Your Full Name

City, STATE  (555) 123-1234  youremail@[Link]

EDUCATION
Use these templates as the basis for formatting your degrees. Delete any that do not apply.

PhD, [Name Subject] Expected: 20xx

Clark University, Worcester, MA
Dissertation: “This is the Title of Your Dissertation”

MA, [Name Subject] 20xx

Clark University, Worcester, MA
Thesis: “This is the Title of Your Thesis”

BA, [Name Subject] 20xx

Clark University, Worcester, MA
List any certificates or honors here

ACADEMIC HONORS AND AWARDS

Name of award, fellowship, grant, or academic scholarship 20xx – 20xx

Name of award, fellowship, grant, or academic scholarship 20xx – 20xx
Name of award, fellowship, grant, or academic scholarship 20xx – 20xx

TEACHING AND RESEARCH INTERESTS

Use this invisible table to list your teaching and research interests, if applicable.

 
 
 

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
This section can include TA and GA positions from undergrad and grad school. Change the university
name as needed. Add as many entries as you need. Hint: in your bullets, avoid the words “assisted” or
“helped.” Instead, describe the pieces you actually did on your own.

Job Title Month 20xx - Present

Course Number & Name
Clark University
 Name one of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Name another of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.

Job Title Month 20xx – Month 20xx

Course Number & Name
Clark University
 Name one of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
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 Name another of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.

Job Title Month 20xx – Month 20xx

Course Number & Name
Clark University
 Name one of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Name another of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.

ACADEMIC EMPLOYMENT
This section can include other academic jobs such as “Research Assistant,” Editor,” “Program
Assistant,” “Project Coordinator,” etc. Change the university name as needed. Add as many entries as
you need. Hint: in your bullets, avoid the words “assisted” or “helped.” Instead, describe the pieces you
actually did on your own.

Job Title Month 20xx - Present

Clark University
 Name one of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Name another of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.

Job Title Month 20xx – Month 20xx

Clark University
 Name one of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Name another of your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.

LEADERSHIP AND SERVICE

This section can include other relevant positions which show your leadership and organizations skills.
This can include: club leadership roles, committee chair or member, conference organizer, guest
lecturer, founder of a club or organization, event organizer, etc.

Job Title, Name of Organization or Committee Month 20xx - Present

Clark University
 Describe the project, event, or committee purpose.
 Describe your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Describe the outcome or impact of the project, if possible.

Job Title, Name of Organization or Committee Month 20xx – Month 20xx

Clark University
 Describe the project, event, or committee purpose.
 Describe your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Describe the outcome or impact of the project, if possible.

Job Title, Name of Organization or Committee Month 20xx – Month 20xx

Clark University
 Describe the project, event, or committee purpose.
 Describe your most important tasks. Start each bullet with an action verb.
 Describe the outcome or impact of the project, if possible.
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MAJOR PROJECTS (or) MAJOR RESEARCH

This is a place to say more about unpublished research and any other research-oriented projects, such
as LEEP Projects, REU’s, research-oriented internships or volunteerism, etc.

Title of Project Month 20xx

Clark University
 Describe the scope and topic of your research
 Describe any significant findings
 Describe any positive impact on the community, if applicable

Title of Project Month 20xx

Clark University
 Describe the scope and topic of your research
 Describe any significant findings
 Describe any positive impact on the community, if applicable

PUBLICATIONS
Only use the “Publications” heading if all papers in the section have been published, in which case you
can use AMA, MLA or Chicago formatting as appropriate. If co-authored, include all author names.
NOTE: if a publication is in revision or submitted but not published yet, you can include it as long as
you note it as such.

PROFESSIONAL PAPERS DELIVERED

List any papers you have read or presented at conferences or other events. Use AMA, MLA or Chicago
formatting as appropriate.

“Name of Paper.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

“Name of Paper.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

“Name of Paper.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

POSTER PRESENATIONS
List any posters you have presented at conferences or other events. Use AMA, MLA or Chicago
formatting as appropriate. If co-authored, include all author names.

“Name of Poster.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

“Name of Poster.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

“Name of Poster.” Name of Conference or Event, City, State, Month 20xx.

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ONLINE ARTICLES
Optional section. If you have written articles OTHER than your academic papers which appear online,
use this section. Use only articles which are relevant and professional in tone.

“Title.” 20xx
Name of Website or Blog
Give a brief (1-3 lines) description of what the article is about and why it matters.
[Link]

“Title.” 20xx
Name of Website or Blog
Give a brief description of what the article is about and why it matters.
[Link]

“Title.” 20xx
Name of Website or Blog
Give a brief description of what the article is about and why it matters.
[Link]

PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
If you can afford it, consider joining one or more professional organizations related to your field. Most
offer student rates. (Ask your advisor for suggestions.) If you attend a conference related to your field,
consider joining the professional org that hosts the conference. Often you can get a discount for paying
for both conference and membership at the same time. Although not required, membership goes a long
way toward demonstrating long-term commitment to a field or profession.

Full Name of Organization (Optional: list dates) 20xx - Present

Full Name of Organization (Optional: list dates) 20xx – Present

LANGUAGES
Optional section. Include if relevant AND if you have a second language that is at least intermediate
level proficiency.

English: Fluent
Other Language: Intermediate Proficiency or Fluent
Other Language: Intermediate Proficiency or Fluent

COMPUTER SKILLS
Optional section for CV’s. Include if you have relevant proficiency in technology/software OTHER than
Microsoft Office Suite and Google Docs. Consider statistical software, programming languages, etc.

Microsoft Office: Proficient

Other Software: Proficient
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CV FAQ’s – delete this section before submitting!

Q. How should I use this document?
A. Fill out the sections here that apply to you. Delete those that don’t – and don’t stress it, not all will
apply. Also be sure to delete the instructions, in orange.

Q. What’s the difference between a resume and a CV?

A. A curriculum vitae (CV) is an unabridged (complete) listing of one’s academic and research work.
By contrast, a resume (in the United States) is a 1-2 page summary of your work experience and skills.

 When to use a CV: Typically, a resume is used in the United States for job applications, and a CV
is used for grad school applications, for academic/research application, and for job applications in
higher education/academic settings. When in doubt, ask which one you need to submit.

 CVs are typically longer than resumes - at least two or three pages. Unlike resumes, CV’s have
no page limit as long as the material is relevant to your profession or field.

 Some applications will accept either a resume or a CV. In that case, decide which one highlights
your relevant experience and skills better, given the position and what you’ve done.

 Applying internationally? Please note: You may be asked to write a curriculum vitae for
international employment. This type of CV is different from the American CV. Please make an
appointment with a member of the Career Services staff for information on applying for jobs
overseas.

Q. What if I have CV items that don’t easily fit into one of the categories
from this template?
A. This template is a starting point – it is okay to add, delete, or rename sections. For example, it might
be more accurate to use one or more of the following:

 “Academic Experience”
 “Experience”
 “Relevant Experience”
 “Work Experience”
 “Volunteerism”
 “Teaching Experience”
 “Leadership Experience”
 “Organizational Experience”
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 Etc.

Q. Can I change the font or font size?

A. Yes. Just make sure to use a professional looking font, and a font size that is easy to read –
generally, 11-12 pt, although 10.5 or even 10 pt may work for some fonts. And if you change fonts you
will likely need to fix the layout a bit.

Q. Can I change the order of the sections?

A. In CV’s, your education section always remains at the top.
After that, you want to put the most relevant and most impressive material up front. Use your best
judgment. If possible, look at the CV of someone in your specific field as a sample.

Q. Should I include references?

A. This is optional on the CV. (I’ve seen both ways recommended by other career professionals out
there.) If your application includes specific instructions about when and how to send in references, go
with that first.
If it does not, here are some options for submitting references:
(1) You can decide to include them as an additional section at the end of the CV.
(2) You can create a separate “References” document (with the same header as your CV – cut and
paste).
(3) Or you may just wait until asked.
If you include references up front, make sure you’ve included RELEVANT references for the specific
position or degree program (it is okay to tailor references to the job or degree program to which you are
applying). When listing references, generally include the following:
Name of Person
Title (if something other than professor – for professors, use Dr. so-and-so if applicable)
Name of their organization
Their relationship to you (e.g., academic advisor, supervisor, colleague, mentor, etc.)
Email
Office phone number

Q. When is my CV too long?

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A. Unlike resumes, which should be 1-2 pages (unless it is a government resume), CV’s should
include ALL relevant material, so 3-4 pages is okay. The operative word here is RELEVANT. There
may be material outside your field or professional that you include (for example, to show leadership,
etc.), however you should have a reason for everything you include.

Q. I don’t have a lot of paid work experience. Is that bad?

A. Not necessarily – especially if you are applying to grad school. For that, it’s more important that you
have experience in your chosen field. Having said that, an internship or other experiential learning
experience off campus can be helpful if you are applying to a very competitive program or if your GRE’s
are low.

Q. Should I repeat information in more than one section, for example

“Relevant Experience” and “Leadership?”
A. Ideally, most information will be listed just once. There are a few exceptions; for example, you may
mention the title of your thesis under “Education,” then describe it more in-depth under another section
describing all of your (best) research experience.
Use your best judgement, while looking for ways to group your information so the majority is listed only
one time.

Q. Who should give me feedback on my CV?

A. Again ideally, at least two people: someone who can proofread for format, design and typos, and
someone who is familiar with your field of study. Each person can give you a different, and
complimentary, perspective.

Q. I’ve asked two people for feedback, and they gave me contradictory
advice. Now what?
A. That depends on the topic.
If you get two different suggestions for the formatting, ask why. Since there is no one universal CV (or
resume) design, you may be misunderstanding suggestions as required changes, and you may have
the freedom to go with the design you prefer.
Consider whether the advice falls into the area of expertise of the person giving it. If a professional in
your field is suggesting content you should include, language you should use, or other advice related to
that field, that person’s advice should be weighed heavily, as they may have the best perspective on
what resonates with other professionals in that field.
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Conversely, a career professional may have advice for how to strategically arrange your unique
combination of skills experience so that you are as competitive as possible.
Again, there is no universal template. It’s about showcasing your talent and qualifications so that the
reader easily and quickly sees how great you are. So take all advice, consider the context, and use
your own judgment.

Q. Should I change my CV for each application?

A. CV’s and resumes should always appear to the reader to be both complete and relevant to the
position or program to which you are applying.
If you are applying to similar positions or programs over and over, your CV may not change at all from
one application to the next.
Having said that, it is okay to tweak the document to keep that balance between complete and relevant.
It’s a great habit to look the CV over from one application to the next and ask yourself, Is there anything
to change here?
For example, if you are applying to different kinds of programs:

 You may change one or more people on your references list to best match the job or program.
 You may move certain sections higher or lower in the sequence to make the most relevant
sections appear on the first page.
 You may expand or shorten descriptions of activities not related to the application (for example,
your summer jobs waiting tables if you are applying for grad school).
Remember, these are fine-tuning suggestions for folks who are applying to different kinds of jobs or
programs. If your CV is complete, and you use the same version of it for every application, that is most
often going to be fine.

Q. My CV just doesn’t look impressive enough…should I panic?

A. Remember that you are where you are. Your CV will not be as long as someone who has been out
of school for a while.
And usually, when you apply to grad school or for an opportunity, your CV will be accompanied by a
cover letter, letter of interest or personal statement essay. This document will give you another
opportunity to talk about your career goals, your research interests, and your professional passion
projects.
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