Resumes & More

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Get expert advice for writing your resume or curriculum vitae (CV), view samples and templates, and learn how to tell your unique story.

Resumes Curriculum Vitae (CV) Online Profiles Cover Letters Samples

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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.

How a CV Can Help You

  • 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.

Your CV Guide

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:

Tips From The Experts

  •  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.

List of Action Words

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.

  • Addressed, Advertised, Advocated, Answered, Briefed, Coached, Collaborated, Communicated, Compared, Completed, Composed, Conducted, Contributed, Debated, Delivered, Directed, Edited, Enlisted, Followed, Gathered, Informed, Influenced, Judged, Launched, Learned, Lectured, Lifted, Listened, Located, Logged, Meditated, Memorized, Mentored, Met, Narrated, Negotiated, Offered, Ordered, Participated, Persuaded, Presented, Queried, Questioned, Raised, Read, Recommended, Referred, Related, Relied, Reported, Represented, Researched, Responded, Spoke, Surveyed, Sustained, Talked, Tested, Updated, Won, Wrote 

  • Composed, Conducted, Created, Displayed, Documented, Emphasized, Fashioned, Founded, Imagined, Illustrated, Launched, Modeled, Modified, Narrated, Published, Shaped, Sketched, Updated, Utilized, Visualized, Wrote 

  • Advertised, Analyzed, Appraised, Budgeted, Calculated, Compiled, Computed, Consulted, Correlated, Evaluated, Examined, Forecasted, Maximized, Projected, Purchased, Ranked, Reduced, Validated, Verified, Weighed

  • Addressed, Advertised, Advocated, Answered, Briefed, Coached, Collaborated, Communicated, Compared, Completed, Composed, Conducted, Contributed, Debated, Delivered, Directed, Edited, Enlisted, Followed, Gathered, Informed, Influenced, Judged, Launched, Learned, Lectured, Lifted, Listened, Located, Logged, Meditated, Memorized, Mentored, Met, Narrated, Negotiated, Offered, Ordered, Participated, Persuaded, Presented, Queried, Questioned, Raised, Read, Recommended, Referred, Related, Relied, Reported, Represented, Researched, Responded, Spoke, Surveyed, Sustained, Talked, Tested, Updated, Won, Wrote 

  • Administered, Allocated, Augmented, Bolstered, Charged, Chartered, Coordinated, Delegated, Directed, Enabled, Enlisted, Established, Guided, Handled, Headed, Instituted, Interviewed, Instructed, Led, Managed, Motivated, Oversaw, Planned, Prioritized, Protected, Provided, Raised, Ran, Recommended, Streamlined, Supervised, Taught, Tutored, Undertook 

  • Arranged, Assembled, Catalogued, Categorized, Classified, Collected, Compiled, Conducted, Coordinated, Created, Developed, Drafted, Established, Generated, Inspected, Maintained, Operated, Ordered, Organized, Originated, Planned, Produced, Programmed, Purchased, Recorded, Screened, Selected, Served, Set, Shaped, Simplified, Standardized, Structured, Systematized, Updated, Upgraded

  • Analyzed, Ascertained, Audited, Compared, Completed, Conducted, Conceived, Consulted, Evaluated, Examined, Gathered, Inspected, Investigated, Judged, Learned, Observed, Predicted, Researched, Suggested, Surveyed, Tested, Theorized, Wrote

Tools & Resources

CV Review Appointments

Book an appointment in Bullseye powered by Handshake to get your CV reviewed by a career expert.

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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.

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1. Pick a Format

Pick a resume format and stick to it. Use consistent spacing, font and format, and convert to a Word document.

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2. Identify Skills

Research and identify skills and qualifications that the employer is looking for in the job postings.

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3. Brainstorm

Brainstorm a list of transferable skills and relevant experiences.

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4. Organize

Organize your information to highlight experiences and skills that are relevant to the job posting.

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5. Action Words

Use a variety of "action words" to describe your experiences and skills. Avoid using each word more than once. 

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6. Customize

Streamline and customize your resume by removing experiences and skills that are not relevant to the job posting.

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7. Get a Review

Book an appointment to get your resume reviewed by a career expert.

Or unlock your 24/7 instant resume review with VMock and get personalized feedback on your resume in 15-seconds or less.

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8. Revise, Save and Print

Revise your resume, proofread carefully, save as a Word document and print the final copy.

What's Next

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