How to Structure Your Academic CV
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A well-structured academic CV presents your professional and scholarly achievements in a clear, organized, and compelling manner. It serves as your primary tool for showcasing your research, teaching, and service accomplishments to hiring committees. Here’s how to structure your academic CV step-by-step:
1. Header & Contact Information
- Your full name, professional title, and contact information (email, phone, LinkedIn/Google Scholar/ORCID profile)
- Optional: professional website
- Date (if required)
2. Research Interests & Academic Profile
- A brief statement summarizing your research focus and scholarly interests
- Optional: short academic profile or “elevator pitch” about your research trajectory
3. Education
- List degrees in reverse chronological order
- Include institution, location, degree, field of study, and graduation date
- Optional: thesis/dissertation title and advisor
4. Academic Appointments
- List positions held, including title, department, institution, and dates
- Highlight tenure-track, postdoctoral, visiting scholar, or research positions
5. Publications
- Organize by type: peer-reviewed articles, books, book chapters, conference proceedings
- List in consistent citation style (APA, Chicago, etc.)
- Optional: highlight selected publications with brief notes on impact
6. Grants & Fellowships
- List funded projects, amount, and role (PI, co-PI)
- Include fellowships, scholarships, or awards
7. Teaching Experience
- Courses taught, institution, semester/year
- Optional: include student evaluation scores or innovative teaching methods
8. Presentations & Conferences
- Conference presentations, invited talks, workshops
- Include title, event, location, and date
9. Professional Service
- Committee memberships, journal reviews, editorial boards
- Mentoring, outreach, or other service contributions
10. Skills & Certifications
- Relevant technical, language, or professional skills
- Licenses or certifications if applicable
Extra Tips
- Use reverse chronological order within each section
- Keep formatting clean: consistent fonts, spacing, and bullet points
- Avoid unnecessary personal information (photo, marital status, etc.)
- Tailor CV to highlight strengths relevant to the position
Common mistakes to avoid
- Making the CV too long or cluttered
- Mixing formatting styles
- Omitting key academic achievements
- Including irrelevant work experience
- Failing to update regularly
Example CV Sections (optional notes)
- Research: “Published 5 peer-reviewed articles in top-tier journals focusing on strategy and innovation.”
- Teaching: “Designed and taught MBA Strategy course with an average evaluation of 4.8/5.”
- Grants: “PI on $120k research grant studying digital transformation in emerging markets.”
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Last updated: 19/08/2025 09:46 (UTC)
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