C C E What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

The resume summarizes educational preparation and experience relevant to one’s career objective.
Center for Career Education A CV concentrates on academic pursuits and de-emphasizes materials not directly related to
Connect To Your Future educational background and scholarly achievement.

Who needs a CV?

A CV is appropriate for PhD’s, MPhil’s, MFA’s, and MA’s seeking teaching or research positions.
Colleges, universities and research institutions generally require a CV whereas others, including
public and private schools, prefer a resume.

What should be included in the CV?

s Name, address, telephone number and/or e-mail address
E AST CAMPUS, LOWER LEVEL, 2960 BROADWAY, MAIL CODE 5727, NEW Y ORK, NY 10023 (212) 854-5609

s Educational background
s Awards and fellowships
s Teaching experience
s Related experience
COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY CENTER FOR CAREER EDUCATION WWW . CCE . COLUMBIA .EDU

s Publications
s Language or other skills, extracurricular activities and/or personal interests
CURRICULUM VITAE

s Professional Associations (i.e. Modern Language Association)

Check with your advisor to see what the conventions are in your discipline. In some fields,
particularly in the Humanities, there can be a specific paragraph dedicated to the dissertation
immediately after the Education section of the CV. It should be a dynamic, but brief, description
of your dissertation, not a full-blown dissertation abstract.

What should be excluded from the CV?

The CV should not include personal information such as age, gender, marital status, race, ethnic
background and religion.

How long does a CV have to be?

The content determines the length of the CV. Unlike a resume, a CV can be up to ten pages long.
The average CV is two to four pages for a young professional, and six to eight pages for an
experienced candidate.

Is there a standard format for the CV?

The format of a CV is determined by the amount of information and the choice of items to be
emphasized, but there is no standard. A new job seeker usually begins the CV with academic
preparation, which draws attention to the degree. An experienced job seeker, however, can begin
with experience and place the educational preparation somewhere else in the CV.
The CV should present information in a clear, concise, organized fashion. Names, titles and dates
should appear in the same place within each entry. Use action verbs to begin each description.
Emphasize the positives and sell your strengths.

Is a CV alone good enough for the job search?

The CV does not stand alone. A cover letter is it’s essential partner. In the cover letter, the
candidate can demonstrate qualities relevant to the particular academic job opening. Other
supporting materials such as transcripts, letters of recommendation, teaching philosophy, research
statement or writing samples might also be requested by an institution.

Materials available in the CAREER R ESOURCE C ENTER

Books: Online Resources:
w The Academic Job Search Handbook w How-to, samples, tips:
w The Curriculum Vitae Handbook http://jobsearch.about.com/cs/curriculumvitae/
w How to Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae w Is a CV right for me?
w Cracking The Academia Nut http://jobstar.org/tools/resume/res-cv.cfm
w On the Market: Surviving the Academic Job Search w Samples:
Process http://www.quintcareers.com/vita_samples.html
 ROBERTA C. VALENTINI RELATED EXPERIENCE:
25 Wayne Avenue
Oakland, California 94610 Columbia University, New York, NY
(510) 555-1234 rcv331@columbia.edu Postdoctoral Fellow, 2002-2003
EDUCATION: Conducting a research project which explores the history of the working class in
the United States from 1900-1940. Results will be published in three journal
Columbia University, New York, NY articles.
Ph.D. in American History, May 2002
Dissertation: “Politics in Working-Class Los Angeles” New York Historical Society, New York, NY
Honors: Dissertation passed “with distinction” Researcher, 1999-2000
M. Phil. In American History, October 1999 Conducted basic historical research. Selected writers. Assisted in formulating
Major Field: American History entry lists.
Minor Field: History of Journalism in the U.S.
Fields of Concentration for qualifying exams: Urban America, Houghton Mifflin Company, Boston, MA
Journalism in America Writer, 1995-1996
M.A. in American History, October 1997 Researched and wrote articles on various topics in American history.
Masters Thesis: “The Use of Video in Presidential Campaigns”
ABC News, New York, NY
University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA Researcher, 1994-1996
B.A. in History, May 1996 Verified the historical accuracy of special programming on American history.
Areas of concentration: American History,
Honors Thesis: “The Nixon Administration” PUBLICATIONS/PAPERS:
Honors: Summa Cum Laude
“Class Conflict in a Working Suburb on San Francisco in the 1920s.” Paper
AWARDS: presented at the Annual Meeting of the Association of Geographers. San
Francisco, CA. March 2002.
Postdoctoral Fellowship, Columbia University, 2002-2003
Matriculation & Facilities Fellowship, Columbia University, 2000-2002 “Working Class in Los Angeles in the 1920” Paper presented at the Los Angeles
Interdisciplinary Fellowship, Columbia University, 2001-2002 History Research Group. San Marion, CA, November 2001.
President’s Fellowship, Columbia University, 2000-2002
Gross Travel Grant, Jayne State University, 1999 Valentini, R. “Alcoholism in America.” Report prepared for the National Institute
on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism. Los Alamitos, CA, 2000.
TEACHING EXPERIENCE:
“An analysis of the Recent Presidential Campaigns.” Paper presented at the
Columbia University, New York, NY Conference on the Presidency, sponsored by the Center for the Study of the
Lecturer, 2000-2002 Presidency. Erie, PA, April 1998.
Taught the course “Early American History.” Formulated course structure and
requirements. Lectured and administered all grades. LANGUAGES:

Adjunct Instructor, 2000-2001 Reading and basic speaking competence in French, Spanish and modern Greek.
Taught the course “US History to 1900.” Devised syllabus. Lectured and administered Translation competence in Italian.
grades.
MEMBERSHIPS:
Teaching Assistant, 1997-1999
Assisted Professor Chris Columbus in his course, “The United States in 1945.” Helped American Historical Association
create curriculum, composed exams and term paper assignment, led weekly discussion Organization of American Historians
sessions, graded all written work and determined final grades. Western Association of Women Historians