Prepare for the Job Search ~ CVs ~ CV Examples

For samples, please download the CVs and Cover Letters Guide in PDF format.

Curriculum Vitae Samples: Humanities

Sutherland CV: Slavic Studies

With this CV, the owner first establishes her academic credentials and the recognition she has received for her research in the form of fellowships.   She then balances this with her commitment to teaching and undergraduate education by giving priority to “Teaching Experience” and “University Service,” placing these sections at the top of the second page where they are sure to be noticed, rather than putting her publications in this position. 

Her experience has included living with undergraduates as a Resident Fellow and leading workshops on teaching skills for Teaching Assistants.   Both are indications of her commitment to undergraduate education and evidence of her teaching skills.  She demonstrates her teaching versatility by giving a broad “menu” of “Teaching Interests” and a good listing of graduate level courses in language, literature, and linguistics.   (Presumably, having had these courses, she can now teach them.) Since she will be teaching Russian language courses, she has highlighted her language proficiency as well. 

Taylor CV: English

A very economical CV that tells the reader a great deal about the research interests of the owner, about his significant teaching experience and his impressive honors.  The third page gives a listing of graduate courses, which with the teaching experience make the argument that this candidate can teach almost anything in modern American literature, African-American literature, literary criticism and can teach a broad range of English literature courses as well.   He has taught both survey/lecture and seminar courses.   His two fields of American and African-American literature make him especially attractive to hiring committees.

He also has managed to be a “good citizen,” giving time to committee service.  The indications are that he is prepared to be in a setting that, while requiring a full teaching load of undergraduate courses as a new professor, will reward his research and publication interests.

Curriculum Vitae Samples: Education

Robbins CV: Curriculum and Teacher Education

What comes through clearly in this CV is the owner’s commitment to preparing new teachers, improving the teaching strategies of current teachers, and doing research on reading instruction and literacy.   All of his “Professional Experience” leads the reader to the conclusion that this candidate has defined himself and his field.   In this case it works well to have all of the experience listed in reverse chronological order under one heading.   There is often a section of “Research Interests” or “Teaching Interests”, but with this person, his experience, his dissertation topic, his publication record and his presentations all suggest a research agenda and teaching interests.   This contrasts with the Rivera-Corot CV, in which the owner has several related areas of interest and has organized her extensive and varied experience under several section headings.

Rivera-Corot CV: Administration and Policy Analysis - Education

This CV portrays the career development of one individual, from student service employee to program developer and innovator, to researcher then doctoral student exploring policy questions about Chicano/a students and higher education - an ethnic population very under-represented in higher education.  Because of her varied experience and service activities, the variety of research and evaluation projects already done and the breadth of teaching and research she could do, it seemed wise to organize the CV into categories of information, with descriptive entries for each job or project.  This emphasizes her capabilities for either an administrative or faculty position, or one that combines both administration and teaching. 

It is much longer than most CVs in humanities, social sciences, natural sciences, or engineering, but the owner has more years of work and education during which she gained experience that was appropriate to add to her CV. 

Curriculum Vitae Samples: Science/Engineering

Arnold CV: Materials Science – Engineering

Here is an illustration of a shorter CV, which focuses on research experience and on articles published or accepted for publication.  The owner is applying for an academic post-doc and thus emphasizes only research and publications.  (His letter of inquiry for a post-doc appears with the other samples of cover letters.)

If he were applying for a junior faculty position in a research university, the CV might have some additions: brief notations about his teaching experience (assuming that he has been a TA at some point) and a short section on research interests. 

Alexander CV: Cell Biology (Post Doc)

This candidate is seeking a junior faculty position, with the emphasis on research.  For this purpose, she emphasizes her research experience and makes sure her publications list begins on the first page.   Toward the end she gives groups of technical skills to demonstrate her versatility in research and the breadth of techniques she has mastered.   With the competition for funding, she wants to demonstrate that she can carry out research in a number of fields and can train and supervise graduate students who might work on a variety of projects. 

Since she has worked with prominent faculty and they have given their permission to be contacted, she lists them as references at the end.   Mark Arnold’s letter, seeking a post-doctoral position, lists the CDC’s reference file service at the end of his letter instead.  You may instead choose to include a separate reference page.

Martin CVs: Population Biology (Post Doc)

This CV emphasizes the writer’s research work, honors, and publications. He can demonstrate that he has been successful in obtaining funding as a student, with several prestigious awards and a substantial post-doctoral fellowship. Teaching experience is relegated to the second page. With this CV he might send a statement of research interests or brief research proposal, as requested in some job announcements.

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