1. Writing a Curriculum Vitae
What you really need to know right now…

2. Resume vs. Curriculum Vitae
Length: Short
Content: All-inclusive, summary of skills, experiences and education
Purpose: get employment (or interview)
Length: as long as it needs to be
Content: Area-specific listing of education and academic background
Purpose: Detail background and qualifications

3. Curriculum Vitae (or CV)
Origin is Latin for “course of one’s life”
Note “vitae” (vee-tie or vee-te) is the plural form; “vita” (vee-tuh) is singular

4. Why work on this now? Time goes by fast
Helps you organize important things for your future career (which organizations to join; what is missing)
Assists in setting goals
Assists when getting letters of recommendations

5. Important NOTE There is not really a “right” way to do a CV
However, there are some things that make viewing easier, make you look more professional, and include things reviewers want to see
Your CV will be different than someone else
What’s important is that you keep it up to date

6. General Set-Up Features
Font: standard (Times New Roman)
Regular paper (white) is fine
Font size: 12 point
No underlining
Single sided
Margins: 1” all around
Use bolding and CAPs to have things stand out
Number pages
No graphics
Same font throughout
Full name on every page

7. Contact Information
Full name
Mailing Address: Permanent
use an address that will not expire
Phone number(s)

8. Sections on the CV Always Optional (as needed) Education Interests
Honors and awards
Professional experience (employment)
Research
Extracurricular and volunteer experience
Optional (as needed)
Interests
Objective
Professional affiliations
Professional activities
Other

9. Education Most current first (UMD) Include ILS
Include relevant courses taken and relevant current courses
For this first year you could include info about high school
GPA
SAT
Magnet program or IB

10. Honors and Awards List most recent first
Honors/Award Title: Date(s) received
Go back to last year in high school, but not before
Scholarships (possibly with a short description)

11. Professional Experience
Includes anything you were paid to do or was extensive, regular volunteer
Only include those items relevant
List most recent first
For now, include 1-2 sentences of what you did

12. Research List most recent first
Include the lab and director/principle investigator
Include 1-2 sentences describing what you did

13. Clinical (optional) List most recent first
Include 1-2 sentences describing what you did

14. Extracurricular and Volunteer Experience
List most recent first
Give 1-2 sentence description
This tends to be the longest list…But watch it!
It is best to have long-term or very relevant items and a shorter list than everything listed
Student organizations go here

15. Publications and Presentations
Two views on which order—most recent or in order of publication
Always bold your name in the authorship
You may include submitted and/or pending publications

16. Interests (optional) Interests or hobbies List 4 of them
Creativity counts/be specific
Make sure they are real
Make sure they reflect you
Get something active
Get something group
Added Qualifications or skills
Language fluency
Cultural knowledge
Lab skills
Anything special that might be relevant

17. Resources The career center The writing center
The writing center