How to Write a CV

Guide Note

A curriculum vitae, also known as a CV, is used all over the world as a kind of super-charged resume. How To Write A CV breaks down how to assemble your curriculum vitae, just in case you need one to land that dream job!

Table of Contents

• Introduction
• CV vs. Resume
• Step 1: Compile Information
• Step 2: Format
• Step 3: Write
• Step 4: Tailor
• Conclusion
• References

CV Writing Tips

1. Make sure your information in accurate.
2. The CV should look ultra-professional.
3. Tailor a CV for each company you apply to.
4. Never lie or guess on a CV—it could cost you a great job.

Mahalo Career How Tos

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• How to Dress for a Job Interview

• by Vickey

Introduction

• A curriculum vitae, or CV, is basically a long, detailed resume. If you apply for a job in the Middle East, Africa, Asia or certain parts of Europe, potential employers will expect a CV, rather than a resume.¹ You'll also find a CV useful if you're searching for a job in academia or applying for a research fellowship or grant in the United States. Read on to learn how to compile a curriculum vitae.

How is a CV Different from a Resume?

• CVs and resumes are not interchangeable. If a company asks for a CV, you should not send them a resume! Here are some of the basic differences between the two:²

1. Resumes run 1 or 2 pages. CVs can be ten times as long.
2. Resumes have little personal information. CVs have lots! Your marriage, kids, age, religion—it's all there.
3. CVs have lists: all the articles you've written for publication, all awards won, etc. That's the reason they're so long.

Step 1: Compile Information for Your CV

(Creative Commons photo by desi.italy)

• The companies and institutions that want a CV need a lot of information on you—more than a standard resume would provide. The following lists describe the types of information typically found in CVs:

Personal Data

• Foreign employers, in particular, may expect to see some the following personal details on your CV:

1. Birthdate and birthplace
2. Nationality
3. Your visa status
4. The International Dialing Code with your phone number
5. Your marital status and the age or your children
6. Languages spoken, besides English

Education

• For those just starting their career, this part of the CV is detailed.³ Where a resume might simply give the name of a university and the date you graduated, a CV includes:

1. Specialized programs you enrolled in
2. Grants, fellowships and scholarships you were awarded
3. Any academic awards or prizes you won
4. Titles of your dissertation and thesis
5. Any publication credits
6. Conferences in which you participated
7. Teaching experience
8. Research experience, including the type of project you worked on
9. Professional or scholastic associations and offices held in them

• Remember, though: the further you are away from college, the less important this section becomes.⁴ The college experiences of someone with 25 years worth of work experience isn't especially relevant. In that case, simply giving the school, graduation year and type of degree earned is sufficient.

Work History

(Creative Commons photo by ricoeurian)

• List your jobs in chronological order, with the most recent appearing first. Include both paid and volunteer positions.⁵ Include the following information:

1. Complete contact information for each company listed
2. Descriptions of each job held and the extent of your duties and responsibilities (2-3 lines)

Professional Qualifications

• Here's where you highlght your skills! List:

1. Licenses and certificates
2. Professional affiliations
3. Training programs you've completed
4. Computer skills and software knowledge
5. Any other specialized skills that make you look like the perfect match for your desired job

Achievements

• Achievements are really the "icing on the cake" of your completed CV. If there is anything not covered in your CV thus far that you think will help you stand out from the crowd, this is the section to include it in.⁶

1. Publication history (since leaving school)
2. Awards (since leaving school)
3. Professional Memberships and offices held
4. Foreign languages spoken (if not included elsewhere in the CV)
5. Interests

• In the article "Resumes, CVs and More", Todd Anten writes, "A CV lists almost every work-related accomplishment you've ever had, from papers published to presentations given to classes taught to awards won." So don't skimp on drawing the most complete picture of yourself possible.⁷

Tips for Compiling Information

• Compiling your CV will be much easier if you have the right info on hand. Here are a few tips on what documents to keep on file to make compiling your CV easier now and in the future:⁶

1. Keep the following documents filed away:
   1. All your transcripts from college (or high school, if you don't have a college degree)
   2. All certificates and credits from other courses, seminars and training
   3. All performance evaluations and job descriptions for positions you've held
2. Don't have these items on hand? Here's how to get a hold of them:
   1. Request copies of your transcripts from your former schools.
   2. Call the Human Resources Departments of former employers and request copies of job descriptions and performance reviews.
   3. Don't forget your current job. Get an official description of your job from HR if you can.

Step 2: Format Your CV

(Creative Commons photo by Zach Klein)

• There are no absolute rules here, but your CV should look smooth and professional.

1. Pick a clean font. Under no circumstances should you mix fonts! What font to use?⁸
   1. Experts don't always agree, but most sites say simple is best. Don't use any exotic or unusual fonts.
   2. Arial is a good "sans serif" font, meaning it has no little "tails" or curlicues on the letters.
2. To start, center your contact information at the top of the first page. Your name, of course, goes first. On the next lines, still centered:
   1. Your address. Break up your address as you would on an envelope so that it takes 2 or 3 lines.
   2. On the next line, put your phone number.
   3. Finally, put your email address.
   4. You do not have to put the words "Curriculum Vitae" or "CV" anywhere in this heading.
3. Now switch to lining up everything on the left margin. Arrange your information in order of importance to the employer.
   1. If you're just out of school, or looking for postgraduate positions, start with Education.
   2. If you want to stress your work experience, start with your Employment History. List your most recent job first.
   3. If applying for a job where specialized skills will make the difference, start with those Skills.
4. If you use a template, you may sacrifice that spark of originality that gets you noticed. On the other hand, if you do decide to use a template, don't go crazy personalizing it. Keep the look of your CV professional. Here are a few places to look for templates:
   1. Check to see if your word processing software has a CV template. For users of Word, Microsoft Office Online offers a Selection of Templates, many of them free.^{9 10}
   2. If you need something quick—more like an outline, than a full template, check out Blurt It's What is a CV?.¹¹ Another easy-to-access example is at My Tutorial's How to Write a CV.¹²
5. Purdue University's CV Advice Page suggests that you ask co-workers or friends who've recently looked for a job in your field for a copy of their CV.¹³ This is especially valuable if the CV landed them a choice position.

Step 3: Write Your CV

(Creative Commons photo by Daniel Lobo)

• Your CV is mostly comprised of lists. Lists of accomplishments, lists of classes, lists of skills. However, it's important to use a consistent style when composing those lists.

1. If you start out describing your positions with short phrases as opposed to sentences (which, as Purdue's CV Page points out, is good form on a CV), continue using that style.¹³ Do NOT switch from "Coordinated staff schedules to maximize efficiency" to "In this position I spent time meeting with department heads..." See the difference? Be consistent!
2. Keep your verb forms consistent. Most CVs use the past tense.
3. While you are composing the CV, be sure NOT to leave gaps that may raise questions with employers. For example, account for a period of unemployment by pointing out that you were in school.¹⁴
4. Do not lie. All your information can be checked, and lying is grounds for immediate termination.
5. Avoid repeating yourself or using dull verbs. Use action verbs like "designed the program" or "headed a team."
6. Notice that we left the word "I" out of the examples in the previous point? The person reading your CV already knows that the document is describing your work. Eliminate "I" and "me" whenever possible.
7. Stress accomplishments, and quantify them if possible. If your reorganization of the sales staff resulted in increased sales, say how much, either in percentage form or actual dollars.
8. In a CV, bullet points are good.

Step 4: Tailor Your CV

(Creative Commons photo by William Ward)

• CV Tips points out that your CV should be tailored to each particular job you want.¹⁵ What does that mean?

• Once you've assembled the information above and have a CV, use it as a Master Template. Each time you send it out, review the Master first and edit it to target a specific job and company like this:¹⁶

1. Re-order the items in each section, so that the items that will most impress this employer appear first on the list.
2. Don't be afraid to delete items that aren't relevant to the job you're after.
3. Add items that may impress the specific employer: regional interests and travel, specialized training, professional associations, etc.
4. When your CV is going to a foreign employer, check it extra carefully for "cultural faux pas." This article at Quintessential Careers will help you troubleshoot your international CV.¹⁷
5. Send your CV exactly as the company requests! If they say email it, then email it.
   • Consider this your first test. If you don't comply with the first instructions the employer issues, why would they even bother to interview you?
6. All CVs should be sent with a well-written cover letter.
   • Visit Mahalo's page How to Write a Cover Letter for tips on putting together a letter that gets you noticed.

Conclusion

• CVs take time, not because they're difficult to write, but because they require a lot of information. With that in mind, our final word of advice is to start collecting that information NOW. Don't wait until the ad for the perfect job appears. If you do, your CV will arrive three weeks after everyone else's!

References for How To Write a CV

1. ↑ About.com: Writing Curriculum Vitae  
2. ↑ About.com: CV Vs. Resume 
3. ↑ NIational Institutes of Health: Trainees-How to Write a CV
4. ↑ CV Service: CV Writing: Education
5. ↑ CVTips.com: Professional Work Experience
6. ↑ ^{6.0 6.1} CVTips.com: Achievements on Your CV
7. ↑ Yahoo! HotJobs: Resumes, CVs and More: Organizing Your Qualifications
8. ↑ University of Kent: Presentation Tips
9. ↑ Official Site: Microsoft Office Online
10. ↑ Microsoft Office Online: Templates
11. ↑ BlurtIt: What is a curriculum vitae?
12. ↑ MyTutorials: How to Write a CV
13. ↑ ^{13.0 13.1} The OWL at Purdue: Writing the Curriculum Vitae
14. ↑ CVTips.com: General CV Weaknesses
15. ↑ CVTips.com: Time and place for drawing up a CV
16. ↑ CV Tips.com: Targeted CV
17. ↑ QuintCareers.com: Cultural Compotent Resumes for the Global Job Market

How to Write a CV Videos

• Video: CVs Explained (Time: 1:30)
• Video: The Difference between a CV and a Resume (Time: 1:03)