Curriculum Vitae (CV)

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A Curriculum Vitae, for short CV, is a document that details an individual's academic, professional, and personal achievements. It is mainly applied in educational, scientific, medical, or research career fields. As it is an overview of the whole career and not merely some resume highlighting relevant skills and experiences to be suitable for a job, it is normally longer than a resume and includes much more information about an individual's professional lifetime.

1. What is a CV?

A CV is the most accurate document to give an overall report on a candidate's background, professional career, experiences, skills, and work. It's used mainly to apply for any position related to academia and research but also sometimes used in an international job market. With a CV, a potential employer, the hiring committee, or academic board can have an opinion on the applicant's fit and qualification for a position-why it's considered a powerful tool for any job hunt in specialized sectors.

2. What is a difference between a CV and a Resume?

Length: The CV is much longer in length compared to a resume. A resume usually contains information of pages and pages whereas the information is about your academic and professional journey.

Content: The resume is generally concerned with work experience and skills required for the particular job. A CV on the other hand provides information on the academic qualifications and other researches and published articles, etc.

Purpose: Academic and research-oriented jobs have their primary use of the CV while the rest, that is most sectors require resumes.

Emphasis: Educational qualifications and academic achievements including the work that has led to one's research are what a CV elaborates on while a resume gives importance to working experience and personal skills.

3. Components of a CV

For writing a professional CV detail and formalization need to be applied. Some of them are;

a. Contact Information

Contact information part of a CV should include the following;

Full name

Telephone number

Email

LinkedIn Profile (optional, but useful for networking).

Professional Website or Portfolio.

Make sure all the information on your contact is correct and professional because this is how a job opportunity will likely find you.

b. Personal Profile or Objective

The area is optional, and it serves to give you a summary of your objectives, the strengths in your career, and areas of strength. Example

Research-oriented scientist with over a decade of work experience in genetic studies and molecular biology, looking forward to landing an academic position in contributing towards research-based contributions and mentoring students.

Education

Place your educational qualifications here. Usually, arrange them in reverse chronological order. Fill in:

Degree(s) Received: Record degree earned, baccalaureate to post-graduate levels. The fields that must be indicated include the name of the degree, name of the school and graduation date

Honours or Awards: any award received or honour gained in your whole time at education.

Thesis or Dissertation: If applicable, briefly describe your thesis or dissertation topic.

Template:

Ph.D. Molecular Biology, XYZ University, 2020. Dissertation: "Genetic Factors Influencing Plant Resistance to Environmental Stress."

d. Professional Experience

Professional experience in a resume is typically extensive and may include academic roles such as teaching or research assistantships, postdoctoral fellowships, or industry positions in a related field. Each entry should include:

Job Title

Institution/Organization

Dates of Employment

Description of roles, contributions, and accomplishments for each position

For instance,

Postdoctoral Research Fellow at ABC University, 2020 to present. Contributed to advanced molecular genetic studies where two papers have been published as first-author or corresponding authors in the highest impact journal.

Research Experience/Interests

One of the most important activities for those in scientific or academic fields is research experience. List research projects you have engaged in, including your role, the purpose of the research, and notable results. If applying to an academic or research position, detailing your research interests can help demonstrate your commitment to your field.

f. Publications and Presentations

This section is especially important for those who go into academia, research, or scientific professions. If you have only a few publications and presentations, put them on separate pages, in reverse chronological order. Use a standard citation format, such as APA or MLA.

Published Work

Include any journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers.

Presentations: List the conferences or seminars at which you presented.

Sample of a publication entry:

Smith, J., & Lee, A. (2022). "The Effects of Gene Modification on Crop Resilience," Journal of Genetic Research, 15(2), 45-60.

g. Skills

Skills to be listed on a CV may vary but must be technical and specialized for your field. Some of the categories may include:

Technical Skills: Programming languages, lab techniques, statistical analysis, etc.

Software Proficiency: Software or tools relevant to your industry, like MATLAB, SPSS, or Adobe Suite.

Languages: This may give you an added advantage if you are comfortable speaking and writing in one or more languages in most international environments.

h. Honors and Awards

If you have received some awards, scholarships, academic honors, please list them there. Include the award and the body that issued the award including the date received.

i. Licenses and Certifications

List if you have any professional licensure or certifications. There are the following examples: 

Professional Certifications: Certified Data Scientist, Project Management Professional (PMP), etc.

Licensures: Licensed Clinical Psychologist, Professional Engineer, etc.

j. Professional Organizations

Include membership in professional associations, which are allied to your profession. Some of the memberships you could include are for example:American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE)k. Volunteer ExperienceVolunteer especially in your field of study is very crucial. In a volunteer, it becomes an indication that you may have other dedication levels in whatever you undertake. More importantly, this will create more profile in case one works in the non-profit and social field.l. References

For the most part, academic CVs provide references. Please list two or three professional or academic references who can attest to your qualifications, along with names, job titles, and contact information.

Tips on Formatting and Presentation

The format of a CV is very important since it tells much about professionalism and attention to detail. Here are some formatting tips for you:

Font and Size: Use standard professional font of size between 10 to 12 points.

Consistency: Consistency in headings and usage of font styles and indentations applied throughout the resume.

Bullet Points: Using bullet points help one to read it easily

Headings Organization: Clearly label each section so the hiring committee could easily find appropriate information.

Length: Unlike a resume, a CV has no specific page limit, though unnecessary information should not creep in to make it as comprehensive and clear as possible.

When to use a CV

A CV is considered when one needs to outline every academic and professional path. It is used primarily:

In Academic Job Application-Universities and research organizations commonly require a CV from candidates for assessing their achievements and work in academics.

Research Jobs: Research-related positions in the public or private sector may want a resume for assessing skills.

Master's or PhD Applications: In graduate school research programs, there is more likelihood to submit a CV.

Foreign Employment: In some countries- Europe and Asia, people use the resume for domestic job hunts, as is the common practice.

Tailor Your Resume Each Time

Although a CV encompasses every aspect of a job, tailoring it toward an application is advantageous. This can be done through:

Emphasizing Relevancy in Research Highlight specific research projects, presentations, or publications that are relative to the position.

Put first the skills required: Tailor skills, especially those relevant for the position.

Customize the Personal Profile: The objective or summary section; ensure it reflects the purpose or mission of the institution or organization.

Common Errors to Avoid

Providing Irrelevant Work Experience: Only add unrelated work experience or skills if it further develops the purpose of the application.

Information Overload with Technical Terminology: Though using specific terminologies in an industry may be unavoidable, your CV must be readable to a non-professional, too.

Missing Proofreading: Your CV should be thoroughly proofread. Typos and grammatical errors give the impression that you do not even care about spelling.

It takes time and attention for an effective CV, which plays a pivotal role in shaping one's academic or professional career. A well-structured CV not only exhibits qualifications but also professionalism and commitment. Be it an academic role, a research job, or an international assignment, a well-prepared CV can be the most important door opener. Keep it updated, tailored for each role, and proofread thoroughly to present the best professional you can.











1. Microsoft:               https://create.microsoft.com/en-us/templates/resumes
2. Resumeworded:      https://resumeworded.com/
3. Canva:                     https://www.canva.com/en_in/login/
4. Adobe Express:       https://www.adobe.com/express/templates/resume














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