NC
Lastname F, Jones B, Smith JQ (20XX) Glucose-6-whildcatase purification and characterization in Xenopus oocytes. 15
Annual University of North Carolina Summer Research Symposium, Chapel Hill, NC
th
LEADERSHIP & OTHER EXPERIENCES
Fraternity of Phi Gamma Delta, Delta Kappa Chapter
Davidson, NC
Corresponding Secretary (January 20XX – December 20XX)
October 20XX-Present
• Managed chapter as a member of the executive board, after increasing membership from 16 to 43 in two years
• Founded Public Relations Committee to coordinate marketing and communication efforts for the chapter
• Initiated fraternity fundraising team to run in Charlotte’s 20XX Beat Cancer Half Marathon
Free Clinic of Our Towns
Davidson, NC
Medical Volunteer
October 20XX–Present
• Support a community-wide volunteer clinic that provides free medical care for the uninsured
• Attend Iredell County Advocacy Academy to discuss best practices to disseminate substance abuse education
• Partner with a community health nurse to develop bulletin board and webpage on substance and alcohol abuse
• Prepare patient folders and interview bilingual patients to prepare vital background information prior to nurse
diagnosis
The Davidsonian
Davidson, NC
Writer
September 20XX–Present
• Authored two to three articles per month on campus music and arts events for weekly campus newspaper
Michael’s Fish House
Newport, RI
Waiter
Summers 20XX & 20XX
• Interacted with up to 60 patrons per shift and served food in a fast-paced, detail oriented environment
REFERENCES
Dr. Jane A. Doe (research mentor, academic advisor, & cell biology instructor)
Associate Professor of Biology, Davidson College
Box 4567, Davidson, NC 28035-4567
[email protected], 704-894-3333
Dr. Brenda Jones (summer research supervisor)
Postdoctoral Fellow in Biochemistry, University of North Carolina
Box 468, Chapel hill, NC 2222-0468
[email protected], 919-222-1111
Dr. John Q. Smith (summer research lab head)
Professor of Biochemistry, University of North Carolina
Box 468, Davidson, NC 28035-2345
[email protected], 919-222-0000
Dr. William Wildcat (physical chemistry instructor)
Assistant Professor of Chemistry, Davidson College
Box 2345, Davidson, NC 28035-2345
[email protected], 704-894-2222
Dr. William Wildcat (physical chemistry instructor)
Hematology Lab Director, LabCorps
123 Main Street, Middletown, RI 12345
[email protected], 401-333-4444