Resumes and CVs

Elevate your professional journey with expert insights, valuable tips, and essential guidance on crafting outstanding resumes and CVs.

Whether you’re preparing for internships, job applications, or graduate programs, learning the art of resume and CV writing is essential for standing out in a competitive landscape. Explore the strategies and best practices shared here to confidently present your unique qualifications and make a lasting impression on potential employers.

Resources

Writing Resumes

You’re about to start your job search and you have put together the best resume you can. If you use the same resume for every position to which you’re applying, you risk not distinguishing yourself among your job-seeking peers. A resume serves two main purposes:

  1. To demonstrate how your education, accomplishments, experiences and skills meet the employer’s needs.
  2. To be granted an interview (where you show the employer you are the right candidate).

Top Four Resume Tips

  1. Grab the reader’s attention quickly.
  2. Identify and highlight your relevant qualifications. Help the employer recognize your interest and how your experiences match their needs.
  3. Make sure your resume is organized, and as concise as possible without eliminating important information
  4. Tailor your resume to specific job descriptions to give the potential employer what he/she needs. Employers want to look at resumes from people who really want the job.

Writing CVs

In the United States, a curriculum vitae is most often used when applying for academic, education, scientific, or research positions, as well as for graduate and fellowship programs.

CV v.s. Resume

  • Resume: Provides a summary of your education, work history, skills, and other accomplishments (typically 1-2 pages)
  • Curriculum Vitae (CV): Demonstrates your professional and academic achievements. Depending on your education, experience and accomplishments, a CV can range in length from 2-10 pages or more!

What’s Included in a CV

  • Extensive information on publications
  • Conferences
  • Volunteer work
  • Teaching
  • Research experience
  • Other such professional and academic items relevant to your field.

**No CV is the same, so it is always best to consult with an advisor or mentor on what a CV in your field should look like.