• Academic CVs

    This type of CV highlights your academic experience and research activity, which are important when applying for an academic post such as a post-doctorate, a research position, or a postgraduate course, such as a PhD.

    Employers and Higher Education institutions will understandably want to know a lot more about your academic history and achievements than they would normally. This requires extra space so it is standard to attach appendices.

    Even with an Academic CV, employers and universities still want to know about your softer skills such as team work and attention to detail, so remember to mention these too.

    Academic CV

    Your name

    Your address

    Your email address and phone number

    Top Tips

    • No marital status, NI number, age or gender required. Just your name and contact details.

    Current research interests

    In no more than a few lines summarise your research interests, ambitions or targets for the future as well as present and past research experience

    • Just give a flavour of research interests and keep this really concise – you could use bullet points. Save the detail for the appendices, or add more detail in your education section.

    Education

    Include degrees, dissertations/theses and names of supervisors. Don’t forget to mention awards, scholarships, prizes and any research techniques/methods acquired.

    • In 'Education' the focus should be on your HE qualifications and achievements and in reverse chronological order.

    Research Experience

    This can include placements and summer research posts as well as the supervision of undergraduates during your doctorate. List any achievements and special responsibilities.

    • If you don’t have much research experience yet focus on your undergraduate or postgraduate research skills and experience.

    Work experience

    Teaching/lecturing experience and administrative responsibilities should be highlighted here. Include student supervision, seminar leading, and assessment. For any other employment that might be less relevant emphasise your relevant transferable skills.

    • Use sub-headings to highlight the relevant areas of experience – for example, 'Teaching' and 'Admin' etc. Always include any key achievements.

    Professional Qualifications and Personal Development

    This can include relevant professional exams as well as Presentation Skills courses, Mentor Training and Project Proposal Writing courses.

     

    Skills

    Specialist/technical, IT, languages or lab techniques, for example.

    Conferences attended

    Names, dates and locations - including any papers delivered and conferences organised.

    • Always cross reference your skills to the job specification. The starting point is always thinking 'what skills are the employer looking for?'

    References

    Two or three full references including name, job title, address, email and phone number. Two must be academic referees.

    Appendices

    List publications, books, articles, book reviews etc. and an abstract of your current research such as your PhD/Masters can go here too.

    • Make sure your referees know the details of the post you are applying for.
    • The Appendices are where you can provide some detail about your research which is why your Academic CV will be longer than the usual 2 pages.