CV Templates and Examples

What is a CV?

Fun fact: CV is actually short for curriculum vitae, a Latin phrase that literally means ‘course of life.’ In the professional world, a CV is a document that details the full scope of your career and academic accomplishments.

Like a resume, a CV gives background on your skills and work experience. Unlike most resumes though, a CV is typically multiple pages long and includes many more components than a traditional resume. In addition to sections for education and work experience, for example, a CV may also contain sections for awards, research, grants, speaking engagements, publications of your work, and more. Whereas a resume is meant to be a summary of your most relevant qualifications, a CV is a comprehensive breakdown of your professional life to date.

While the resume is the preferred document for most hiring managers in the U.S., a CV may be required in fields like academia or medicine. It’s also the standard job-seeking document in many countries outside the U.S. So if you’re looking for a position abroad, it’s important to understand whats expected in the country where you’re applying.

Who should use a CV?

Job seekers in fields like academia or medicine
Candidates applying for grants, research positions, and teaching positions in post-secondary educational institutions
Professionals in the yachting industry
People applying for jobs internationally

Who shouldn’t use this type of resume?

Most job seekers in the U.S.

CV format and key components

CVs adhere to a traditional style and have straightforward formatting. They’re text-based, use conventional fonts, and don’t usually include customized design elements like color or graphics.

The components in a CV will vary between candidates based on their field, type of work, and career objectives. When preparing your CV, you’ll want to arrange the order so that the most relevant sections appear first. If you were applying for research positions, for example, you’d want to lead with your research objectives and related experience.

We’ll go over the sections that are included in our sample CV below, but keep in mind that many additional sections may be added to suit your needs. While this example CV is one page, most CVs are two to three pages or more.

Contact information
Name, address, phone number, and email are standard. Since CVs are used in fields with more rigid hiring conventions, it’s generally not the norm to include links, like to your website or LinkedIn profile, in a CV.
Education
List every degree, educational institution, and date of attendance in reverse-chronological order. Any degrees you’re currently pursuing should be listed first with an expected date of completion.
Summary
In our example resume, this section is titled ‘Research Interests.’ This is a brief statement that summarizes the types of studies you’re interested in pursuing or the positions you’re seeking. You may also include a few highlights of your professional achievements.

Sample CV resume including contact information, education, summary, experience, publications, skills, and references

Experience
Note that in a CV, professional experience is grouped by category (research, teaching, certifications, and so on.) For each item, include the position, the organization, and the dates. Use bullet points to summarize the type of work you completed and your key accomplishments in that role.
Publications
List publications in reverse chronological order. This section should include authoritative work, typically in a peer-reviewed journal, rather than authored pieces in mainstream media outlets or websites. Work that’s pending publishing can also be included. Each publication should be cited in a consistent style, like MLA or AMA. Our example resume uses the following format:[Last name, First initial. (Year of publication). Article title. Journal title, Volume, Page range.]
Skills
List your skills in bullet point form. Relevant certifications can also be included here.
References
It’s more common to see references listed on a CV than on a resume, where it’s generally not advised to include them. In many positions that call for a CV, references are also requested upfront, so it makes sense to list them within the document.

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FAQs

Why are CVs used?

CVs are used when seeking postdoctoral positions, teaching positions, research positions, fellowships, and grants. They’re meant to give the reader a complete picture of your professional history, including education, employment, research, and teaching experience as well as noteworthy accomplishments.

What are the benefits of using a CV?

Unlike a resume, which is meant to be a concise summary, a CV gives you ample space to outline the full details of your career thus far. This is particularly useful when you have extensive experience or are applying for positions that require specialized expertise.

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

A resume is a summary of your work experience and accomplishments that are most relevant to the position for which you’re applying. It’s limited to one to two pages. A CV is a full breakdown of your work history and academic credentials and often consists of two to three pages or more. It includes much more information than a resume.
Related: The difference between a cv and a resume

Is there a specific order for the elements in a CV?

The elements should be positioned in order of importance or relevance to the desired objective.

How far back should work history go on a CV?

In some fields, you only need to list the most recent 10 to 15 years of work experience. In some fields, like academia, hiring managers and committees will want to see your entire work history, regardless of length.

Should I list references on a CV?

References may be included on a CV, particularly when the job description calls for them.

How many pages should a CV be?

Unlike a resume, which should be limited to one page in most cases, a CV can be several pages long. Don’t cut content to save space.

What font should be used in creating my CV?

Use a traditional, easily readable font in a size no smaller than 11 point.

Should I include an objective in my CV? Is it always needed?

Since it’s such an extensive document, including an objective section can be helpful to give the reader a bite-sized summary of your professional accomplishments and ambitions.