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Curriculum Vitae (CVs) & Resumes

While the ultimate goal of both the CV and the resume is to secure a job, they are used for applying to jobs in different types of industries. A CV is a detailed synopsis of what you have done and can be several pages long. In the United States, a CV is typically used by graduate students to apply for faculty, research, scientific, or clinical positions. A resume is a shorter document, typically one page or two (if the applicant has significant experience) and is a summary of your skills, experience and education. It is a concise presentation of skills that you have to offer to a particular employer. Employers outside of academia and scientific research anticipate receiving a resume from job seekers.

Preparing Future Faculty: Conducting an Academic Job Search

UM Preparing Future Faculty Program

CV	Resume
2+ pages Detailed synopsis Documentation of what you've done Used to apply to academic, scientific, research positions & jobs outside of U.S. References included (at end)	1-2 pages Summary Highlights what you've done Used to apply to jobs in U.S. References on a separate page
Sample Sections of a CV	Sample Sections of a Resume
Heading Personal contact information Email/phone/address Education Graduate/undergraduate institutions Degree Major Dissertation Professional Licenses/ Certification Academic/Teaching Experience Other Experience Paid, internship, volunteer Technical/Specialized Skills Language Computer Laboratory Professional/Academic Honors/Awards Professional Presentations Include topic, presenters, dates, and locations Professional Development List conferences, seminars and additional professional training Research/Scholarly Activities Research articles, book reviews, books, journal articles Grants/Fellowships Service/Volunteer Research Interests Affiliations/Memberships References Samples Music International	Heading/ Contact information Objective Education Experience Skills (language, computer) OPTIONAL Honors Activities Relevant courses Study Abroad Licensure/Certifications Professional Affiliations Volunteer/Leadership Experience Samples International Administration Education Engineering Architecture Nursing Sample Reference Page

Tips for Creating a Resume from your CV

Avoid resume templates- they are restrictive in how you communicate your information. Create your resume using a blank Microsoft Word document.

Carefully select relevant information from your CV to include on your resume- which information is most valuable for an employer to know in the field you are applying to?

Use headings such as Objective, Education, Skills (language & computer), Experience, Honors, and Activities

Attempt to keep it to one page. A resume should be two pages only if the information is pertinent to the job/employer you are applying to

Highlight skills you have developed at various jobs, leadership roles, or coursework

Tailor your resume to the job you are seeking, demonstrating how your skills meet their qualifications

Do not include references on your resume

Do not include personal information, such as birthday, photos, age, race, marital status on your resume

Check resume for spelling/grammar errors- employers may dismiss a resume with these types of errors

Make it clear, concise, and easy to follow- employers spend on average 10-30 seconds reviewing resumes

Have your resume critiqued by a career adviser

Click here for a sample conversion