Curriculum Vitae (CV) Checklist for Experienced Villanovans

Follow this list of CV best practices to ensure your experience gets the attention it deserves.

Format and Appearance

  • Utilize even margins (0.5”-1.0”), 10-12pt font size, and a basic font style
  • Remain consistent with either right-or-left justified content, and evenly spaced sections with clearly marked headings and subheadings
  • Do not use color, graphic design formatting, or include any biographical details such as your birthdate or photo
  • Arrange the sections in order of importance and know that there are no document length restrictions
  • Use bolds, italics, underlining, and capitalization to draw focus to specific areas
  • Utilize a footer with page numbers and last name to ensure the order of pages

Organization and Content

  • Generate comprehensive details that describe your education, experiences, and accomplishments
  • Place written details within the subject categories that best describe the areas of your experience
  • Tailor the headings to the goals of the CV submittal; reorder headings for the same purpose
  • Note dates and develop timelines of experiences in reverse chronological order
  • When possible, quantify and describe methodologies, responsibilities, and areas clearly
  • Utilize bullet points for descriptions and add more detail to sentence structures by starting with an action verb, adding details, (who, what, or when) and ending with the results or purpose
  • Standard headings and categories can include and should be bold and CAPITALIZED:
    • CONTACT INFORMATION: Name, mailing address, phone, and email address
    • EDUCATION: List all academic institutions attended, including location, degree, and graduation date
    • RESEARCH, TEACHING, OR WORK EXPERIENCE: Breakout each area into its section and detail roles by writing descriptive bullet points that provide duties, responsibilities, and achievements. For research experience, be sure to include peer-reviewed publications, review articles, service and affiliations, works in progress, and academic service
    • PUBLICATIONS: List these the same way they are cited – underline and bold so that your name stands out
    • PRESENTATIONS: Include the event name, date, location, title of the presentation and indicate if it was an oral or poster presentation, along with a brief description of the conference or program
    • HONORS AND AWARDS: Include the name of the award, institution, and date
    • RESEARCH, TECHNICAL, AND KEY SKILLS: List all skills acquired in any or all of these areas
    • PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS: Research the associations that professionals in your field belong to and join them so that you can list them in this section
    • REFERENCES: Follow any application-specific instructions regarding the number needed for submission
  • Additional headings and categories may include:
    • CONFERENCE ATTENDANCE: Indicate programs attended, if not otherwise noted within presentations
    • GRANTS AND FUNDING: Include the name of grant, date awarded, and grant purpose
    • PROFESSIONAL AFFILIATIONS OR MEMBERSHIPS: Include dates of involvement and any positions held
    • COMMUNITY INVOLVEMENT: Include dates and describe the activity as you would for a job
    • LANGUAGE SKILLS: Note which languages that you have a working knowledge of or better
    • CERTIFICATIONS: List any relevant certifications and dates for reoccurring credentials
    • INSTITUTIONAL SERVICE: List any committees that you have served on as well as any offices held
    • EDUCATIONAL TRAVEL: Indicate locations, dates, and purpose of the trip

Final Steps

  • Double-check for errors in spelling, grammar, and formatting
  • Ensure that quotations and punctuation marks are consistent
  • Save the document in PDF format with a professional filename such as “JohnsonCV2021”

View Resource