Eight Top Tips for Crafting an Impressive Academic CV

Creating a strong academic CV can open doors to research opportunities, faculty positions, and grant funding. An academic CV highlights your scholarly achievements, teaching experience, and contributions to your field - as well as your education and career history.

In this blog post we offer eight top tips to help you build a clear, compelling academic CV that stands out to hiring committees and grant reviewers.

1. Organize Your CV with Clear Sections

Structure your CV into distinct sections with clear headings. This helps readers quickly find important information. Common sections include:

• Contact Information

• Education

• Research Experience

• Teaching Experience

• Publications

• Presentations and Conferences

• Awards and Honors

• Professional Affiliations

• Skills and Certifications

  
  

Use consistent formatting for headings and bullet points. For example, bold section titles and use bullet points to list items within each section. Avoid dense paragraphs to improve readability.

2. Highlight Your Research and Publications

Research accomplishments are central to an academic CV. List your research projects, including your role, the institution, and dates. When detailing publications, use a consistent citation style such as APA or MLA. Include peer-reviewed journal articles, book chapters, and conference papers.

If you have many publications, consider dividing them into categories like “Peer-Reviewed Articles” and “Conference Proceedings.” For early-career academics, including manuscripts under review or in preparation can show ongoing productivity.

3. Showcase Teaching Experience Effectively

Teaching is a key part of many academic roles. List courses you have taught, including course titles, institutions, and dates. Briefly describe your responsibilities, such as lecturing, curriculum development, or supervising students.

If you have received positive teaching evaluations or awards, include them to strengthen this section. Mention any innovative teaching methods or use of technology that improved student engagement.

4. Include Relevant Awards and Professional Activities

Awards, fellowships, and grants demonstrate recognition by your peers. List these with the awarding organization and date. Professional activities like conference organizing, editorial roles, or committee memberships show your involvement in the academic community.

These details provide evidence of your leadership and commitment beyond research and teaching.

5. Use Clear and Concise Language

Avoid jargon and overly complex sentences. Use active verbs such as “developed,” “led,” or “published” to describe your achievements. Keep descriptions brief but informative.

For example, instead of writing:

“Was responsible for the coordination and management of the undergraduate research program,”

write:

“Coordinated undergraduate research program, overseeing 20 students annually.”

This makes your contributions clear and easy to understand.

6. Tailor Your CV for Each Application

Keep in mind the audience for your CV. Different academic positions or grants may emphasize different qualifications. Adjust your CV to highlight the most relevant experience and skills for each opportunity.

For example, if applying for a teaching-focused role, expand your teaching section and include syllabi or sample assignments if requested. For research grants, emphasize your publications, research projects, and funding history.

Tailoring your CV to highlight relevant achievements for each opportunity increases your chances of success.

7. Keep Your CV Updated and Error-Free

Regularly update your CV with new publications, presentations, and roles. An up-to-date CV reflects your current achievements and readiness.

Proofread carefully to avoid typos and formatting inconsistencies. Ask a colleague or mentor to review your CV and provide feedback.

8. Use a Professional and Clean Design

A simple, clean layout helps your CV look professional. Use a readable font like Times New Roman or Arial, size 11 or 12. Avoid excessive colors or graphics that distract from the content. Margins should be balanced to avoid clutter. Use bullet points and spacing to separate sections clearly.

An academic CV serves as a detailed record of your educational background, research, publications, teaching, and professional activities. It differs from a job resume by being longer and more comprehensive. The goal is to present your qualifications clearly and demonstrate your potential as a scholar and educator.

To help you develop a clear, compelling, professional academic CV - we've produced a template that you can download and personalise. Saving you time, and worry about formatting and consistency. Get your CV template HERE.