Resumes & More
Get expert advice for writing your resume or curriculum vitae (CV), view samples and templates, and learn how to tell your unique story.
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A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a three or more page biography of your background and achievements. It includes your education, research, work experience, publications, presentations and anything else you’ve done in your professional life.
- Establish your professional image.
- Apply for postdoctoral fellowships in the academic or related fields.
- Promote yourself for employment opportunities, particularly in academic settings.
- Inform employers about your achievements and activities for annual or tenure review.
- Describe your areas of expertise when applying for independent consulting.
- Support your applications for fellowships, grants or other contract funding proposals.
- Provide information related to professional activities (e.g., application for professional memberships, leadership roles/awards).
- Introduce yourself when making presentations at professional conferences.
- Establish credibility when submitting a manuscript proposal to an academic journal or press.
CVs are designed to highlight your entire career path. Write in chronological order all of your career experiences, research and any accomplishments like publications, awards or honors.
Here are some typical sections to include:
Identification Information: Name, address (campus/temporary and permanent/home), email, phone numbers and LinkedIn profile
Victor E. Bull
259 Capen Hall, Buffalo, NY 14260
716-645-2231 | victorebull@buffalo.edu | linkedin.com/victorebull
Education: Name of college/university, title of academic degree, location (city/state), date of completion, GPA (optional), areas of specialization, title of thesis or dissertation
Education
University at Buffalo, the State University of New York
Doctor of Pharmacy, May 20XX
Master of Public Health, May 20XX
Syracuse University
Bachelor of Science, May 20XX
Renee Crown University Honors Program Senior
Thesis: Insert Name of Thesis Here
Relevant Work Experience: Title/position, department, institution/organization/company, location (city/state), description of duties
Research Experience
Name of University/ College, Name of Supervisor June 20XX - December 20XX
- Provide description of your job function and responsibilities, as well as the focus area of research
- Elaborate on your achievements and what you contributed to your role in conducting this research
- Use qualitative examples where possible
Publications: Authors’ names, date of publication, title of article, journal name
Publications
1st Author Publications: # of publications
Citations: # of citations
H-index: # of H-indexes
I10-index: # of 110-indexes
Special Awards and Honors: List all awards and honors awarded during graduate school
Awards and Honors
- Society for Research in Child Development June 20XX
- Dean’s List (7 semesters) Name of School Fall 20XX - Fall 20XX
- Graduate School Ambassador Award March 20XX, 20XX
Presentations: Presenters’ names, title of presentation, name of conference, date and location
Presentations
1. Your Name, McCarty G. On-Chip Electrophoresis using Fast Scan Cyclic Voltammetry End-Point Detection for Complex Biological Samples. University at Buffalo SUNY Undergraduate Symposium. May 20XX
Talks/Speeches
1. Student Keynote Speaker, University at Buffalo SUNY, 17’h Annual CBE Graduate Research Symposium. October 20XX
City, State
Recent and Current Research: Short description of research including type and purpose of research
Name of University/ College, Name of Supervisor January 20XX-Present
- Provide description of your job function and responsibilities, as well as the focus area of research
- Elaborate on your achievements and what you contributed to your role in conducting this research
- Use qualitative examples where possible
Grants Received: Name of grant, granting agency, date received, title/purpose of project
Grants
- Faculty Achievement Award, University at Buffalo. 20XX
- Granting Agency, “Title of Grant”, $00,000 20XX - 20XX
Professional Association Memberships: Current memberships only, in alphabetical order
Professional Memberships
- American Pharmacists Association 20XX-Present
- Student Society of Health-System Pharmacists 20XX - 20XX
Professional Service: Title of leadership positions held, names of associations, dates held, responsibilities
Professional Services
Career Advisory Committee 20XX - 20XX
The Graduate School, University at Buffalo
- Served on university committee to evaluate and assess career services for graduate students.
- Collaborated with faculty and students to prepare final report for submission to the Graduate School Dean.
University Library Advisory Committee 20XX - 20XX
Undergraduate Libraries, University at Buffalo
- Advised University Librarians on needed services and proposed recommendations.
Community Involvement: Brief description of responsibilities, name of organizations, dates
Community Involvement
Name of University/College
Wellness Education Center (WEC) Breathe Free Campaign November 20XX- December 20XX
- Counseled smokers on the path to quitting smoking
Competencies/Skills: Language competencies, computer skills, international experiences, etc.
Skills
- STAT Statistical Analysis Package
- Licenses & Certifications
- BLS for Healthcare Providers (CPR & AED), Exp: March 1, 20XX
- Protecting Yourself Against Bloodborne Pathogens 20XX, Exp: May 1, 20XX
- HIPAA & Privacy 20XX: A Survival Guide to the Law, Exp. May 1, 20XX
- HIPAA & Security 20XX: A Survival Guide to the Law, Exp. May 1, 20XX
Current Interests: Teaching/research interests, service to profession/department/college/community, etc
Research Interests
Global numerical models for the purpose of understanding current climate trends and projecting humans' potential impacts on climate.
References: Include names, title/department, organization/institution, contact information
References
Name:
Title:
Department:
Organization:
Phone:
Email:
- List in chronological order.
- Pick a format and stick to it. Use consistent spacing, font and format and save as a word document.
- Try to avoid the use of first and third person pronouns, such as “I,” “he” or “she.”
- Spell out all acronyms the first time they are used, followed by the acronym in parentheses e.g., University at Buffalo (UB).
- Use a variety of "action words" to bring your skills and experiences to life and avoid using each word more than once.
- Use Keywords. Scan the job description, see what words are used most often and make sure you’ve included them in your bullet points.
- Refrain from using slang or jargon.
- Name Your File Smartly. Save it as “Jane Smith CV” instead of “CV.”
- Proofread, Proofread, Proofread. Ask family or friends to check for spelling and grammatical errors.
- Get your CV reviewed. Book a review appointment with a career expert Monday through Friday.
Most resume bullet points start with an "action word" that helps clearly illustrate what you did and why you did it well. Action words help highlight your skills and engage the resume reader.
A
Abstracted
Achieved
Acquired
Acted
Adapted
Addressed
Administered
Advertised
Advocated
Aided
Allocated
Analyzed
Answered
Anticipated
Applied
Appraised
Approved
Arranged
Ascertained
Assembled
Assessed
Assisted
Attained
Audited
Augmented
Authored
B
Bolstered
Briefed
Brought
Budgeted
Built
C
Calculated
Cared
Charged
Chartered
Checked
Clarified
Classified
Coached
Collaborated
Collected
Comforted
Communicated
Compared
Compiled
Completed
Composed
Computed
Conceived
Conducted
Conserved
Constructed
Consulted
Contracted
Contributed
Controlled
Converted
Cooperated
Coordinated
Correlated
Counseled
Created
Critiques
Cultivated
D
Debated
Decided
Delegated
Delivered
Designed
Detected
Determined
Developed
Diagnosed
Directed
Discovered
Displayed
Distributed
Drafted
Documented
E
Edited
Eliminated
Emphasized
Enabled
Enforced
Enlisted
Established
Estimated
Evaluated
Examined
Exceeded
Excelled
Expanded
Experimented
Explained
Explored
F
Fashioned
Facilitated
Founded
Formulated
Followed
Fixed
Financed
G
Guided
Gathered
Gained
H
Helped
Headed
Handled
I
Interviewed
Integrated
Instructed
Instituted
Inspected
Informed
Influenced
Increased
Improved
Implemented
Imagined
Illustrated
Identified
Investigated
Invented
Introduced
J
Judged
L
Launched
Learned
Lectured
Led
Lifted
Listed
Listened
Located
Logged
M
Made
Maintained
Managed
Manipulated
Mapped
Mastered
Maximized
Meditated
Memorized
Mentored
Met
Minimized
Modeled
Modified
Monitored
Motivated
N
Narrated
Negotiated
O
Observed
Obtained
Offered
Operated
Ordered
Organized
Originated
Overcame
Oversaw
P
Participated
Perfected
Performed
Persuaded
Planned
Practiced
Predicted
Prepared
Presented
Prioritized
Produced
Programmed
Projected
Promoted
Proposed
Protected
Proved
Provided
Published
Purchased
Q
Queried
Questioned
R
Raised
Ran
Ranked
Read
Reasoned
Received
Recommended
Reconciled
Recorded
Reduced
Referred
Related
Relied
Repaired
Reported
Represented
Researched
Resolved
Responded
Restored
Revamped
Reviewed
S
Scanned
Scheduled
Screened
Selected
Served
Set goals
Shaped
Sketched
Solved
Spearheaded
Specialized
Spoke
Strategized
Streamlined
Studied
Succeeded
Suggested
Summarized
Supervised
Supported
Surveyed
Sustained
T
Talked
Taught
Tended
Tested
Theorized
Trained
Translated
Tutored
U
Undertook
Updated
Upgraded
Utilized
V
Validated
Verified
Visualized
W
Weighed
Won
Wrote
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Career Design Studio
Find inspiration, resources, tools and expert advice all together to help you write a good CV.
How to Covert your CV into a Resume
If you’re looking for a job outside academia, you can consolidate the information to fit a resume. It only takes a few simple steps.
1. Pick a Format
Pick a resume format and stick to it. Use consistent spacing, font and format, and convert to a Word document.
2. Identify Skills
Research and identify skills and qualifications that the employer is looking for in the job postings.
3. Brainstorm
Brainstorm a list of transferable skills and relevant experiences.
4. Organize
Organize your information to highlight experiences and skills that are relevant to the job posting.
5. Action Words
Use a variety of "action words" to describe your experiences and skills. Avoid using each word more than once.
6. Customize
Streamline and customize your resume by removing experiences and skills that are not relevant to the job posting.
7. Get a Review
Book an appointment to get your resume reviewed by a career expert.
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8. Revise, Save and Print
Revise your resume, proofread carefully, save as a Word document and print the final copy.
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