How to prepare a good Curriculum Vitae?
This section reviews what a curriculum vitae is, how should it be written, and some tips for improving its format and style. A downloadable version of the document and a template are provided below for your assistance.
A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document with a similar format to a resume that is used to record accomplishments related to education and employment and communicate some of your skills. The main difference between a CV and a resume is that the CV usually focuses more on the educational background and gives more detail about every experience in your past.
A strong CV will capture your reader’s attention and increase the possibility that they will continue to read your statement and invite you to an interview to learn more about you. Before you begin to list your experiences, consider the message you are trying to transmit to the reader. Try to emphasize in answering the question: What is your host looking for? Take the time to reflect on what will be the most interesting, impressive, and unique for the position you are applying for.
What should you include in a CV?
Contact information:
Include your name first, then list your current phone number, address, and email address.
Objective or personal summary:
You can include a sentence or two describing your objectives for either an academic position or a job.
Educational history:
List all educational experiences related to undergraduate and graduate studies. You can list degrees you are pursuing if you have yet to graduate from an academic program.
Career-related work experience:
Career history is a central part of a CV. You can also write about work experience not directly related to your career but still helpful for explaining your qualifications and abilities.
Extracurricular activities and volunteer experience:
Non-work-related activities can still provide important information about your character and values
Languages:
If you do speak any additional languages, it's important to list these as separate qualifications on a CV and the proficiency level.
Key skills and qualifications:
Adding the skills that show your learned experience and technical, career-related abilities. In a CV, you can also give brief examples of how you've used each skill through your personal history.
Awards and scholarships:
Include academic, career, and other relevant awards and honors you've received as part of your CV. You can also include a section for publications if you've contributed to a significant academic or professional journal or other published work.
Certifications and relevant training:
Show a list of any certifications you've earned or training programs you've attended that relate to your academic or career goals
Personal References:
Contacts of people that may give feedback about your academic or professional journey, and that may be mainly related to the position you are applying for.
Formatting and Style Tips:
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Chronologically list all your experiences, starting from the most recent one to the oldest.
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List headings so that important information appears first.
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Use short and simple phrases, keeping vocabulary coherent and precise.
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Keep the same sentence structure and use the past tense throughout the document to maintain consistency.
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Describe your experiences with action verbs.
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To keep the original formatting when sending your CV electronically, convert it into a PDF.
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Keep page margins to ½” and font to 12 points. Use clear headings, spacing, underlining, italics, bold, and capitalization for emphasis, but be careful not to overdo it.
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Include only experiences that are relevant to the position you are applying to otherwise it would be too much information.
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Check your spelling and grammar throughout all the documents.
References:
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Indeed Editorial Team. (2023, July 05). Indeed. Retrieved from Indeed: Careers Guide: https://www.indeed.com/career-advice/resumes-cover-letters/sample-cv-for-internship
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McGill. (n.d.). McGill: Internship Offices Network. Retrieved from McGill: Internships: https://www.mcgill.ca/internships/files/internships/Writing_Guide_for_Internship_CVs.pdf