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CURRICULUM VITAE - GENERAL TIPS
What is a CV?
A curriculum vitae (also known as a vita or CV) provides a detailed description of your academic credentials and
achievements. You should tailor your CV to the type of position for which you are applying. Research your
prospective employers and make sure that you address yourself to their needs and expectations.
A CV differs from the more concise resume, which summarizes your skills and experience in relation to a specific
career objective. Most employers outside of the United States ask job applicants to submit a CV. However, within
the United States usually only teaching or research positions at colleges, universities, or research institutions require
a CV instead of a resume.
How does a CV for a position outside of the United States differ from a CV for a position within the United
States?
Outside of the United States, CVs are typically more personal, and can include such information as marital status,
nationality, gender, or even a picture. However, it is important to note that different countries have different norms
regarding CVs. You should consult the OCS Resource Room for the book, The Global Resume and CV Guide, to
get a better understanding of what the firms in a particular country you are applying to expect out of a CV.
What should I include?
Your CV is your on-paper persona: it must be appealing and convince a potential employer of your qualifications.
Here are guidelines for what information should be included:
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Personal Information
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Name, address, telephone number and e-mail address.
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Desired Employment / Occupational Field
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Work Experience
o
Dates, occupation or position held, main activities and responsibilities, name and address of
employer, and type of business or sector.
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Education and Training
o
Dates, title of qualification awarded, principal subjects/occupational skills covered, name and
type of organization providing education training, level in national or international
classification, dissertation or thesis title(s), names of adviser and committee members, awards,
fellowships, and grants.

Personal Skills and Competencies
o
Mother tongue, other languages (including the level in which you read, speak, and write in
those languages), organizational skills, technical skills, computer skills, artistic skills, driver
license (if relevant).
What should the layout and style be?
Your CV is a document that is unique to you. There is no 'right way' to present the information on your CV, but
there are some common-sense rules you should follow.
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Put your name clearly at the top. Use a large font, bold, and center it at the top of the page.
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You don't need to write "Curriculum Vitae".

Choose an attractive, professional font and stick to it.
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Use 11-point font or larger for the main part of your CV. Slightly larger is appropriate for headings.
Slightly smaller is OK for contact details.
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Use bold text for emphasis (and headings) but avoid underlining or shaded boxes – they can look
messy.
Avoid large white areas.
Don't waste space needlessly on addresses. They will not get you the interview; they just need to be
clear. A smaller font, and addresses running across the page, will look neater and take up less space.
Use bullet points.
Use a full page before continuing to the next.
Use a good quality printer and paper if sending a hard copy.
How should I organize my CV?
It is essential that you present your qualifications and achievements in a clear, concise, and organized fashion. Use
topical headings and consider their order; what comes first will receive the most emphasis. New job seekers usually
open with their academic preparation, drawing attention to their degrees. Experienced job seekers, however, may
begin with their current position and previous work experience. There are no universal rules for the CV, so check
with your adviser to find out what the conventions are in your discipline. Many CVs are posted online, so you may
wish to look for examples from people working in your field.
Formatting is also critical. It should support and not obscure the content of your CV. Consider your audience and
make your CV easy to read. Names, titles, and dates should appear in the same place within each entry. Be
consistent in your use of punctuation, type face, and indentation. Also, liberal use of white space and judicious use
of bold type can help make your CV a swift and pleasant read. Finally, meet with a career adviser to review your
CV, and show it to your peers and professors to solicit their feedback.
How long should my CV be?
Content determines the length of the CV. Thus, a student or junior professional may write a CV that is two to four
pages in length; however, senior professionals may produce a CV that runs eight or more pages.
More Quick Tips:
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Font – Courier is a poor choice. Times New Roman looks much more polished. Other suggested fonts
are Arial, Book Antiqua, Century, Garamond, and Verdana.
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Addresses – it is obvious what they are. Putting the personal details centrally under the name acts to
underline the name, and reduces the amount of room they occupy.
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Reverse chronological order emphasizes your recent activities.
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Dates – 09/11 format looks messy and requires time to take in. Use whole years for most things. For
short periods of work experience, etc., consider writing "summer 2002" or simply putting the year and
adding the duration to your description, e.g. "Internship at Ernst and Young (3 months)" but overall you
should be consistent with the format you choose.
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Examination results take up a disproportionate amount of room when listed vertically, and make the
page look lopsided. List them across the page.
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Use bold text to highlight important features, like the fact that you have studied at SIPA.
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Check for spelling mistakes.
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Use bullet points to describe your work experience and activities – starting with an action word and in
the past tense (for prior experience).
Online Resources:

Try searching the archives of The Chronicle of Education's Career Network for "c.v." and "cv." You
will find very helpful articles, advice, and sample CVs:
www.chronicle.com/jobs
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Example format:
As previously stated, there are no hard and fast rules about what you should put in or leave out of your CV.
However, the information you present should cover the following areas, although the order can be varied to
maximize the impact.
CONTACT INFORMATION
Name
Address
Country
Telephone
Cell Phone
Email
EXPERIENCE
List in reverse chronological order, include position details and dates of employment
Work History
Academic Positions
Research and Training
EDUCATION
Include dates, majors, details of degrees, training, and certification
Post-Doctoral Training
Graduate School
University
PROFESSIONAL QUALIFICATIONS
Certifications and Accreditations
Computer Skills
AWARDS
PUBLICATIONS
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
LANGUAGES
List languages and fluency
INTERESTS
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EXAMPLE: CURRICULUM VITAE (for a position in the United States)
CURRICULUM VITAE
Gordon M. Bodnar
1740 Massachusetts Ave. NW
Washington DC, 20036
202-663-7731
[email protected]
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Hunter College, New York, NY
US History to 1877; U.S. History from 1865; The Civil War (2003 – present)
Fashion Institute of Technology, New York, NY
US History from 1865 (2006-2007)
Saint Peter's College, Jersey City, NJ
The Civil War; World Perspectives in History II (2005-2006, 2008)
John Jay College of Criminal Justice, New York, NY
World Civilization I: prehistory - AD 1500; World Civilization: from AD 1500 (2000-2006)
New Jersey City University, Jersey City, NJ
Civilizations I (2005)
Touro College, New York, NY (Men's and Women's Divisions)
US History from 1865 (2003)
Modern History I: Renaissance to 1815; Modern History II: 1815 to present (1996-1997)
Baruch College, New York, NY
Themes in American History: The Frontier (2002)
Senior Coordinator, Peer Tutoring Program, History Department (1998-1999)
New York City Technical College, Brooklyn, NY
US History to 1877; U.S. History from 1865; State and Local Government (1997-1998)
EDUCATION
The Graduate Center, City University of New York, NY
PhD in Military History; Minor in American History, 2003
Dissertation: "General Philip H. Sheridan's Operations on the Southern Plains, 1868-69"
Drew University, Madison, NJ
BA in History, English minor, 1982
PUBLICATIONS
Books
Attack at Dawn: Phil Sheridan's Winter Campaign, 1868-1869. In preparation for University of
Oklahoma Press.
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The Little Bighorn Campaign, March-September, 1876. Revised paperback edition. Conshohocken:
Combined Publishing, 2002.
The Civil War Book of Lists (contributing editor). Conshohocken: Combined Books, 1995.
The Little Bighorn Campaign, March-September 1876. Conshohocken: Combined Books, 1995.
(Published simultaneously as a Main Selection by the Military Book Club.)
God Bless You, Buffalo Bill: A Layman's Guide to History and the Western Film.
New Brunswick: Fairleigh Dickinson University Press and Cornwall Books, 1985.
Introductions, Published Addresses, and Articles
Introduction to My Life on the Plains by George A. Custer (New York: Barnes & Noble, 2008)
"Hand to Hand." Kansas Journal of Military History, Summer 2007
"Toward A Last Stand: Some Reflections on History and Myth," in 15th Annual Symposium, Custer
Battlefield Historical & Museum Association, Inc. Hardin, MT: np, 2004.
"Oscar Eaten By Wolves." Film Comment, November-December 1993.
Reviews
"Los Diablos Tejanos." Review of Lone Star Justice: The First Century of the Texas Rangers, by
Robert M. Utley. Chronicles: A Magazine of American Culture, November 2004.
Review of Ben Nighthorse Campbell: An American Warrior, by Herman J. Viola. The American
Spectator, April 1996.
Review of The Oregon Trail/The Conspiracy of Pontiac by Francis Parkman. The American
Spectator, December 1994.
"Son of the Morning After." Review of Cavalier in Buckskin: George Armstrong Custer and the
Western Military Frontier, by Robert M. Utley. The American Scholar, Autumn 1992.
"Wings of the Navy." Review of Flight of the Intruder, by Stephen Coonts. Chronicles of Culture,
November 1990.
AWARDS
Excellence in Teaching Award, Hunter College, 2005 and 2007
Outstanding Teaching Award, Fashion Institute of Technology, 2006 and 2007
Connor Scholarship for Top Doctoral Student in History, The Graduate Center, City University of New
York, 2003
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
Board of Directors, New York Military Affairs Symposium (NYMAS)
American Historical Association
Western History Association
LANGUAGES
French (fluent), Spanish (fluent), Mandarin Chinese (basic proficiency)
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