This article is part of the network’s archive of useful research information. This article is closed to new comments due to inactivity. We welcome new content which can be done by submitting an article for review or take part in discussions in an open topic or submit a blog post to take your discussions online.
A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a short document, usually no more than two pages, which summarises all the essential information that an employer would be interested to know about you. This will usually include:
Academic CVs will also give a list of publications, and conferences attended.
The key to writing a successful CV is to make sure that all the relevant information is clear and obvious, whilst also appearing very professional. Keep in mind that the person reading your CV may well have many others in a pile, and therefore may only spend a minute or two on each one, so your CV is representing you and making your first impression. To make yours stand out, it must be very clear and concise, giving all the information that they want to read in a professional way.
There are many online resources that will help you to write a good CV. We have attempted to amalgamate them below for you so that you can easily find what you need.
If you’d like a well-formatted, GCP standard CV created for you, ready to save and print off as many times as you like, you can simply sign up and enter all your details into Global Health Trials’ Professional Membership Scheme. This will automatically create a standardised CV for you, which can also be used for site files. If you need any support with the scheme, simply email info@globalhealthtrials.org.
It is advisable to have one core CV with all your information, and then to tailor it slightly for each job you apply for. To do so, carefully read the job description for the position you wish to apply for, and check what criteria the workplace is seeking. It may be the case, for example, that for one specific position they seek someone bilingual. In your usual CV you may have this information on the lower section of page 2 along with ‘other skills’ – so for this position, moving it up to the first page is advisable. It may also be worth highlighting any particularly relevant training events you’ve attended.
CV checklist
Oxford University offers an excellent checklist for your CV before sending it:
http://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/CV-checklist-2012.pdf
Top 8 tips for writing a good CV:
Top 7 Worst things to do on your CV:
There are some very good examples of different types of CVs provided for free on this website: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/cv-templates.
References:
CV Library: How to Write a Successful CV: http://www.cv-library.co.uk/cvtips.html
Oxford University Careers Advice: http://www.careers.ox.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/CVS.pdf
Jobs.ac.uk careers advice: http://www.jobs.ac.uk/careers-advice/cv-templates/1930/top-10-tips-worst-things-to-do-on-your-cv/
Vitae.co.uk: support for research careers https://www.vitae.ac.uk/spotlight/developing-as-a-researcher
and
https://www.vitae.ac.uk/researcher-careers/pursuing-an-academic-career/how-to-write-an-academic-cv
A very good guidance on how to write a CV
good guide
Good article!!. For the past 8 months, I have been busy with an organization where part of my role is to screen CVs to fill some positions . It is sad that many people do not know how to document their CVs to enable them get the job. This articles gives the succinct point required for documenting a good CV. Thanks.