What Is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)? And When to Use It in Your Job Search

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a document outlining your professional experience, education, and achievements. It’s used in specific fields, such as academia or science, because it often features sections you won’t find on a resume, such as publications you’ve authored or grants and funding you’ve received.  

If you plan to enter a field that requires a CV, learn what you should include and tips for formatting your CV. Afterward, strengthen your writing skills with the University of Michigan’s .

What is a CV?

A curriculum vitae (CV) is a resume used for specific fields. It weighs many factors beyond experience when considering a candidate. Potential employers will want to understand aspects like your research, any committees you’ve served on or chaired, and whether you’ve been published anywhere to determine whether you’re a good fit for the position. As such,  a CV can be several pages long and typically includes an exhaustive list of every educational, academic, institutional, and professional accomplishment of your career.  

You may sometimes hear “CV” used interchangeably with “resume,” but the two are different documents, especially when considering length. Learn more about the key differences between a CV vs. a resume.

How long should a curriculum vitae be?

CVs tend to be longer documents than resumes, which adhere to a certain length depending on the amount of experience you’ve acquired in your career. CVs, on the other hand, are anywhere from two to eight pages. The longer you’ve worked in your field, the longer you can expect your CV to be. For example, a professor with hundreds of publications will have a CV that is several pages long. 

As you build your CV, try not to get too worried about length. Instead, try to focus on including the most relevant information for the role you’re applying for. 

When should you use a CV?

There are specific instances when you should use a CV. These include applying to certain types of roles, opportunities such as grants or fellowships, and in different professional settings that require a more extensive history of what you’ve done. 

• Academic or research positions: Faculty appointments, post-doctoral positions, research fellowships, and graduate school applications 

• Medical or scientific positions: Clinical or laboratory roles, scientific research opportunities, and research grants. 

• International jobs: Many jobs outside the US require a CV rather than a resume

• In specific professional contexts: Speaking engagements, grant proposals, board positions, and consulting roles. 

What to feature on your CV

A full CV should include a comprehensive review of your professional career and educational training, and all the skills, achievements, and associations applicable to the position you seek.  Use the sections below to guide what you should include, but note that you don’t need to include sections irrelevant to your work. 

Contact information

Start crafting your CV by including your contact information. This should consist of your: 

• Full name

• Mailing and/or physical address

• Phone number

• Email address

• Social media profiles, if appropriate

You’ll want any potential employer to know how to connect with you easily.

Academic history

CVs position academic experience before work experience because careers in education, science, and research often demand that professionals engage in lifelong learning. It’s important to keep up-to-date with your industry’s best practices and technological developments, and you can show the work you’ve completed in this section of the CV.

Be sure to include a comprehensive listing of:

• All degrees, including the degree title, graduation year, and the name of the school

• Training opportunities, with the title of the training, the name of the instructor, and the date completed

• Coursework, whether online or in-person, with the name of the school and date completed

• Professional Certificates

• Licensure, including the license name and number, licensure agency, and the issuance and expiration dates

Some professionals may have completed continuing education that does not apply to the position they are applying for. If this is the case for you, carefully consider whether you gained additional skills that could transfer to the position. If you can’t find a strong connection, you can omit it from your CV.

Work experience / professional history

CVs have a section outlining professional experience. Using an easy-to-read format, you should include:

• The company or organization that employed you

• Your job title

• Location of the company

• Start and end dates

• A short summary of your responsibilities and achievements associated with the position

Keep the summary as objective as possible, with proven achievements to stand out. Think in terms of measurable objectives with clear statistics that show improvements rather than vague statements based on emotion. Word it appropriately so you do not take full credit for a team's work.

Technical and workplace skills

Employers want to ensure you can complete the tasks as assigned with the right technical skills. They also want to see that you’ve gained workplace skills that will allow you to work within a team or serve effectively in a .

In the of your CV, be exhaustive. Technical skills include software programs, laboratory mechanisms, and protocols that are best practices in your industry. If you aren’t sure of your workplace skills, survey former associates or friends to learn your strengths. You may be an excellent team player, demonstrate leadership skills, or have the ability to work on multiple projects successfully, for example.

Achievements

Be sure to highlight achievements earned throughout your career. These can include:

• Awards and honors: List the award's name and the organization that presented it. Include the year, the frequency of the honor, and any other information that helps you stand out.

• Scholarships and grants: Include the name of the grant, the amount of funding, the awarding institutions, and the date received. If applicable, include information on the project or research for which you used the grant or scholarship.

• Accolades: You can include less formal acknowledgments of your work in your CV under a separate section. List the circumstances in which you received these accolades, from whom, and the event date.

Professional associations

Membership in professional organizations can show dedication to your field and serve as a powerful networking opportunity. List the associations in which you are most active first. Be sure to include:

• Name of the professional association

• Location or chapter

• Title, if you have held a leadership role

• Date of membership

Published works and presentations

Especially in academic and scientific fields, published work is an important way to stay relevant and engaged among your peers. Include all publications with the following full citation details:

• Names of all co-authors

• Date of publication

• Name of publication, including volume, page, and DOI number

• Summary of the paper

Presentations are another way to demonstrate your expertise in your field. List all times you’ve spoken publicly on topics related to the position you seek by including:

• Title of the presentation

• Name of the conference and its organizers, if applicable

• Date

• Venue location

Conference participation

Conference participation demonstrates your active engagement in your field and ability to contribute to professional discourse. Include both presentations you've given and conferences you've attended as a delegate, noting your role (presenter, poster session, panelist), the conference name, location, and date.

Awards and honors 

Awards and honors showcase recognition from peers and institutions, validating your expertise and contributions to your field. List these chronologically with the award name, presenting organization, and year received, including brief descriptions for less well-known awards to provide context for readers.

Teaching experience

Teaching experience reveals your ability to communicate complex ideas and manage classroom environments, which is particularly important for academic positions. Include course names, levels taught, institutions, dates, and any special responsibilities like curriculum development or student mentoring.

Grants and fellowships

Grants and fellowships demonstrate your ability to secure funding and validate the significance of your research or academic work. List these with the amount awarded (if appropriate), funding organization, project title, and dates, including your role if it was a collaborative grant.

How to format a CV

As with a resume, keep the format clear and easy to follow when drafting a CV. Other formatting tips include:

• Use headings for clarity.

• Check with the standards in your field and lead with the most relevant section. For example, if you’re applying to an academic job, you’d want to highlight your education first. 

• Within each category, elaborate as necessary to demonstrate skills and accomplishments. Use bold font or underlining to draw attention where required.

• List items within each category by chronology. 

• Be consistent with formatting within each category.

• Add a footer with your name and page number in case the pages get shuffled.

Tips for creating a standout CV

Once you determine you need to submit a CV, you’ll want to create one that meets your potential employer's expectations. Follow these tips to enhance your CV:

Don’t get flashy. 

You may have seen resumes evolve over time to become much more visual and eye-catching. That’s not the case for CVs. These documents tend to follow a standard format, and it’s a good idea to follow it so you show potential employers that you are aware of the standards and can follow suit. 

Choose the correct font.

CVs need to be easy to read, and that starts with the correct font. Pick a font that is sans-serif, meaning the letters lack decorative lines. These fonts are minimal and modern, allowing the eye to focus on the content rather than the design. Some appropriate fonts to use are: 

• Arial

• Helvetica

• Proxima Nova

• Futura

• Calibri

Keep the font size between 10 and 12. Any smaller will make reading challenging, and any bigger will make the document longer than necessary.

Leave adequate margins.

Keep margins (the white space that separates the words from the edge of the page) between 0.5 and 1 inch. Larger margins create white space that unnecessarily adds to the document's length, while smaller margins make the wording seem crowded.

Include bulleted lists and section headers.

These techniques organize the words on the page, giving the eye a subtle rest. For example, consider using bullet points for quicker reading when listing your accomplishments, awards, or skills. Create a header with a slightly bigger and bolder font for each section. The more you break down your content, the more enjoyable it will be to read.

Include ATS keywords.

An , or ATS, is a program employers use to sort large resume batches by words or phrases specific to the position's requirements. These words or phrases, known as ATS keywords, are often found within the job listing. 

You’ll also want to include role-specific keywords, such as the exact title of the position you’re applying for and the company's name. Add these to the career objective section at the beginning of the CV.

The job description may also include other ATS keywords specific to your industry. A quick Google search of your industry and “resume keywords” can often show other words worth including.

Proofread.

Removing all typos and having a clean CV shows prospective employers and decision-makers your attention to detail. Before submitting your CV as part of a job application, check it for spelling, grammar, and syntax. Ask a friend, associate, or family member to do the same. An error-free document shows professionalism and the care you put into your work.

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