CV vs. Resume
There is no standard definition of “curriculum vitae,” “CV,” or “vita,” but generally the focus is more on academic preparation, research, and publications than in a résumé. Another significant difference is that a vita is not limited by length. A master’s level vita may be three or four pages, while persons with doctorates may have vitasof ten or more pages in length. Content determines the length.
Vitas have no set format. Consult with professionals in your field about what to include and appropriate layout. Be complete but concise. The order of sections is determined by your strengths: experienced candidates may begin with experience,inexperienced candidates may begin with educational background.
In addition to being used in the fields of Education and often Health Care, many International Employers will prefer a vita. Check out our International Careers page for more information.
To get a detailed description of what to include in your vita and in what format download
Curriculum Vitae guide.
Helpful CV Resources
Quintessential Careers provides information on preparing a curriculum vita as well as sample vitas.
Chronicle of Higher Education provides numerous helpful articles on all sorts of higher education job search topics, including vitas
Duke University provides three sample vitas and guide to letters of application for faculty positions
Tips on Creating an Academic CVs adapted from teaching materials first developed by Philip Zimbardo
Books available in UCC Career Library
The Academic Job Search Handbook, Second Edition, Morris Heiberger and Julia Miller Vick, 1996, University of Pennsylvania Press.
Developing a Professional Vita or Résumé, Third Edition, Carl McDaniels, 1999, Ferguson Publishing.
Job Search Handbook (for English Grad Students Seeking Professorships), compiled by graduate students in English at KU, about 1996.
The Right Fit: An Educator's Career Handbook and Employment Guide, Judy A. Strother and Darrel R. Marshall, 1990, Gorsuch Scarisbrick, Publishers.
Available Free at UCC
The Higher Education Job Search: A Guide for Prospective Faculty Members, American Association for Employment in Education, 1997.