What is a curriculum vitae?
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A presentation of credentials for a research/teaching position in a university, a research institute,
or company with R&D requirements. A résumé (two pages maximum) is prepared for employers
outside the academic and research environment
An indispensable job hunting tool that represents an objective, factual, personal history of you an advertisement designed to market you by highlighting your abilities and future potential
A summary of your career aspirations, educational background, employment experience,
achievements, and interests
Before you apply
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Preparing a proper CV requires a complete assessment of yourself in an organized way. Anyone
advertising a product must know that product, and the product here is "you‖
Before applying for a position, determine your fit to the area where the job vacancy occurs
It would be helpful if you could do some preliminary research about the department and institution
prior to sending your application so that you do not put emphasis in the wrong place: are teaching
and research of equal importance? What other duties are expected?
Major sections of a curriculum vitae
Curriculum Vitae (optional at top of page)
Name (this should be the largest font size on the document)
Address and Telephone (addresses such as current and permanent, e-mail, website, LinkedIn URL) (no
heading necessary when listing only one address)
Citizenship (if beneficial)
Research and/or Professional Interests
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Provide a brief summary of your research/teaching interests and areas of expertise from both
inside and outside your institution that could be called upon
List in point form, beginning with a general or broad spectrum and ending with the more specific
areas. More details can be included in your letter
Summary of Qualifications (optional)
This section provides a concise overview of your qualifications, showing the employer how you will offer a
competitive advantage. Qualifications may be drawn from any area of your life (e.g., work i.e., research,
teaching, industry, and/or service, education, or other activities i.e., professional/community activities).
Typically, include four to six points outlining your relevant strengths, beginning with the most relevant to
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the job. Points may begin with nouns or adjectives. Describe your competitive advantage—the value you offer. For
example:
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Three years process engineering experience with key responsibilities in product design and implementation
All points in your Summary of Qualifications should be targeted to your potential employer, elaborated on throughout your
CV, and be accurate. Employers indicate that job applicants often falsely claim to possess skills and that such
misrepresentation is perceived negatively. Precision and accurate wording will help you obtain a job to which you are wellsuited and in which you can excel.
Your summary points must reflect the work you have done. Consider including key words commonly used in the field to
which you are applying.
Include:
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As a first bullet (if applicable), your work experience (paid or unpaid) relevant to the position (e.g., "7+ years
research and teaching experience in material science engineering")
Your relevant knowledge/expertise (e.g., in-depth knowledge of artificial intelligence application in construction
management; experience in construction project management)
Your relevant skills (e.g., computer proficiency, report writing, program planning, public speaking, problemsolving)
If applicable, technical, computer, and/or laboratory skills (e.g., GIS, SPSS, SAS)
A general reference to where you developed the skill (e.g., "proven leadership skills developed through team lead
experiences"). Include this level of detail only once or twice so that points do not become too lengthy
Specialized training/education (e.g., "Certificate in Project Management")
Fluency in a language other than English, specifically noting your level of verbal and/or written competency if
required
Education/Professional Training/Certifications
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Include all information on Bachelor, Master, Ph.D., postdoctoral or other relevant studies, in reverse chronological
order, i.e., most recent first
Include degree awarded or anticipated, name of institution, location, date
In the U.S. you might encounter the ABD (all but dissertation) abbreviation which is not widely accepted in
Canada
Show areas of specialty by topic, with thesis/dissertation titles and advisors’ names, and courses of special
interest, if helpful
List a qualifying year for a program of studies as a separate entry, in the same format as your other degrees, e.g.,
Master of Arts (Qualifying Year), 20xx
List certification or licence status, with dates issued (if relevant) (e.g., ―P.Eng. (ON) licence, Professional
Engineers Ontario (20xx)‖
Create 3 separate sections (i.e., Education, Professional Training, Certifications) to highlight details if beneficial
Employment
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Describe your professional and/or work experience relating to the job you are seeking, e.g., graduate research,
internships, assistantships, teaching, field placements, consulting, administration, management in both the public
and private sectors
Create separate sections to highlight details:
o research - activities and contracts, with the dollar value optional
o teaching - class size, undergrad/grad levels, course preparation, marking
o industry/government/not-for-profit experiences – job title, company name, location, dates
o service
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University - department, faculty, and university responsibilities, including committee work (such as
thesis examination or hiring committees)
 Professional - referee or reviewing/editing functions for journals, granting agencies
 Academic Community Outreach - significant volunteer activities showing leadership or service
Create an ―Academic Experience‖ section to include both research and teaching experiences if you do not have
enough experience for separate sections
Organize jobs in reverse chronological order within each section, i.e., most recent first. Include beginning and
terminating dates, job title, name of company or organization, and location
Start points with action verbs; do not write in complete sentences or paragraphs
List accomplishments, including benefits to organization; show your skills and abilities
Do not forget to add supervisory experience (if applicable) within the appropriate sections of research, teaching,
industry, and service
Publications
Inventions/Patents
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Include all, most recent first, in correct bibliographic format so that the reader can check details. Include relevant
information such as author(s), title, publisher, place of publication, name of periodical, volume, issue number,
date, page(s)
Show both independent and collaborative work (if applicable)
Create separate sections with headings for a lengthy publications list, placing sections in appropriate order:
o authored or co-authored books, book chapters, monographs
o refereed, peer reviewed: journals, full papers or letters
o conference papers, abstracts or posters
o invited, non-refereed
o book reviews
o work in press, work submitted, work in preparation (separate headings)
o creative writing outside of one’s professional field (if relevant)
List inventions and patents; when listing a patent it is mandatory to include the country and year of issue
Presentations/Conferences
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List conference seminars, professional workshops, and presentations
Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships, Prizes, Grants
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Include both academic and professional
State name of honour, granting institution or agency, and date (value optional)
Explain acronyms; the meaning of the recognition may not be clear, especially those awarded by international
universities/organizations
Professi onal Affiliations
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Include current memberships, with dates
Mention offices held, significant appointments, with dates
Volunteer Experience
Format volunteer experience according to the message you wish to convey.
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If you wish to highlight two or more volunteer activities, create a separate heading (e.g., Volunteer Activities,
Volunteer Experience, or Community Service)
In this section, either list the organizations for which you volunteered or add detail about your contributions,
beginning each point with an action verb
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Languages spoken, read, written (if relevant)
Hobbies, Interests, Leisure Activities, Travel
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Show those with relevance to academic life (e.g., photographer with expertise to use as a teaching tool), or, if you
wish, include a broader range of activities, such as athletic, social, intellectual, cultural, if applicants in your field
traditionally include this information
References
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Supply the name, title, address, and contact information of 3 (or more) individuals who can comment on your fit to
the institution where you are applying
Choose your referees wisely, i.e., persons who know you and your work well, referees with high external visibility
Be sure to ask their permission before submitting their names
Whenever you provide reference information to an institution, advise your referees that they may be getting a
request and keep them up-to-date on your professional activities
Select individuals who can speak well on your behalf from various perspectives: one may be able to give a
general overview while others may speak to the specific aspects required by the position
Of special interest will be your referees’ comments about your unique experiences (from personal, academic, or
work experience), your strengths, and your weaknesses (with any extenuating circumstances explained)
Tell your referees what particular topics they need to discuss so that their reference letter can be tailored to the
positions you are seeking. Provide them with a copy of the job ad. It might also be useful to give them a copy of
your cover letter
If the advertisement requests that reference letters be sent immediately, provide sufficient information to your
referees and tactfully follow up to ensure that the letters have been mailed well before the deadline
Notes on Writing a Curriculum Vitae
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Place sections in the order of importance to correspond to the academic posting, particularly the employment
section. It is important to determine the order of importance of research, teaching, other work experience, and
service and reflect that in your CV. If you are not sure about the traditional formatting for CVs in your field, check
with your supervisor or department chair. Also, include specific sections that are relevant to your field, e.g.,
computer proficiency, scientific instrumentation, etc.
Include sufficient, well-written details about yourself to enable a good assessment of your qualifications for the
position:
o 2 to 4 pages for a young professional
o 4 to 7 pages or more for a person with more experience
If applying in North America omit reference to marital status, children, health, spouse’s work, religious affiliation
Do not include as headings, words such as "Personal Information,‖ "Name,‖ ―Address‖
Omit negative words or information. Ensure that you use correct spelling and grammar. Take care to produce an
excellent physical product with appropriate font sizes, paper stock, and good laser printing
Writing effective bullet points
Use bulleted statements throughout your CV. Each bullet point should strongly communicate your qualifications and
accomplishments that are relevant to the position. If you have only one bullet point in a section, find a way to incorporate it
into another section.
Review the ―Summary of Qualifications‖ for advice on writing bulleted statements if you are including this section.
Any bullet point in the Research/Teaching/Industry/Service Experience, Volunteer Experience, and
Hobbies/Interests/Leisure Activities/Travel sections should begin with an action verb that will create a vivid image of your
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accomplishment. Be concise and avoid repeating verbs. Please refer to the list of ―Action verbs‖ (Appendix A)
provided. Remember that all action verbs are not created equal! Verbs like "helped," "assisted," "participated," and
"worked," although technically in the active voice, fail to provide a specific picture of what you have done, so avoid them
wherever possible.
If you intend to use such words to show that your role was to participate in but not to lead a project, consider using other
strategies. If you were one member of a two-person team, consider using "co-" as the prefix to the action verb describing
your role (e.g., "Co-edited user's manual"); if you were part of a team with 2+ members, explain your role and end by
indicating that others were involved (e.g., "Edited user's manual for XYZ software, as member of communications team,"
or "Edited user's manual for XYZ software, in collaboration with supervisor"). If, on the other hand, your goal is to hide the
fact that your role was minimal, omit the statement.
You may find it helpful to think of the following four components as you begin to write bulleted statements:
1. Skill: what action you took—action verb (e.g., "designed")
2. Task: ways in which you applied skills—using descriptors, adjectives, and nouns (e.g., "client database")
3. Tools: how you performed the task—attitude conveyed, hardware/software, or process used (e.g., "MS
Access")
4. Result: what outcome you achieved—quantified wherever possible (e.g., "doubled speed of information
retrieval")
Complete statement: Designed client database using MS Access; doubled speed of information retrieval
Although each bullet point should include skill and task components, always adding tools and results may be too lengthy.
Try to include points that use three or all four components several times throughout your CV, especially when
demonstrating key achievements.
Strengthening teaching experience
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Make the head of your department aware of your desire to teach. Submit your CV to him or her and indicate
what courses you would 1) be willing to teach and 2) be willing to develop. Some department heads like to
know who is available to fill in for a course in the event of illness or an increased demand for a particular
course
Complete the Certificate in University Teaching (CUT) or the Fundamentals of University Teaching programs.
These programs are provided by the Centre for Teaching Excellence (CTE) office. The CUT programs will
help you to: become a more effective and reflective teacher and communicator; increase your knowledge of
teaching and learning; have a forum in which to discuss teaching issues with others; and develop
presentation and writing skills that prepare you to compete in today’s job market. Some department heads are
nervous about considering graduate students for teaching positions because graduate students are viewed as
inexperienced. However, showing that you have completed the CTE programs demonstrates that you have
teaching experience and have reflected upon your teaching. This may give you an edge in getting additional
teaching experience. You may learn more about these programs at uWaterloo, Centre for Teaching
Excellence
Search out opportunities to give guest lectures. This is a great way to gain teaching experience, particularly
when there is little opportunity to teach a full course. Giving guest lectures gives you teaching experience as
well as exposes you to a variety of classroom settings. Following are some ways to get guest lecture
opportunities:
o Ask your supervisor if you can give a guest lecture in one of the courses he or she is teaching. Again,
be specific and identify which topics you can teach in which courses
Be creative in your tutorials. Tutorials can be wonderful opportunities to improve your teaching and to try new
teaching techniques. For example, you may wish to be a facilitator and have students be responsible for the
discussion content, or decide to use a more formal lecture format. Gaining experience practicing in front of a
group of people can help you overcome any nervousness you may have speaking in group settings as well as
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give you teaching experience in general. You can also ask the course professor to have the students evaluate
your performance, resulting in data which you can use
Get involved with your department or faculty TA orientation sessions. Volunteer to organize the TA orientation
session, get guest speakers, or facilitate the actual session. Helping to train your peers as teachers indicates
that you are recognized as a model by your department or faculty. You may list this volunteer experience
under the ―Service‖ section of your CV, demonstrating to potential hiring committees that you are thinking
about teaching and that you are involved outside of class time in building your teaching skills
Getting publications
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Talk to your supervisor. He or she should know about the process of publishing and the appropriate publishing
outlets for your work. Your supervisor can give you advice on your research and the best format for publishing it
(e.g., book chapter, journal, monograph). It may be appropriate to ask your supervisor to co-author your first
publication so that he or she can mentor you through the process
Find out what the journals are in your field. Go to any internet search engine and type in ―<your discipline>
journals list‖ to see if a list exists in your area. Also talk to your supervisor to see what journals are available. As
well, find out more about the journals from which you collect articles. Do not just find out the titles of the journals,
but also find out their mission statements, areas within your discipline that they focus on, preferred research
methodologies, and submission guidelines (i.e., page length, reference style). For example, a journal focused on
statistics would probably not publish research based on qualitative methods
Learn the process of publishing. The publication process (for a journal) can be summarized in four steps:
1. Select an appropriate journal—study other articles to identify style, and review the submission guidelines
carefully
2. Prepare a manuscript and submit it to that journal—you can only submit the manuscript to one journal at
a time
3. The editor of the journal sends the manuscript to anonymous reviewers to review and to provide
comments on the manuscript. Recognize that this whole process can take months to complete
4. The editor of the journal then determines whether the manuscript should be published in that journal or
not and returns the reviews and their decision to the author(s)
Write up your thesis as a series of articles. In some departments, you have the option to write a series of journalready articles rather than a full dissertation. In following this option, you will have developed articles that can be
submitted for publication (or submitted during the writing process) rather than developing articles from your
completed thesis. Investigate with your supervisor to see if your department offers this option
Do book reviews. This is a good way of getting a publication credit and getting your name in print. Many scholars
look at book reviews before considering whether a book is worth reading. In addition, in most cases you get to
keep the copy of the book that you reviewed. It is a great way to build your library!
Participate in conferences. Conferences are good arenas to share your ideas and receive feedback on them.
While most conference presentations do not make it into published form, if you do prepare a publishable
manuscript from your presentation, you have completed one round of reviews already. Also, at many universities
(particularly in the United States) a conference presentation is considered the equivalent of a published paper. If
you feel your presentation may warrant publication, conferences are also good places to meet journal editors and
suggest your ideas to them
Always submit a very polished version of an article to journals or a conference abstract to conferences. An article
or conference abstract that reads well will make a better impression on an editor or a conference committee than
a poorly written one
Cover letters
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How can you differentiate yourself from the many good applicants applying for the position? What points will draw
attention to you as a worthwhile candidate to interview? There is a fine line between projecting yourself positively
and too aggressively, however, resulting in overkill and a concern about your ability to fit into the department
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Personalize your letter by addressing it to the Chair of the Department or Chair of Search Committee, with the
person’s name correctly spelled. A form letter is less well received, and you may therefore need to make a
decision on the quantity vs. the quality of your letters
Ensure the highest quality of information possible in the letter accompanying your CV. Include a summary
statement about your qualifications in clear, unambiguous points. Discuss your strengths and area of
specialization. Observe the rules of good writing to help the reader ascertain your credentials quickly. Write short
paragraphs with a clear opening sentence to define the topic of the paragraph and highlight relevant, important
information. Use correct spelling and grammar
In addition to talking about your current research, include a one-paragraph or one-page, personalized (not vague
or generic), concise, coherent statement about your future research interests or long-term goals so that your
potential can be determined. It is especially important to make that connection when you are applying for a job
that is somewhat different from what you are currently doing
It could also be to your advantage to mention the courses/general areas you would like to teach. Elaborate on
your experience in seminars, lectures, and talks. Include details such as course name (and description if
necessary) and number of students
Add information on what you feel are other strengths, such as enjoyment in working with groups, obtaining
funding for projects, action-oriented research
Your potential for service (the third part of the triumvirate of research, teaching and service) and your collegiality
can more easily be evaluated by including details of your work with committees, organizations, and clubs, e.g.,
organizing graduate student seminars or research presentations
The individuals reviewing your application are interested in continuity. If you have unexplained gaps in your CV,
discuss them in your letter, e.g., the ten years it took to finish your Ph.D. after completing your Master’s degree. If
you prefer, you could ask one of your referees to explain the situation in his/her letter of
recommendation. However, patch up the holes as well as you can to make a good presentation
If currently employed and want to apply confidentially for another position, it is not necessary to tell your
supervisor initially. The three referees you select can include trusted colleagues from your organization or
individuals from other institutions who know you and your work well. In your letter, you could include a note that
when the institution is serious about you and wishes to obtain a reference from your supervisor, you would then
be prepared to supply the information
It may be to your advantage, if you are female, to indicate that fact if your first name cannot easily be identified by
the reader. You could add Miss, Mrs. or Ms. in brackets before your name is typed at the end of your letter
Have your application package reviewed by others to check for relevance and quality of presentation
If you discover a potential job opening prepare a broadcast letter to send with your CV. Details about broadcast
letters are available in the ―Letter Writing‖ module
In addition to submitting a cover letter and CV you might need to prepare a research statement, research plan
and budget, and teaching philosophy statement and/or teaching dossier
Selection process
Because of the expense usually incurred when bringing in candidates to campus for an interview, you may find an
institution with an agenda as follows:
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The receipt of your application may be acknowledged by a note which may also inform you of the progress and, if
necessary, request information not included in your package
One person or several individuals will screen all applications with a few (10 - 12) promising candidates selected,
and the documentation from the others filed in the "not-of-interest-at-this time‖ category
If letters of reference have not already been sent by their referees, the promising applicants may be told to have
their referees contact the hiring institution, or the referees may be notified directly by telephone or letter. If the
person hiring for the position personally knows someone at the candidate’s institution, that person may also be
contacted
To permit an easier check of your teaching ability if you are applying for your first full-time position after
graduation, you may wish to include in your CV the name of the instructor(s)/co-ordinator(s) for whom you taught
the courses listed in your CV
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After hearing from the referees, 3 to 6 candidates are selected and invited for an interview
It is advisable to send as complete an application package as possible as early as you can as some invitations to
interview may be given before the advertised closing date
The interview day(s) may comprise:
o a tour of the institution
o appointments with one or more of - department chair, individual faculty members, department search
committee, dean of faculty
o one or more talks, such as a talk to a panel based on your research where you can choose your own
topic
o a mini-lecture to a group on a predetermined topic, so that the relevance of your background and your
ability to express ideas can be determined
o session with students, usually at the graduate level
o social activities
Remember, at all times you are being evaluated. To be able to present yourself as well as you can, it may be
helpful to find out what is expected and what the evaluation criteria are, e.g., communication skills and comfort
level in talking with groups
Research the scientific background of all search committee members. Such information will enable you to
determine how familiar they may be with your expertise and how you will complement their research areas
It may take one to two months before a decision is made, particularly if you are one of the first candidates
interviewed. Ask about the follow-up steps in the recruitment process
It is helpful to know that most applicants are rejected because their interests do not seem to match the
department’s interests or someone else is viewed as a stronger candidate
Prepare a list of questions for the members of the committee to help you evaluate if the department is a good fit
for you
When you receive a job offer, evaluate it carefully; be prepared to negotiate the terms and conditions
Proofreading
Before you give your application documents to any potential employer, proofread it carefully and have at least one other
person review your copy. Your computer's spell checker will catch some typing and spelling errors, but it will not point out
words that have been correctly spelled but incorrectly used (e.g., "precious" when you meant "previous"). In addition, pay
attention to the following:
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Appearance: At first glance, will the employer find the résumé attractive and want to read it (attractive paper
weight/colour, layout of sections/points/margins, font size/style; smooth paper; no corrections in handwriting,
etc.)?
Accomplishments: Does the document present your qualifications from both theoretical and practical perspectives
and cover education, skills, experience, personality, etc?
Writing/presentation: Is each point relevant to the job to which you are applying? Is your writing clear, concise,
and complete? Are your words precise and action-oriented? Are there any spelling, typographic, or grammatical
errors?
Contact information: Have you provided your name, street/e-mail address(es), voice/fax numbers, and
website/blog address on the top of page one so that an employer can easily reach you?
CV Worksheet/Template
A CV worksheet is available in Appendix B and a CV template is in Appendix C.
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Appendix A
Describe your skills using action verbs. Review these sample verbs and select those that apply to you
Action verbs
accelerated
accentuated
accomplished
achieved
acquired
acted
adapted
addressed
adjudicated
adjusted
administered
advanced
advertised
advised
advocated
allocated
altered
analyzed
anchored
answered
applied
appointed
appraised
approved
arbitrated
arranged
articulated
ascertained
assembled
assessed
assigned
associated
attained
audited
augmented
authenticated
authored
authorized
balanced
began
bestowed
brainstormed
briefed
broadened
budgeted
built
calculated
calibrated
capitalized
captured
catalogued
catapulted
categorized
centralized
chaired
championed
changed
charted
clarified
classified
closed
coached
coded
collaborated
collected
combined
commanded
commercialized
commoditized
communicated
compared
compelled
compiled
completed
composed
computed
conceived
conceptualized
concluded
condensed
conducted
configured
conserved
consolidated
constructed
consulted
continued
contracted
contrasted
contributed
controlled
converted
conveyed
cooperated
coordinated
corrected
corresponded
counselled
crafted
created
critiqued
crystallized
curtailed
customized
cut
debugged
deciphered
decided
decreased
defined
delegated
delivered
demonstrated
deployed
derived
described
designed
detailed
detected
determined
developed
devised
diagnosed
differentiated
directed
discerned
discovered
dispensed
displayed
dissected
distinguished
distributed
diversified
diverted
documented
dominated
doubled
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drafted
drew
drove
earned
edited
educated
effected
effectuated
elected
eliminated
emphasized
empowered
enabled
enacted
encouraged
endeavoured
endorsed
endured
energized
enforced
engineered
enhanced
enlarged
enlisted
enlivened
ensured
entertained
entrenched
equalized
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
exceeded
executed
exhibited
exhorted
expanded
expedited
experimented
explained
explored
exported
expressed
extracted
extricated
fabricated
facilitated
familiarized
filed
financed
finalized
fixed
forecasted
forged
formalized
formed
formulated
fortified
fostered
founded
gained
generated
governed
graduated
guided
I halted
handled
headed
hired
honoured
hosted
hypothesized
identified
illustrated
imagined
implemented
imported
improved
improvised
incorporated
increased
influenced
informed
initiated
innovated
inspected
inspired
installed
instilled
instituted
instructed
integrated
intensified
interpreted
intervened
interviewed
introduced
invented
inventoried
investigated
itemized
joined
judged
justified
launched
led
learned
lectured
leveraged
liaised
licensed
listed
listened
located
logged
lowered
maintained
managed
manipulated
manufactured
mapped
marked
marketed
mastered
masterminded
maximized
measured
mediated
mentored
merged
minimized
modelled
moderated
modernized
modified
monetized
monitored
motivated
narrated
navigated
negotiated
networked
nominated
normalized
observed
obtained
offered
officiated
operated
optimized
orchestrated
ordered
organized
oriented
originated
outlined
outsourced
overcame
overhauled
oversaw
participated
partnered
perceived
perfected
performed
persuaded
photographed
piloted
pinpointed
pioneered
planned
positioned
predicted
prepared
prescribed
presented
presided
prevented
prioritized
processed
procured
produced
programmed
progressed
projected
promoted
propelled
proofread
proposed
prospected
protected
proved
provided
publicized
published
purchased
qualified
quantified
questioned
raised
rated
ratified
realigned
rebuilt
recaptured
received
recognized
recommended
reconciled
recorded
recruited
rectified
redesigned
reduced
reengineered
referred
refined
regained
registered
regulated
rehabilitated
reinforced
rejuvenated
remedied
remodelled
rendered
renegotiated
renewed
renovated
reorganized
repaired
replaced
reported
repositioned
represented
researched
reserved
resolved
responded
restored
restructured
retained
retrieved
reviewed
revised
revitalized
routed
satisfied
saved
scheduled
screened
searched
secured
serviced
selected
separated
served
shaped
shared
shepherded
simplified
sketched
slashed
sold
solicited
solidified
solved
sparked
spearheaded
specified
spoke
specialized
standardized
started
streamlined
steered
stimulated
strategized
strengthened
studied
structured
submitted
substantiated
succeeded
suggested
summarized
supervised
supplemented
supplied
supported
surpassed
surveyed
synergized
synthesized
systematized
tabulated
talked
targeted
taught
tended
terminated
tested
thwarted
traced
trained
transcribed
transferred
transformed
transitioned
translated
transmitted
travelled
treated
trimmed
troubleshot
tutored
uncovered
unified
united
updated
upgraded
used
utilized
validated
verbalized
verified
viewed
vitalized
visualized
weighed
welded
widened
won
worked
wrote
– Page 9 of 17 –
Appendix B
Curriculum Vitae Worksheet
P ER SO N AL INF O RM AT IO N
Name:
Address:
Telephone Number:
E-mail:
Homepage:
LinkedIn:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
ED UC AT IO N / PRO F E S SI O N AL T R AI N I NG / C ERT IF IC AT IO N S
Date:
Location:
Degree (to be) obtained:
Dissertation/Thesis Title:
Advisor:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Date:
Location:
Degree (to be) obtained:
Dissertation/Thesis Title:
Advisor:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Date:
Location:
Degree (to be) obtained:
Dissertation/Thesis Title:
Advisor:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Professional Training/
Certifications:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
RE S E AR C H E X P ER IE NC E
Title:
Date:
Institution/Organization:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Title:
Date:
Institution/Organization:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 10 of 17 –
T E AC HI NG E X P E RI E N CE
Title:
Date:
Course:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Title:
Date:
Course:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
INVITED LECTURES
Date:
Title:
Location:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
S ER V IC E E XP E RI E NC E
Date:
Description:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
IN DU ST RY
Title:
Date:
Institution/Organization:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
Title:
Date:
Institution/Organization:
Location:
Responsibilities/
Accomplishments:
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
________________________________________________________________________________________
PU BL IC AT I O N S /I NV E NT I O N S/ P AT ENT S
PUBLICATIONS
Journals
Name(s) of Author(s):
Date of Publication:
Title of Article:
Journal Name:
Vol., No., Pg #s:
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________________
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 11 of 17 –
Book Chapters
Name(s) of Author(s):
Date of Publication:
Title of Chapter:
Book Editors:
Book Title:
Place, Publisher:
Pg #s:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Submitted for Publication (under review)
Name(s) of Author(s):
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Date of Publication:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Title of Article:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Journal Name:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Vol., No., Pg #s:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
PR E S E NT AT IO N S/ CO NF ER E NC E S
PRESENTATIONS
Name(s) of Presenter(s)
Title of Presentation:
Name of Conference:
Date & Location:
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
AW AR D S/ S CH O L AR S HI P S/ F ELLO W S HI P S/ PR IZ E S /G R ANT S
Name of Award:
Granting Agency:
Date Received:
Title/Purpose:
Dollar amount
(if significant)
Date:
Description:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
PR O F E S SIO N AL AF F I LI AT IO N S
Date:
Name:
Positions Held (if any):
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
O T HER I NFO RM AT IO N
Citizenship:
Languages:
Other Work Experience:
(e.g., co-op/internship)
Interests/Activities:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
RE F ER E NC E S
Reference 1:
Reference 2:
Reference 3:
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________________________
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 12 of 17 –
Appendix C
CV template
NAME
Local Address
Street Address
City, Province, Postal Code
Phone Number
LinkedIn
Web site
Email
Cell Phone Number
Permanent Address
Street Address
City, Province, Postal Code
Phone Number
Citizenship (if beneficial)
RESEARCH AND/OR PROFESSIONAL INTERESTS (optional)


Provide a brief summary of your research/teaching interests and areas of expertise that could be called upon from
both inside and outside your institution
List in point form, beginning with a general or broad spectrum and ending with the more specific areas. More
details can be included in your letter
SUMMARY OF QUALIFICATIONS (optional)





Number of years experience in relevant paid or unpaid work
Related special knowledge/expertise
Relevant accomplishment/skill/attribute
Relevant accomplishment/skill/attribute
Relevant accomplishment/skill/attribute
EDUCATION (or section most related to work being sought)
Candidate for Degree Name (remove ―Candidate for‖ if completed)
Plan, Specialization/Option, Institution, City, Province, Start date - present (or completion date)
Relevant courses: (optional)
Thesis:
Thesis Supervisor:
Candidate for Degree Name
Plan, Specialization/Option, Institution, City, Province, Completion date
Relevant courses: (optional)
Thesis:
Thesis Supervisor:
Professional training/certificates, listed as above with locations and dates
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 13 of 17 –
Name
p. 2
RESEARCH EXPERIENCE (or section most related to academic posting)
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


nd
2
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
TEACHING EXPERIENCE (or section most related to academic posting)
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


nd
2
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
INDUSTRY/GOVERNMENT/NON-PROFIT EXPERIENCE (or section most related to academic posting)
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


nd
2
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 14 of 17 –
Name
p. 3
SERVICE EXPERIENCE (or section most related to academic posting)
Most Recent Job Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year


An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
PUBLICATIONS/INVENTIONS/PATENTS
 Create separate sections with headings for a lengthy publications list, placing sections in appropriate order:
o authored or co-authored books, book chapters, monographs
o refereed, peer reviewed: journals, full papers or letters
o conference papers, abstracts or posters
o invited, non-refereed
o book reviews
o work in press, work submitted, work in preparation (separate headings)
o creative writing outside of one’s professional field (if relevant)
o inventions
o patents
PRESENTATIONS/CONFERENCES

Provide list of presentations with title of presentation, location of presentation/conference, dates
AWARDS, SCHOLARSHIPS, FELLOWSHIPS, PRIZES, GRANTS
 Name of Award/Scholarships, Fellowships, Prizes, Grants, Institution, City, Province, Date (value optional)
 Name of Award/Scholarships, Fellowships, Prizes, Grants, Institution, City, Province, Date (value optional)
PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS
 Include current memberships, with dates
 Mention offices held, significant appointments, with dates
VOLUNTEER EXPERIENCE (unless including in another section)
Title, Organization, City, Province, Month/Year - Month/Year



An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
An accomplishment/statement relevant to type of job you are hoping to attain, preferably detailing unique actions
and benefits to organization, beginning with action verb
LANGUAGES spoken, read, written (if relevant)
HOBBIES, INTERESTS, LEISURE ACTIVITIES, TRAVEL (if relevant)
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 15 of 17 –
Name
p. 4
REFERENCES
Name
Title
Department
University/Company
Address
Phone
Email
Name
Title
Department
University/Company
Address
Phone
Email
Name
Title
Department
University/Company
Address
Phone
Email
Name
Title
Department
University/Company
Address
Phone
Email
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 16 of 17 –
COVER LETTER TEMPLATE
123 University Avenue West
Toronto, ON, 1A1 A1A
Date
Professor X
Chair, Faculty Search Committee
Faculty of X
University of Waterloo
200 University Avenue West
Waterloo, ON, N2L 3G1
Dear Dr. Smith:
First Paragraph
Name the position you are applying to and where you saw or heard the advertisement. If applicable, include a reference to
the person(s) you spoke to about the department/faculty. Include a summary statement about your value to the
department/faculty in clear, unambiguous points. Discuss your strengths and area of specialization. Express interest in the
department/institution.
Middle Paragraphs
Highlight your qualifications and achievements in regards to the position and use (occasionally) words from the job
description. Group your qualifications according to themes and prove points by using examples. Organize your
paragraphs carefully and place the most important ones first.
Final Paragraph
Refer to your enclosed CV and other enclosed materials. Mention that you would like to provide more information in an
interview. Include your phone number with the best times to reach you, and your email address.
Sincerely,
Your name
Waterloo | Centre for Career Action
– Page 17 of 17 –