cv for phd template

CV for PhD application example

You’ve wrapped up your degree and are keen to embark on your PhD journey.

But before you can get stuck in, you’ll need to secure your place by putting forward a compelling PhD application and CV.

If you’ve never written an academic-style CV before, the process can be daunting. That’s why I’ve created this step-by-step guide to writing a CV for a PhD application.

I’ve also included a PhD CV example, to give you a better idea of what you need to include. Here’s what I’ll cover in the guide:

Guide contents

PhD application CV example

• Structuring and formatting your CV
• Writing your CV profile
• Detailing your education
• Detailing your relevant experience

CV templates 

As you can see from the CV example above, a PhD CV is structured differently to a traditional CV. Instead of focusing on work experience, academic experience and accomplishments are prioritised.

However, the fundamental CV writing  rules stay the same. Therefore, the candidate has put forward their information in a way which is clear, concise and formatted for easy reading.

PhD application CV structure & format

PhD programmes receive thousands of applications, meaning the university admissions teams are generally very time-strapped.

As such, you need to  structure and format  your CV to make it as easy as possible for them to review.

First impressions count and a cluttered or disorganised application won’t do you any favours.

Instead, you should aim for a clean, well-organised and professional appearance throughout.

Formatting Tips

• Length: While academic CVs are generally longer than standard CVs, it’s still best to aim for a short, relevant and concise document. For PhD applications, a length of one or two A4 pages is ideal. This is more than enough space to highlight your suitability without  overwhelming the reader with irrelevant information or excessive detail.
• Readability: The information on your CV should be laid out logically, with clear section headings for easy navigation. Break up large chunks of text into small, snappy paragraphs and include bullet points where appropriate.
• Design:  Opt for a clear, legible font and stick to it throughout – consistency is important. Ensure your headings are formatted for attention by using bold text or a slightly larger font size.
• Things to avoid:  Steer clear of elaborate designs, fancy fonts, images or logos – they’re simply not needed and might distract from the all-important written content.
• Things to consider: CVs ‘rules’ differ from country to country, so if you’re applying to an international university, take some time to research what’s expected of you.

Structuring your CV

Organise your content into the following sections for ease-of-reading:

• Contact details – These should always be at the very top of your CV.
• Personal statement  – A brief introductory summary of your qualifications, skills and experience in relation to the PhD.
• Core skills – A short and snappy list of your most relevant skills, tailored to the PhD.
• Education –  A detailed breakdown of your relevant qualifications, especially your undergraduate and postgraduate degree(s).
• Career summary/research   experience – An overview of any relevant work or research experience, angled towards your chosen field of study.
• Additional information –   A space to detail any other relevant information which may boost your application.

Quick tip:  While the simple CV format above is usually ideal, academic institutions often have their own preferred structure. Double-check their guidelines before you start writing – their preferences should be prioritised – and use a CV template if you want to speed things up without sacrificing quality.

CV Contact Details

Commence your CV by sharing your basic contact details

• Phone number
• Email address
• Location  – Rather than listing your full address, your town or city, such as ‘Manchester’ or ‘Exeter’, is enough.
• If you have one, add a link to your LinkedIn profile or a portfolio of work.

CV for PhD Personal Statement

Your profile / personal statement  is essentially your first impression on the reader and is a great way to hook their attention.

It should provide a snappy summary of who you are and why your qualifications, skills and ambitions make you a perfect candidate for the PhD.

Tips to consider when creating your personal statement:

• Tailor to the PhD:  Every PhD programme should have a description available, which you can use to tailor your personal statement ( and your CV as a whole). Focus on proving you have the appropriate educational background, skillset and knowledge to carry out the project.
• Prove your enthusiasm: It’s important to put forward your drive and motivation for your field and explain why the specific PhD is so well-matched to your wider interests and ambitions.
• Avoid clichés:  Clichés and generic phrases like “I’m a motivated team player”  and  “gives 110%”  won’t impress the admissions team.
• Keep it short:  A paragraph length of around 8-15 lines is perfect. This is only an introduction – the detail can come later on in your CV.

What to include in your CV for PhD personal statement?

• Your academic background  – Give a brief overview of your undergraduate degree and/or masters and how they’ve brought you towards this PhD.
• Impressive results  – PhD students are normally academically extraordinary, so make sure to point out any impressive results or feedback – whether that’s your degree as a whole or a particularly relevant assignment/project grade.
• Relevant skills  – Use the PhD project description to find out what the university is looking for in candidates. Then, try to incorporate the core skills into your profile.
• Relevant experience – Not everyone will have any relevant research or work experience to their name at this stage, but if you do, make sure to briefly highlight it here.
• Interests, goals & motivations  – Give a brief insight into your motivation for taking on a PhD, why you’re so committed to your specific research topics(s) and what you think you can add. It’s also helpful to summarise how the course will fit into your wider career ambitions/goals.

Core skills section

Next, create a punchy list of core skills, organised into 2 or 3 columns of bullet points.

Use the project description to identify the required skills and knowledge, then use your findings to inform your list.

This will help the busy admissions team to see that the PhD is right for you at a glance.

Education & Qualifications

A PhD CV is  all about academic achievements and qualifications, so this section should make up the bulk of your CV.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a detailed breakdown of your undergraduate and postgraduate qualifications.

If you have any GCSEs, A-Levels or other academic qualifications that are particularly relevant to the PhD subject, they might be worth listing, too.

Structuring your education

By working to a considered structure, you can ensure your education is easy to navigate and that your key achievements stand out.

For each of your relevant qualifications, break up information into the following sections.

Start by detailing the type of qualification, the title, the achieved grade, the academic institution at which you studied and the year you graduated.

MSc – Environmental Engineering (Distinction)

Middlesex University (2018)

Course content

Next, discuss your thesis or dissertation title (if applicable), the modules you studied and any relevant projects you were involved in.

What you choose to write here should be tailored to the PhD you’re applying for – focus the detail on the most relevant aspects of the qualification.

Thesis: “Identification of the Bacterial Profusion and Variety in Nuclear Waste Disposal”.

Modules: System Analysis in Urban Water Management; Process Engineering in Urban Water Management; Air Quality Control; Waste Management; Ecological Systems Design, and Remote Sensing and Earth Observation.

Project: “Research Study for Anaerobic Wastewater Treatment”

Key achievements (optional)

Finish up with a snappy list of key results,  accomplishments or learning outcomes you achieved.

This might be an impressive grade for a highly relevant assignment, an award you won or a quote of exemplary feedback from a tutor.

Career & Research Experience

Next up is your career & research summary, which should be tailored to the PhD in question.

You could include  relevant research experience here, as well as any related employment (even if temporary or voluntary).

Make sure to be selective with the type of employment you list, though. For example, a part-time waiting on job isn’t worth including, but a laboratory or tutoring job might be. Ultimately, it should be related to your field or have helped you develop relevant skills or knowledge.

When discussing your research roles, make sure to detail the techniques you used, the skills developed and any interesting findings.

Structuring your experience section

Ensure your career & research section is clear, scannable and easy to read by working to the following structure:

Outline the dates of employment/contract, the role title and the organisation or institution you worked for.

Aug 2018 – Sep 2019 Research Intern Hydro Continental, London

Give a brief overview of the position or research project as a whole, discussing the team you worked with (or lead), who you reported to and what the goal of the project was.

“Undertook a short-term assignment pertaining to the Economics of climate change in order to research and drive improvements in energy consumption and emissions; reported to the Executive Engineer.” 

Key responsibilities 

Then use bullet points to pinpoint your duties and responsibilities within the role, making sure to mention any relevant techniques or skills used that could benefit your candidacy. E.g.

• Employed the Marginal Abatement Cost (MAC) curve tool to present carbon emissions abatement options.
• Built partnerships and participated in open discussions with other country modellers and research associates.
• Amassed and processed varied data from multiple sources.

Writing your CV for PhD

Applying for a PhD is a daunting yet exciting time, but a flawless CV can help you achieve your goals.

Remember to tailor your CV to the specific PhD you’re applying for and aim to make a compelling case for your suitability and aligned goals.

Before you send off your CV, try to get a second opinion from a current or previous tutor, trusted family member or friend.

It’s also worth checking the finished document with our quick-and-easy CV Builder , to eliminate the risk of overlooking mistakes.

Best of luck with your PhD application!

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• How to write an Academic CV for a PhD Application
• Applying to a PhD
• The purpose of an academic CV for a PhD application is to provide a summary of your educational background and demonstrate the research skills and relevant experience you have that make you capable of undertaking a PhD.
• It should be divided into nine sections : (1) contact information, (2) research interests, (3) education, (4) research and work experience, (5) teaching experience, (6) relevant skills and experience, (7) publications and conferences, (8) professional memberships, (9) referees.
• It should ideally be up to two pages for a new research student, but can extend up to four pages if required.
• The smaller details matter more than you think – write concisely, use consistent formatting, avoid jargons and general statements, check spelling and grammar, and have at least one academic to proofread it for you, ideally in the same area you are applying to.

Introduction

So you are nearing the end of your current degree or making a return to education, and you’ve decided to make your next step a PhD. While the road ahead will be filled with much excitement, you’ll need to secure your position first. This will all begin with a strong PhD application and an equally impressive academic CV and personal statement or cover letter.

Together with your personal statement or cover letter, your CV will show who you are as an individual and what you have to offer. It needs to be concise, correctly formatted and well written to convince your preferred university and supervisor that you are the right student for the project.

This step-by-step guide will get you on your way to creating an outstanding academic CV for your next PhD application. We’ll discuss the sections your CV should be structured into, what each of these sections should include, and how it should be written. We’ll also give you valuable tips that are sure to get your readers’ attention.

What Is an Academic CV?

When applying for a PhD position, it’s common for the university to request a curriculum vitae (CV) from you to accompany your application.

An academic CV may appear similar to a standard CV used for job applications, but they are two relatively unique documents.

Where a standard CV focuses mostly on what your previous responsibilities have been and what you have accomplished to date, an academic CV concentrates on your academic background, achievements and experiences . Your academic CV will be used by a PhD supervisor to determine whether you can meet the challenges associated with undertaking a demanding PhD research project, as not everyone can.

How to Write an Academic CV for A PhD Application

A good academic CV should be broken into nine section headings:

• Contact Information
• Research Interests / Personal Profile
• Research and Work Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Relevant Skills and Experience
• Publications and Conferences
• Professional Memberships
• Referees / References

Below, we discuss what each of these sections should contain and how they should be written.

1. Contact Information

Start your CV by providing your contact details. All of the following should be included:

• Full name  – Your name should be your document title, formatted in bold and centralised text.
• Email address and contact number
• Location  – Your town/city and country, e.g. ‘Birmingham, UK’, will be sufficient; it’s not necessary to provide your full home address.
• Profiles  – Include a link to any professional profiles you may have, such as LinkedIn or ResearchGate.

NOTE:  Some individuals include a profile photo but be careful before doing so. While this would be expected in some countries such as those in Asia, the Middle East and Africa, this would not be the case in other countries such as the UK and US. This is because it can lead to complications with labour and anti-discrimination laws and potentially cost you your application. We therefore strongly advise you to look into the norms and regulations of the host country before deciding to do so.

2. Research Interests / Personal Profile

For an academic CV written for a PhD position, your ‘research interests’ section will double as you ‘personal profile’. As a brief introduction to yourself, this will be an important section as it sets the first impression of you for the reader.

Use bullet points or a brief paragraph to summarise who you are, your relevant qualifications, your research interests and your relevant skills and experience. When writing this section, your focus should be on two aspects: demonstrating your  ability to conduct a PhD  and your  enthusiasm for the project .

To create an impactful research interests’ section, adhere to the following:

• Tailor to each research project you apply for:  One of the easiest ways to do this is to read the project description attached to the PhD advert, identify two to three of the most prominent keywords, and incorporate them into your writeup.
• Keep it short:  This section is only an introduction, so keep it concise and punchy over long and detailed; 50 – 60 words is a good target.
• Make every word count:  As 50 – 60 words isn’t much, be as specific as you can. Avoid clichés such as “I am committed to research and have a high attention to detail” at all costs; not only are they generic and overused, they also don’t provide the reader with any useful insights into you.

3. Education

A PhD CV is all about academic achievements and qualifications, so your education section should be given high importance and form the bulk of your CV, especially as it will be used to determine if have the core skills required for the position.

Working in reverse chronological order, provide a breakdown of your current academic qualifications. For most of you, this will be an undergraduate Bachelor’s degree and a postgraduate Master’s degree.

When listing your qualifications, provide the full name of the degree, the degree type, and the duration in terms of its start and end year. You do not need to limit this to your past qualifications; if you’re currently studying or taking an external course, include them as well, but state that they are ongoing and provide an expected grade if you have one.

If your degree is relevant to the PhD project you are applying to, include a list of the modules you completed and your corresponding marks; the same applies to your final year dissertation project.

Note:  If you list your relevant modules, streamline their names by removing any course codes. For example, “FN01 Fluid Dynamics” should become “Fluid Dynamics”. Course codes are only used for internal purposes, and each university will have its own system, so remove them to avoid any possible confusion.

Feel free to also list your GCSEs, A-Levels or other relevant academic qualifications if applicable to the field you are applying to, however, this isn’t necessary, and most supervisors will not ask for them. The exception to this is if your university degree is not directly related to the project you are applying for, but your previous qualifications are. In these cases, include them to help demonstrate the suitability of your academic background.

Finally, list any honours, awards and prizes that you have won or any other notable academic achievements that will help to strengthen your application.

4. Research and Work Experience

Your research and relevant work experience is just as, if not more, important than your educational background. This is because most applicants applying for the position will have similar qualifications, so your research experience can often be the deciding factor when all other things are considered equal.

Your research experience may include both paid and voluntary, full-time and part-time work, as well as university project work. However, in all cases, the experience you mention should be relevant to the project you are applying for or have helped you develop skills that make you a more capable researcher. For example, it’s not necessary to mention your time in retail, but any previous time as a laboratory or teaching assistant or teaching support absolutely will be.

If you any discuss research that you have done as part of your studies, present them as individual project listed in reverse chronological order, as before. You can also include research projects you are currently working on, regardless of how developed they are.

When discussing any projects, include the following:

• What the project was about,
• What research methods you used,
• The skills you gained,
• Any notable achievements or outcomes.

5. Teaching Experience

Since one of the main career paths after a PhD is an academic career, teaching experience can significantly strengthen your academic CV. However, it is generally accepted that not all applicants will have teaching experience, but if you do, include it here.

When discussing your teaching experience, state what level it was at, e.g. undergraduate or postgraduate, and what it involved, i.e. marking, teaching, supervising or organising.

6. Relevant Skills and Experience

This section should describe all other skills and experiences that will help strengthen your application.

They should be specific to the PhD project or demonstrate your potential to become a competent researcher. This includes:

• Technical skills and experience, e.g. the use of computer software packages or research equipment common to the project you’re applying for.
• Non-project specific courses you’ve sat, e.g. an academic writing and communication course.
• Languages you know with their proficiencies noted.

7. Publications and Conferences

Most students won’t have academic publications, but if you do, list them here. Formal publications can include anything from journal articles, which is most likely to an adaptation of your final year dissertation project if you do have one, and published reports. If you have these, list them in reverse chronological order using the reference system adopted by the university you are applying to, as this is what the PhD supervisor will most likely be used to.

If you aren’t a published author or co-author, you can still include other text publications that you may have been involved in, such as online articles, magazines, newsletters and blogs. The topics of these publications should relate to your field or academia in general and be written in a formal tone that showcases your critical thinking and writing skills.

If you’ve ever given a conference presentation, include it here with details of the name, date and location of the conference, the title of your presentation and a summary of what it was about.

Even if you haven’t presented in conferences, you should still list any you have attended, including any seminars or talks. This is a useful way to illustrate your interest in the subject and your commitment to gaining new knowledge within your field.

TIP:  If you haven’t attended many conferences or seminars, consider attending several upcoming ones relevant to the research area you’re interested in. Not only is this a great way to learn more about the field in terms of its latest developments and gaps, but it can also be an effective way to make your academic CV more relevant if it’s currently light on research experience.

8. Professional Memberships

Being affiliated with an academic group, society or professional body demonstrates your enthusiasm for your field and for connecting with other like-minded individuals within the community.

When listing these, include the name of the group, the associated membership dates and the position you have held within it.

9. Referees / References

Your references will form the last section of your academic CV.

Your PhD application should specify the number of referees you should include, but if it does not, try to include at least two, but ideally three.

Two of the referees should be academic, with most students choosing their personal tutor and their final year’s dissertation project supervisor. It can be other staff members, but the essential requirement is that it is someone who knows you well enough to be able to substantiate your abilities and character.

If you don’t have two academic referees, you can use a professional referee as long as they are still relevant to the project you are applying for. This will most likely be the case for those who have worked in industry for some time before deciding to return to education.

When creating your reference list, list your referees in order of relevance and how well they know you, not in alphabetical order. This is so if only the first referee is called upon, it will be the individual who can provide you the most useful reference. The following information should be provided:

• Professional title,
• Name of current university,
• Phone number and email address.

It’s imperative that you first seek permission from the individuals before listing them as a referee. It would also be beneficial to send them a copy of your CV, cover letter and application form so they can familiarise themselves with the broader details in case they are called upon.

Tips for Creating a Standout Academic CV

No matter how impressive your academic achievements are or how much experience you have accumulated in your field, the PhD supervisor may never find out if your CV is too difficult to read. With this in mind, here are a few tips for achieving a high degree of clarity:

Formatting for Clarity

• Highlight key information through the use of bolding, italics and underlining, but be careful not to overdo it so that it loses its purpose.
• Keep your formatting consistent throughout, such as indentations, font type and font size, vertical spacing and margins.
• Insert page numbers on each page.
• Avoid jargon and abbreviations to maximise clarity.
• Avoid splitting sections across two pages.

Keep It Concise

• Try to limit your CV to two pages and not more than four. If you need to go over two pages, make sure the most important information is on the first two pages.
• Avoid dense paragraphs, overly long sentences and generic statements. The aim is to pass on essential information in a way that doesn’t require the reader to have to extract it themselves. This leads to the next tip,
• Use bullet points whenever possible, they’re easier to digest than paragraphs.

NOTE:  Remember that you will also submit a cover letter or personal statement alongside your CV, so don’t feel the need to cover everything to a high level of detail here as you will have the opportunity to do so elsewhere.

Check and Revise

• As a rule of thumb, the academic CV you submit as part of your PhD application should be the third or fourth version you produce. Try to keep a day or two between each version so that you always approach it with a fresh perspective.
• Proofread for any spelling and grammar mistakes. Although this will seem like we’re stating the obvious, a small mistake can be enough to jeopardise your chances considering that there will be many other high-profile candidates for the supervisor to choose from.
• Have your document checked, first by an academic such as your tutor, and second by a professional proofreader or by an advisor from your university’s careers team. The former will check for technical issues, the latter for common curriculum vitae formatting, spelling and grammar mistakes.

Save in PDF Format

If the submission method allows for it, convert your CV to PDF format. This significantly reduces the likelihood of compatibility and reformatting issues when opened by the supervisor.

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CV for PhD Application: How to Write One Like a True Scholar (+CV Example)

• Klara Cervenanska , 
• Updated March 13, 2024 11 min read

A PhD is the highest level of academic qualification you can achieve. To secure your position, however, you first need an impressive CV for your PhD application.

Earning a PhD degree requires you to produce extensive research in a narrowly defined subject within a certain discipline and to make a considerable original contribution to your field.

Hence why PhD programs are always very selective. The admission rates hover around 10% and only about half of the admitted candidates actually finish the degree, according to a recent psychology research .

As a result, less than 1% of the population attains a PhD.

So, how do you become a part of the 1%?

The process of attaining a PhD starts with a strong application which includes an impressive academic CV .

A CV for PhD application needs to be carefully crafted, well formatted, and contain specific sections.

We'll show you how to craft a stellar PhD application CV, and a sample academic CV from a real person admitted to a PhD program in France.

Table of Contents

Click on a section to skip

What is an academic CV?

What to include in an academic cv for phd application.

• How to write an academic CV for a PhD application?

Tips on how to write a CV for PhD application

How to tailor your cv for different phd programs, phd cv example.

First, there are two types of career documents job seekers widely use. A resume and a Curriculum Vitae (CV).

These two documents are similar but not identical.

So, let's have a look at the key differences between a CV vs a resume :

• A resume is used when applying for a position in industry, non-profits, or the public sector. It should focus on skills and past experience while being tailored to a specific job position. The length of the document shouldn't be more than 1 or 2 pages.
• A curriculum vitae (CV) is used when applying for positions in academia, science, or medicine. It focuses on education, research background and scholarly accomplishments. Finally, its length depends on the number of references, publications, etc.

There are even more types of CVs. A general CV, an industry (professional) CV, or an academic (research) CV — which is exactly the one you'll need.

In a nutshell, an academic CV is a career document that provides extensive information about your educational and research background. Scholars and researchers use this document when applying for jobs in academia — such as a PhD application.

Lastly, an academic resume is a term you can often come across, too. To avoid any confusion, it's the same as an academic CV. A more appropriate term is, however, the latter.

Rules are important in academia. That's why all academic CVs usually follow pretty strict structures regarding their content and formatting.

First, let's have a look at the resume sections you should include in a CV for PhD application:

• Contact information. Include your full name, email, phone number, and location.
• (Research) objective. A concise, brief paragraph outlining your research plans and strategies.
• Education. It should form the bulk of your CV and detail you educational background.
• (Research) experience. Your research experience can often set you apart from other candidates.
• Publications. Include anything from journal articles, published reports, to your research dissertation.
• Awards. Mention all awards and accomplishments you’ve received in reverse chronological order.
• Skills. These should be relevant to the PhD project or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher.
• References. Finally, try to include at least two references, such as your dissertation supervisor and one other member of staff.

Let's have a closer look at each of the 8 CV sections in the next chapter.

How to write an academic CV for a PhD application ?

Applying for a PhD will be a lot less stressful if you follow this quick guide on how to write a CV for a PhD application:

You should always start your CV or your resume by providing your contact details to form the CV header . Include your full name, your professional email address, and your mobile number. Additionally, you can include your location. However, we don't advise including your full home address for privacy reasons. Entering the country and city you reside in is usually enough. Since a CV is a bit different than a resume, we don't recommend including links to your social media .

Research objective is basically a brief paragraph at the beginning of your CV outlining your research plans, interests, and strategies. It paints a picture of you as a person and will guarantee that the admissions committee will be interested in reading and learning more about your professional background. Your research plans and strategies should align with the PhD project you're applying for. Hence, read the project description carefully and make sure to tailor your objective accordingly. Ideally, without making stuff up.

The education section should form the bulk of an academic CV. No one expects a potential PhD candidate to have 10 years of experience in the field. But what's expected is an appropriate educational background. A common practice is to list your education in a reverse chronological order. This means listing your Master's degree first and then a Bachelor's degree. For each degree, provide the full name of the degree, the type, its duration, the relevant courses and modules, the corresponding (or expected) marks, GPA , and any relevant projects or presentations. Also, include the name and the description of your final year dissertation project.

In this section, introduce all of the research projects you worked on, whether they were a part of your undergraduate degree, your master's degree, or you have undertaken this project elsewhere. You can include any voluntary , part-time , or full-time work experience you deem relevant for the PhD project of your choice. For instance, skip the part-time bartending job and rather include a teaching experience or a voluntary project you undertook.

Of course, it's okay if you don't have any publications yet. If that's the case, simply skip this section. However, if you do have any work published at this stage, list it in this section. The publications can include anything from journal articles, published reports, contributions to peer-reviewed journals, or an adaptation of your dissertation project. Make sure to check the citation style your institution or field prefers and use it consistently in your publications section. The most common ones are APA, MLA, and Chicago.

In this CV section, list relevant honors, achievements, or awards you earned for going beyond average — again in reversed chronological order. It includes scholarships, university fellowships, competitions, work-related awards, or academic awards . For instance, you can mention a very high GPA, subject-specific awards, or any grants you received. However, keep in mind that mentioning how much money was involved is only common in scientific fields.

The skills you mention in your academic CV should be relevant to the PhD project you're applying for or show that you have what it takes to succeed as a researcher. Between the two types of skills , hard and soft, hard skills are more appropriate to include in your CV for PhD application. Examples of hard skills include Python, data analysis, polymer synthesis, C++, Chem Draw, Ahrefs , languages, or other computer skills . However, completing a PhD degree usually also involves demonstrating your teaching abilities. For this reason, listing soft skills such as a good oral communication and presenting is also a good idea.

While a references section in a regular resume is pretty much redundant, in a CV for PhD application it's a must-have . Why? Well, having a person attest to your skills and achievements is a great way to leverage your professional experience. The person you ask should be articulate and in a reputable position. Your best bet is to ask your dissertation supervisor, a professor you had a good relationship with, or one who taught the subject most relevant for the desired PhD program. Finally, don't forget that your references have to agree with having their contact information shared, first. Read our quick guide on how do you ask someone to be your reference .

Apart from making sure the content of your CV is spot on, you should also follow some well-established formatting tips.

A clear layout and composition ensure your CV is professional and easy to read.

Here are a few tips to help you achieve that:

• Keep the formatting consistent. If you choose a certain font type and size, stick to it. The same goes for margins, spacing, and capitalization.
• Less is often more. It might be tempting to use bolding, italics, or underlining in order to make the document "easy" to read. However, an excessive use of these features actually has the exact opposite effect.
• Avoid long paragraphs. A CV is all about providing objective facts regarding your professional background. Hence, no need to provide generic statements or go into too much detail. And if you happen to write more text, you can always divide it using bullet points.
• Use professional language. It goes without saying, but don't use slang. Similarly, use professional jargon and abbreviations within reasonable limits.
• Don't limit yourself to one or two pages. The length of your academic CV depends on the number of publications, awards, references, and experiences. Unlike a resume, a CV is a complete summary of your academic and professional background.
• Convert your CV to PDF. Doing this considerably reduces the risk of compatibility and formatting issues. A PDF file keeps your formatting intact across various devices.

Too much to keep in mind? Kickresume's CV & resume builder can save you the headache and provides useful templates with appropriate formatting designed by career professionals.

When applying for different PhD programs, it's crucial to tailor your academic CV to suit each specific program. 

This doesn't just improve your chances of catching the eye of admissions committees ; it demonstrates your genuine interest and alignment with their goals. 

To effectively tailor your CV for different PhD programs, follow these three tips:

#1 Understand program requirements and values

How do you do that? Start with in-depth research about the PhD program:

• Visit the program's website
• Look at the curriculum
• Attend open days
• If possible, reach out to alumni 

Once you have a clear picture of the program's values and requirements, you can begin to customize your CV. 

For example: If a program emphasizes community outreach, you might highlight your involvement in science education for underprivileged youths or your participation in community-based research projects. 

This demonstrates not only your alignment with their values but also your active contribution to areas they care about.

#2 Emphasize transferable skills for PhD programs

This applies to people switching fields or applying to a program that isn't a direct continuation of your undergraduate degree. 

Let's say you're moving from a background in chemistry to a PhD in molecular biology. 

It's crucial to highlight how your analytical skills, understanding of chemical processes, and any lab work or research experience directly apply to molecular biology. 

For instance: Discuss your experience with techniques that are common in both fields, like chromatography or spectrometry, and how they've prepared you for the research you aim to conduct in molecular biology. 

Tailoring your CV in this manner demonstrates your ability to bridge different disciplines and apply your skills in new contexts.

#3 Adapt your CV for international PhD programs

Adapting your CV for international programs involves more than just translating it into another language. 

Start by researching the academic culture and CV formats preferred in the country you're applying to. This might include:

• the preferred length
• whether to include personal information such as a photo
• emphasis on certain types of experience or qualifications

For instance: in some countries, a detailed list of courses and grades might be important, while in others, a focus on research experience and publications is key. 

Websites of the target universities, country-specific academic career resources, advice from current international students, or even online forums like Reddit are invaluable for this purpose.

Finally, to help you tie everything we talked about together, we thought one picture is worth a thousand words.

Here's a CV sample from a person who managed to get accepted into a PhD program at the university of Lyon in France.

There are several things Herrera included to ensure her CV was successful:

• A complete professional and academic background. We can see that this section forms the bulk of the resume. As it should.
• Plenty of hard skills. Herrera included 7 hard technical skills and multiple languages. All of these skills are very valuable in academia.
• A succinct description of all projects. She includes the full name of the projects, their duration, and theme.
• References, publications, and certifications. All of these sections are included in the full version of this resume and can be found by clicking the button below the sample CV.

Lyon University PhD Student Resume Sample

This resume sample was contributed by a real person who got hired with Kickresume’s help.

Klara graduated from the University of St Andrews in Scotland. After having written resumes for many of her fellow students, she began writing full-time for Kickresume. Klara is our go-to person for all things related to student or 'no experience resumes'. At the same time, she has written some of the most popular resume advice articles on this blog. Her pieces were featured in multiple CNBC articles. When she's not writing, you'll probably find her chasing dogs or people-watching while sipping on a cup of coffee.

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3 PhD Resume Examples Made to Work for 2024 

PhD Student Resume

Phd application resume.

• Write Your PhD Resume

With the role of a PhD student, you’re the intellectual powerhouse driving groundbreaking research and contributing to the advancement of knowledge. Your expertise allows you to dive deep into complex subjects, developing innovative solutions and pushing the boundaries of what’s already known. 

At the same time, you’ll need to balance your responsibilities as a teacher as well, imparting your knowledge to the undergraduates at your institution. Crafting a resume and creating a cover letter that demonstrate your ability to shine in this diverse role is no easy task.

Luckily, we’re here to guide you through the maze of showcasing your academic journey. With our varied PhD application resume examples , you’ll find the ideal resume template to help you craft your own winning resume in no time.

or download as PDF

Why this resume works

• Thankfully, Liam does a great job highlighting his internship and project achievements and how both are applicable in helping sustainably improve production.

• One strategy you can use to boost the chances of your PhD student resume to clinch an enrolment slot into the health sciences department is by harnessing the achievements from a volunteer project that brought screening services to a marginalized community.

• Therefore, achievements in increasing student participation and engagement accompanied by metrics in improved grades and assessment scores would go a long way to prop your suitability.

Related resume examples

• Research assistant

Adapt Your PhD Resume to the School You’re Applying to

As an aspiring PhD student, your resume is your scholarly calling card, showcasing the intellectual artillery you bring to the academic battlefield. 

This is where you can showcase your skills and express why you’re the right person to join the program. To do this, tailor your skills section to align with the specific requirements of your desired program and department. 

Highlight your expertise in research methodologies, statistical analysis, and any specialized software or equipment you’ve mastered. For the more technically inclined, don’t shy away from showcasing hard skills like Python, Matlab, Java, or Tableau.

You can also include a couple of soft skills because they’re essential for giving lectures and mentoring students. Just remember to reinforce them with demonstrable examples in the experience section later. 

Want some pointers?

15 top PhD skills

• Microsoft Office
• Google Sheets
• Research Methodologies 
• Academic Writing
• Public Speaking
• Lesson Planning
• Grant Proposals
• Grading Essays
• Collaborative Research

Your PhD work experience bullet points

From conducting groundbreaking research to publishing papers, your journey as an academic is about more than just the day-to-day grind. In the experience section of your resume, the real spotlight should be on your transformative contributions. 

If this isn’t your first PhD, highlight achievements from your previous studies like securing research grants, publishing impactful papers, or successfully leading research projects. If you’re moving up from postgraduate studies, highlight the best and most impressive accomplishments from your master’s and bachelor’s degrees. 

Add some numbers to make your accomplishments pop. This could be the number of students mentored, successful experiments and research projects, or the reach of your published work. 

• Highlight the number of your articles or research papers that were published in reputable journals.
• Quantify the success of research projects with metrics such as project scope, budget management, or studies carried out.
• Demonstrate your ability to secure research funding by specifying the number and value of grants obtained.
• Showcase your impact as a mentor or tutor by talking about the number of students you’ve guided or the way they were able to improve their grades through your help.

See what we mean?

• Created engaging course materials using Articulate Storyline, resulting in a 39% increase in student engagement and comprehension
• Managed EHR software to document patient assessments, vital signs, and medication administration, maintaining 99.99% accuracy in recordkeeping
• Partnered with farmers to develop customized crop management plans, resulting in a 31% increase in yields
• Assisted in the development and implementation of assessments, leading to a 33% reduction in student dropout rates

9 active verbs to start your PhD work experience bullet points

• Innovated 
• Collaborated

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume With Little Prior Experience

• Mention your involvement in conferences and workshops. This will showcase your ability to engage with and contribute to the broader scholarly community.
• Echo your passion for knowledge throughout your resume, and look into the future. Outline your career objectives , illustrating your commitment to making a lasting impact through your PhD studies.
• Any and all academic achievements look great on a PhD resume, so make sure to add them. Talk about your GPA, awards won, or competitions you’ve participated in to show your drive as a college student.

3 Tips for Writing a PhD Resume for Your Second PhD

• Research is often independent, and academics are sometimes considered lone wolves. That’s why it’s important to emphasize your leadership and collaboration skills explicitly. The school needs to know you can mentor students and collaborate with other colleagues effectively—so turn up the enthusiasm for this area!
• If you’re going for a research role, it’s essential to be at the forefront of your field—following all the latest papers and studies. You can show this by mentioning your participation in research initiatives or the conferences you like to attend. 
• Show that you put just as much effort into your students as you put into your research by sharing student performance and engagement metrics. You can also discuss your favorite lecture and seminar-planning techniques to convey your passion and commitment. 

Absolutely! While not mandatory, a tailored career summary can be a powerful tool. Customize it for the PhD position, mentioning the specific program and academic role. Don’t forget to highlight things like research methodologies, data analysis, and any unique contributions to your academic field.

Choose a clean and professional format that prioritizes your academic achievements and research experience. Use clear headings, bullet points, and a consistent structure, much like you would in a research paper. 

Include skills that align with the specific requirements of the PhD program and your academic discipline. Highlight technical and soft skills relevant to research, teaching, fieldwork, and collaboration.

The Savvy Scientist

Experiences of a London PhD student and beyond

How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)

When you’re faced with writing an academic CV for a PhD application it can be hard to know where to start.

After all, along with your personal statement an academic CV is the heart of your PhD application: essentially acting as a “highlights reel” of your greatest achievements. You need it to be well formatted and engaging, yet concise enough that all of your most relevant experience is unmissable at a glance.

Quite a challenge!

In this post we’ll break down what to include. From the essentials to the nice-to-haves. All quotes are from the CVs I personally used when applying for PhDs.

If you’re just getting started be sure to download my Academic CV Template.

In addition, if you’d like to get some inspiration from active researchers’ CVs, you may wish to check out the repository of example academic CVs I have put together here:

Academic CV Examples From Active Researchers

What should i include on an academic cv for a phd application, contact info.

Name, email address and phone number. Personally I don’t see a need to include your address and certainly not a photo.

Education / Qualifications

List all major grades from aged 16 upwards: GCSE, A-Levels and university degrees.

• Undergraduate (and masters degrees) should include the subject, university and grade. I’ve tended to include the title of any significant research projects and the titles of the most relevant modules.
• For A-Levels you should name each of the subjects you took with the grade. Personally to keep the page more clean I’ve not included the schools I went to: though it may be worth drawing attention if you did well despite attending a particularly poorly performing school.
• GCSEs can just be summarised to the grades. Subjects needn’t be named.

My aim is to apply my skills to improve lives. I have a proven track record of overseeing successful development of innovative medical devices and now desire the opportunity to expand my skills beyond mechanical engineering into biomaterials research.

Sometimes it can be useful to include a few lines about your motivation and aims for your career. Despite currently having a short profile on my own CV I’m not 100% convinced by them: they can sound cliché especially if you’re fresh out of undergraduate . Profiles are most common in industry and it is up to you whether you think you have content worth sharing: do not waffle, and avoid excessive use of the typical buzzwords: hardworking, motivated etc!

University Research Projects

Third year project “3-D printing of multi-scale porous bioscaffolds for ligament attachment” Manufactured novel magnesium calcium phosphate scaffolds to investigate 3-D printing parameters for optimum implant integration Analysed parts under SEM to verify multi-scale porosity and XRD for detecting phase changes and composition Conducted a statistical analysis of variance study in sample porosity using optical microscopy and deduced the optimum printing parameters to maximise porosity Wrote a technical report and presented results during an oral presentation and viva

More than likely the research projects you’ve undertaken during the latter years of your degree will be your most substantial research experience. State the title of the project followed by a few bullet points covering:

• Useful skills and experience you gained such as: experimental & analytical techniques; software; instrumentation; report-writing; presenting
• Any substantial outcomes: prizes; publications & patents

Feel free to also state whether these projects were undertaken as a group or individually but remember to avoid clutter: you can go into more detail for your personal statement.

[Work] Experience

Jan – May 2013 Research Assistant, Department of Haematology, University of Cambridge Developed prototype HIV diagnostic devices for commercialisation within a multi-disciplinary team: Debugged, calibrated and optimised several novel medical devices Produced standard operating procedure and calibration documentation Experienced an audit and developed an appreciation of ISO 13485 and FDA requirements Inspected and tested parts for quality control processing

Whether you include this section will depend on what experience you have outside of the typical university projects. Here you can describe any additional work experience you have had such as: summer internships; research job roles; years in industry plus any potential outreach you’ve taken part in or voluntary work.

The level of detail you go in to will depend on how relevant the work was and how long ago: working in a shop at weekends when you were 17 probably isn’t particularly relevant. Unless you have had a significant amount of relevant (or impressive) work experience I’d keeping this section below University Research Projects .

A keen photographer, my photographs have appeared in the international press and have raised over £5000 for Macmillan Cancer Support. University of Warwick Photographic Society Executive Committee (2010-2012) Positions held: President, Treasurer, First Aider and Equal Opportunities Officer Duties included overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression – leading to a doubling of active membership over two years, chairing meetings and international trips, implementing new payment methods and securing funding.

Unless extremely relevant or impressive, I tend to not put too much emphasis on extra-curricular activities: no admissions tutor really needs to know that you enjoy cooking or cycling unless to a very high level. Having said that, do be sure to include anything which can show useful transferable skills such as team-work and responsibility.

I like to include any roles of responsibility such as society committee positions with any useful outcomes.

Nice-To-Haves

There are number of other sections which are common among academics further up the ladder. Unless you have more than a couple of pieces of content per category I suggest adding them where relevant elsewhere: for example an undergraduate award could feature under Education . If you have enough relevant content to warrant adding a new section, they can look very impressive.

Publications

It is often said that publications are the currency of academia. If you have managed to get involved with any publications then display them here in your favourite citation style.

If you’ve been involved in a significant amount of scientific outreach: STEMNET; teaching; mentoring; schools events; unpaid tutoring; public events etc.

Other sections sometimes included, and which are pretty self explanatory:

• Awards & Prizes
• Professional Memberships
• Grants/Scholarships

Tips for Writing a CV for a PhD Application

Translate your skills.

Beyond any subject-specific skills that you know will be useful, translate how your previous experience can transfer to your PhD.  Think about things such as:

• Independence
• Problem-solving

Ask yourself: how did your work standout? Use specifics to quantify performance rather than sticking to buzzwords. For example imagine if you’re writing as your role as president of a society:

“Leadership and teamwork experience”

“Overseeing the 270 member-strong society’s running and progression: leading to a doubling of active membership over two years”

Now you don’t need to go to that level of detail for everything, but if you’ve put in the work, make sure you do yourself justice.

Keep Things Concise

Make sure things are understandable but avoid long-winded sentences and especially paragraphs creating big blocks of dense text. Not only are big paragraphs off-putting to read, they make it really difficult for the reader to tease out the crucial information.

Bullet points are faster and easier to read, plus easier on the eye: all things you want to be encouraging! If you can’t succinctly describe a role in a few one line bullet points you’re probably adding too much information.

Don’t forget you can go in to more detail in your personal statement. Don’t waffle on your CV for a PhD application.

Well-Formatted

• Leaving lots of white space around your text keep it easier to read and therefore more likely that someone will continue to read it.
• In Word, zoom out so that you can see the pages of your document at once. If possible format sections so that nothing, and especially sentences, trails between pages: it makes the document look clean and professional. You can accurately play with line spacing by adding blank lines and setting the font size to something small: in my template I use size 3.
• Lead the eye . Make key information bold for it to stand out: though keep it consistent and don’t go too crazy!
• Try and keep your most important information to two pages . Anything beyond that should be supplementary.

If you’d like some guidance with formatting be sure to click  HERE for my downloadable Academic CV Template .

Spelling & Grammar

Nothing can more quickly make you appear incompetent than spelling mistakes, especially near to the top of your CV or in section headings. Once you’ve double checked your spelling take a break and come back to the document with fresh eyes: it’s amazing what you’ll spot. After that, ask a friend to have a read through too.

Save as PDF (if allowed)

Now that you’ve formatted your CV nicely, I suggest saving it as a PDF if the online submission allows. With PDFs the formatting is locked in place and you needn’t worry about the formatting screwing up because of differing versions of Word.

Take Inspiration

Often senior academics will include links to download their CVs from their personal webpages and I keep a folder of them for some inspiration. You can check out my online respository below!

If you’d like personalised help with your PhD application I am now starting to offer a small number of one-to-one sessions. Please contact me to find out more or click here to book a call.

I hope this post has helped with writing your own CV for a PhD application. If you have any tips or advice to share then I’d love to hear them in the comments! You can also subscribe for more content here:

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4 Comments on “How to Write a CV for a PhD Application (with free template!)”

Hey Jeff, great article!!

Any chance you can do one on personal statements?

Thanks, Yusuf

Hi Yusuf. I’m glad you’ve found it useful! Good idea about one for personal statements, I can see that being helpful so I’ll add it to my schedule and hope to get it out in not too long! Best wishes, Jeff.

hi, I cant seem to access the downloadable template! please could you post another link?

Hi Georgia, sorry that you’re having issues accessing the template. I’m tried it on two computers and it seems to work okay for me. Here is the same link again which works for me . Does that work? In case not I can email it to you. Let me know. Best wishes, Jeff

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9 PhD Resume Examples & Guide for 2024

Your PhD resume must highlight your extensive research and expertise in your field of study. Tailor it to showcase how your unique skills are transferable to the job you're applying for. Demonstrate your proficiency in critical thinking and problem-solving through concrete examples of your work. Articulate your ability to communicate complex ideas effectively, as this is key to standing out.

All resume examples in this guide

Traditional

Lecturer in Molecular Engineering and Bioengineering Researcher: Biomedical Engineering, Ph.D. resume example

Electronic Product Design and Engineering Lab Technician, Ph.D. Mechanical Engineering resume example

APTA Certified Physical Therapist, Doctor of Philosophy in Rehabilitation Science resume example

Data Scientist: Niched In Statistics, Appplied Mathematics, and Machine Learning resume example

Resume Guide

Guide Overview

Additional Resumes

Extra Reads

Writing Your Ph.D. Resume

Resume Header Tips

Ph.D. Resume Summary

Resume Experience Section

Systematizing Your Experience

How to Include Your Degree

Ph.D. in Progress on Resume

Skill Set for Ph.D. Resumes

Certifications on Resume

Additional Sections

Key Takeaways

George C. Jones's 8-year-Odyssey to his doctoral degree in engineering is finally complete. All he has to do now is complete his Ph.D. resume.

Little does George know that within the next three years, he'd apply to 500+ roles and still not be any closer to working in the renewable energy sector.

A little birdie told us why.

Everywhere George applied, he was labeled as an "egghead": book-smart with no real-world experience.

At least that's the story his resume told.

Unfortunately, George's sad "tale" depicts many graduates’ job searches.

By 2030/31, the US is expected to have 221,000 Ph.D. graduates . While this may be fantastic news for the academic community, the job pool is limited.

Swimming into the big blue sea - a.k.a. the "real world" - would require Ph.D. graduates to adapt their resumes to the business or industry requirements.

And listing vague bullets pinpointing your experience just won't do.

Enhancv knows how to translate your skills, knowledge, and achievements to ensure your resume stands out in the vast talent pool.

Because a well-written Ph.D. resume , showing skills, passion, and knowledge, is your ticket to the moon and beyond.

Our exclusive, Ph.D. resume guide will answer some of the following questions for you:

• What are some of the biggest, unintentional mistakes Ph.D. graduates tend to make when writing their resumes?
• Perfecting the top one-third of your resume: how to get recruiters' attention every time?
• 102 of the most popular Ph.D. skills you need to add to your resume right now!
• Lacking much professional experience: how to align your academic background with job expectations?
• Get inspired with more ideas about formatting, writing your resume summary, and including your academic body of work in a way that works.

4 additional Ph.D. resume samples and why they work

Ph.d. bioengineering graduate.

This Ph.D. Bioengineering Graduate has certainly focused her effort on getting that tenure-track position.

Here’s why her resume works.

Within the top one-third of Dr. Taylor’s resume (the headlines, summary, and skills section), you’ll find many relevant keywords for the job advert.

She has also used the summary to qualify and quantify her results to help recruiters better understand her strengths.

The experience section is split into two parts: the first one notes all relevant teaching experience; the second section showcases depth and knowledge of research.

Dr. Taylor has included industry experience and strengths to further define her skill set and show results.

This approach would also be very helpful for any Applicant Tracking System (ATS) reviewing the resume, as it cross-aligns the candidate’s talents with the job requirements.

Ph.D. mechanical engineering

If you’re wondering how to translate your academics into real-life experience, check this example out.

Dr. Aubry’s resume headline highlights his area of expertise and his Ph.D. degree, while his summary qualifies his key academic achievements, contributions, and success.

Dr. Aubry’s skills section focuses more on the technology he is apt at within the specified job requirements.

His roles as a lab technician, contributor, and research assistant also hint to recruiters that he’s results-oriented and can show how his work affected the industry.

Finally, his strengths section cross-aligns soft skills that are important for the role, including mechanical engineering knowledge, cross-disciplinary teamwork, and technical writing.

Apta certified physical therapist

In some industries, a specific certification can be a real game changer to meeting ATS standards.

Dr. Brubaker knows this and that’s why she has used her resume to highlight her American Physical Therapy Association (APTA) certification within various sections (headline, summary, and certification).

Another reason why Dr. Brubaker’s resume works is that it pinpoints her niche of expertise with tangible results.

Her education section not only lists all of her degrees, but she has turned recruiters’ attention to the grant funding her Ph.D. thesis secured (an outcome of the project).

Did you notice how she curated the experience section? Dr. Brubaker started with her more job-oriented responsibilities, followed by a leadership role.

if you’ve participated in any extracurricular activities during your studies, they could indicate various soft skills on your resume, including leadership, initiative, organization, etc.

data scientist, ongoing Ph.D. in statistics

Are you a current Ph.D. student, wondering how to include your ongoing degree on your resume?

Charles Flack’s resume includes some of the best how-to practices.

Charles uses the resume headline and summary’s first section to specify his research niche, which is followed by his ongoing Ph.D. Status.

N.B. Remember that the recruitment process is one of building trust with honesty. If you note in your resume that you’re a Ph.D. graduate (without this being the reality), recruiters will find out.

Continuing with Charles’s resume summary. It goes on to include an array of expertise and soft skills (e.g. leadership, adaptiveness, perfectionism) all within achieved results in academia.

His experience section includes roles in leadership, technical writing, and private tutoring, denoting individual skills and contributions.

The strengths Charles has included are more specific and tie in with data science roles. Those include quantitative problem-solving, deep learning, and iterative process.

21 Ph.D. related resume examples to help you get inspired

• Entry-Level
• Grant Writer
• Lab Technician
• Research Associate
• Research Assistant
• Lab Assistant
• Lab Manager
• Finance Intern
• Data Science Intern
• Entry Level Engineering
• Entry-Level Mechanical Engineer
• Software Engineer Intern
• Nursing Student
• Data Analyst Entry Level

Quick steps to success in writing your Ph.D. resume to get recruiters’ attention

Let's start with a big no-no: your academic CV, the one you used to secure that tenure position, is a No-go. Put simply - it lacks personality .

HRs and the Applicant Tracking System (ATS) need more context to your experience.

Unfortunately, here comes one of the biggest disadvantages you may face, leaving academia. Often, Ph.D. graduates get rejected as they lack practical work experience .

Don't get discouraged. Instead, find a resume format that works for you.

For Ph.D. graduates that have less work experience, we recommend a functional-skill-based format . It will help you highlight your unique skill set and academic excellence.

Also, it'll align your niche area of expertise with the role expectations.

Now that we've settled the formatting debate, let's look at a couple of more quick pointers for your Ph.D. resume.

1. The top one-third of your resume - the resume header and summary - is crucial to getting a high score on the ATS.

That's why you should try to include as many of the advert's relevant requirements within this section.

2. Expand your qualifications and skills within the experience section.

Don't just list plain bullets, but focus on the outcomes of your studies, research, or publications.

How to write your experience bullets:

3. Speaking of impact, detail your accomplishments within your academic work.

Focus on the picture and your research's influence on the scientific field, business/ industry, or communities.

Bonus: Remember to always list all work and academic experience that is relevant to the job you’re applying for.

Your Ph.D. experience can open many doors for you, giving you a front-row seat on the cutting edge of new technologies.

But let's not get ahead of ourselves, here are a couple more bits and pieces to keep in mind when writing your Ph.D. resume.

What recruiters are looking out for in your Ph.D. resume:

• What methodology or technology have you used to prove your research?
• If you've ever led teams, were you able to manage them successfully?
• Would your niche area of expertise contribute to the organizational goals?
• Can you bring to the table more than just theoretical knowledge?
• How fast can you adapt to a non-academic environment and deliver tangible results?

Ph.D. resume's five most important sections:

• Resume header with keywords from the job description
• Resume summary cross-aligning requirements with experience
• Resume experience to expand on the summary
• Education section, listing all diplomas
• Professional achievements in research and publications

Your Ph.D. resume should balance your knowledge with how fast it can be applied in a real-world environment.

That's why you need to be precise about the resume sections you chose to prove your merit.

Mythbusters: Your PhD resume header under the Enhancv microscope

After endless hours of searching different platforms, you've finally found that cancer research position that perfectly matches your profile.

Avoiding all emotional attachment and excitement, you finally decide on the following header:

2 PhD resume header examples

Let’s look at the bright side of things. If the organization would like to get in touch with Dr. Garnett, they'd easily find his contact details .

But on the other hand, he is making one huge mistake: Dr. Garnett isn't taking advantage of the power of the top section of his resume. More specifically - his headline .

This crucial section could provide Ph.D. graduates with an opportunity to include all relevant keywords that could match their profile. And at the same time, tease their professional story.

This may be obvious, but this example works as it shows that Dr. Garnett is not only a Ph.D. graduate, but his specific area of research and interest, which should supposedly match with the role he’s applying for.

A rule of thumb for headers is to never be vague about your research and expertise.

You could list your Ph.D. degree within your resume title so that it’s the first thing recruiters (and the ATS) see.

In the case of Dr. Garnett, his resume title could read “Dr. David Garnett, Ph.D.”.

Our suggestion is to be wary about the organization you’re applying for because if the culture is more informal, this may come off as “pretentious”.

Ph.D. resume summaries: HRs’ favorite instrument for advanced career storytelling

The Ph.D. resume summary is a really useful section for good first impressions and explaining your experience.

The summary can be used to highlight your skills, strengths, and achievements. While telling the story of your professional growth.

We know how important real-world examples are for you.

So, without further ado, here's how Dr. Lucina Collard rewrote her resume summary. And in the end, got the attention of a prestigious software development company.

2 PhD resume summary examples

Dr. Collard may have spent too much time in the lab, as her Ph.D. resume summary just lists what courses she took and her thesis statement.

No results, no outcomes.

In the end, she did decide to include some soft skills and passions, but without actually pointing out the “why” behind her work. This doesn’t make sense at all.

Here’s what her modified resume summary looked like in the end:

This summary works for one simple reason: it qualifies the achievements.

Dr. Collard has noted that within the past 6 years, she has been specializing in the job advert keywords “robotics” and “mechatronics”. The award is also a nice touch to paint the big picture of her experience.

Dr. Collard is apt at achieving results within a dynamic environment. That includes various professionals from different backgrounds.

When talking about her thesis, she goes on to show her familiarity with the process.

Editing Dr. Collard’s summary may seem just like one small step for her, but it’s actually a giant leap to securing an interview.

Making your Ph.D. resume experience section stand out for all the right reasons

When listing their experience section, most Ph.D. graduates are probably making the same mistakes.

The first one: leaving out your academic practice, thinking that recruiters only want to see work experience.

That's not true at all.

Your education would not only prove your technical capabilities, but also your soft skills. But, more on that in the following paragraphs.

The second error: those tricky job titles.

You'd find 1000+ resumes, listing each experience using the given academic titles; e.g. Professor, Lecturer, Post Doctorate Student, Graduate Student, etc.

Robotic vs personalized approach: 1:0.

The ATS, reviewing your resume, is set to recognize keywords that are vital for the job. The faster those appear at the top of your experience, the better.

Instead of listing that you used to be a "Lecturer at XYZ University", go with "Data Science and Machine Learning Lecturer at XYZ University".

Third slip-up: those tricky experience bullets.

Some Ph.D. graduates just list all their courses, research, and publications.

This isn't the way to go.

You should rather align your knowledge with the job description to prove tangible results.

A couple of questions to help:

• What did this course help me learn and achieve that could be applicable to the job I'm applying for?
• How did leading lectures help me to cooperate better within the learning environment?
• What grants did my publications secure for the educational institute?
• What effects did my research have on the big-picture subjects within the field?
• The more you can get into the actuality (and practicality) of your education, the higher your chances are to get your first interview booked.

Let’s look at an example of how your experience can be showcased within your resume as crucial for the job.

Phd resume experience examples.

• • Got PhD in Philosophy
• • Took Philosophy of Mind, Brain, and Behavior Course
• • Took Ethics Course
• • Wrote Diploma on ‘To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’

This experience section is pretty negligent and robotic. Did you just get a diploma during those three-plus years?

You may be exiting from a leading higher education institution, but putting in the extra effort to your resume shows that you are diligent.

And that you’re actually invested in getting that particular job.

• • Contributed 60+ publications to the university scientific journal, niching within human rights, ethics, and the big why of human existence
• • Peer-reviewed publications for 12+ philosophy colleagues and professionals with a focus on consistency and validity of the thesis
• • Collaborated with 10+ professionals from arts, science, and biotech fields to question and understand the ethics behind their projects
• • Apart from the scientific paper for my final thesis, entitled 'To Be Or Not To Be: The Ethics of The Human Existence In The 21st Century’, published a short video on the university website to help inspire young professionals of philosophy to always stay alert

There’s no ground for comparison between the two examples. But let’s look at some of the basics.

The first experience bullet hints that the professional can write technical papers for their niche.

Next, the candidate showcases an eye for detail, collaboration, and teamwork.

Finally, they have found a way to get their thesis submitted on time and also make it more understandable.

On a side note - did you notice how a better job title could be a complete game-changer?

One bonus tip on better systematizing your Ph.D. experience

General practice is that you'd create one single resume experience section.

But what if while writing your Ph.D. resume, you realize that in the past six years, all your experience is for the same institution?

Here's an idea to spice up your experience section. You can create a couple of experience sections, based on functionality.

Thus highlighting job advert keywords and, at the same time, including more details.

So you could have some of the following headers, under which you could classify your work:

• Research Experience
• Technical Experience
• Analytical Experience
• Leadership Experience
• Mentorship Experience
• Teamwork Experience
• Higher Education Experience

Feel free to align your transferable skills, which would be beneficial for the job you're applying for.

How should you include your degrees within your Ph.D. resume education section?

Here's the advice you've probably been waiting for; introducing…

… "How to write about your degree without sounding like a snob?"

And there are two possible scenarios at play.

The first is that you're applying for a job related to your area of study.

You should list your Ph.D. degree in detail, including research topics, method expertise, and publications.

As you're writing for non-specialized audiences, don't go overboard with the complex terms. Instead, weave keywords from the job requirements within your education section.

In the second case scenario, you're applying for a job that has nothing to do with your degree.

Keep your education section plain and simple with your degree, university/college, dates, and location.

Either way, remember to always list all of your degrees in chronological order, starting with the latest.

This isn't just some made-up rule or HR caprice. Your resume education helps recruiters determine if:

• Your basic training and knowledge would fit the job
• You stayed focused on your coursework and graduated on time
• You would be a good fit for the team. Some companies tend to hire graduates from the same university

Ph.D. in progress: Should you include your potential degree on your resume?

Being transparent on your Ph.D. resume is what builds that fantastic initial relationship with the company you're applying for.

Thus, you have to be very clear and precise, especially in your education section.

If you're still pursuing your Ph.D. degree, shift the focus from the future to what you've achieved so far.

Your education section could answer any of the following questions:

• How applicable your degree is to the job opening?
• Which of the courses you've completed would help the company grow?
• Is your education a stepping stone within your professional experience?
• What is your expected graduation date?

Being on the course to completing your Ph.D. is definitely commendable, but sometimes life happens. And you may be forced to drop out of your Ph.D. education.

Should you then list the degree you didn't complete?

The answer is 100% yes, as your Ph.D.:

• fills gaps within your professional experience
• is valuable experience
• has helped you gain new knowledge

Making it clear to recruiters that your degree is "Incomplete" or that you "Didn't Graduate" is very important.

List your degree, dates, university/college, and status.

If you get to the interview stage, recruiters will ask you why you dropped out. Be prepared to talk about why it wasn't the best option for your career at the time, or hint at the circumstances.

Even if it's hard to believe, HR managers are people - just like you and me - and they are able to show understanding and compassion.

Ph.D. resume: Is there a dream skill set your potential employers would like to see?

Recruiters review your resume to see how your experience aligns with the role, with a big focus on transferrable skills.

Or in other words, what else can you bring to the table to help the business or institution grow?

And transferable skills can be both hard (or technical ) and soft skills .

Your hard skills include the technology you used to complete your studies.

Consider the opportunities you've has to:

• test and measure antennas parameters in an Anechoic chamber
• audit in a lab environment renewable energy sources' efficiency
• develop software, using Python, to patch cybersecurity risks

The list can go and on and on. Your Ph.D. has probably provided you with a pretty solid technical background.

When writing your resume’s separate technical skills section, ever wonder which technology should go first?

Rule of thumb: align the technology within the job description with your expertise.

The more proficient you are at a certain skill, the sooner you should list it.

Wondering what some of the most popular Ph.D. resume hard and technical skills are?

Check out our list, based on some of the most popular industries.

PhD resume technical skills for various roles:

15 hard skills for opportunities in business consulting:

• Knowledge of different business-crucial frameworks, including Benchmarking, Balanced Scorecard, Porter’s Five Forces, The GE-McKinsey Nine-Box Matrix, The BCG Growth-Share Matrix, Core Competencies
• Data Management and Analysis
• Advanced Data Modelling
• Strategy, Planning and Implementation
• Assessing and Managing Risk Using Frameworks
• Statistics and Understanding Correlations
• CRMs: Salesforce, Zendesk, Bitrix24, etc.
• Lead Generation Software: Zendesk Sell, Pipedrive, HubSpot, etc.
• Project Management Software: Jira, Hive, Asana, etc.
• Employer and Customer Satisfaction Surveys
• Proposal Writing
• Scheduling Software: Calendly, Google Calendar, Doodle, etc.
• Revenue Optimization and Sales

15 technical skills for biology, biotech, biochemistry, and medical research:

• Design, conduct, and analyze scientific research
• Tissue Culture
• PCR (Polymerase Chain Reaction)
• Gel Electrophoresis
• Western Blot
• Molecular (Gene) Cloning and various techniques
• Flow Cytometry
• Mass Spectrometry
• Confocal Microscopy
• Cell-Based Assays
• Radioimmunoassays
• Data Analysis in biotechnology, bioinformatics, and medical research
• Laboratory and Equipment

15 engineering technical skills to add to your PhD resume:

• Manufacturing: Forging, Welding, Assembling, etc.
• Quality Control
• Industrial /System Design and Analysis
• Conceptual, Logical, or Physical Data Modeling
• AI and/ or Machine Learning
• Design Tools: AutoCAD, SolidWork, 3dsMax, etc.
• Programming Languages: C++, Python, Java, etc.
• Equipment Diagnosis
• Project Management: Trello, Zoho, Microsoft Project, etc.
• Data Analysis Software: Microsoft Power BI, Tableau, Qlik Sense, etc.
• CNC Programming
• Advanced Physics
• Structural Analysis
• Nanotechnology

15 recommended computer science technologies:

• Programming languages: C++, PHP, Swift, etc.
• Software engineering and development: Atom, GitHub, Chrome DevTools. etc.
• Cloud Platforms
• Data migration and deployment
• Application Programming Interfaces (APIs)
• Integrated Environments Management
• Network Maintenance
• Cybersecurity
• Machine learning AI
• Business Intelligence and Statistical Analysis Tools
• SQL Consoles
• SAS Development and Forecasting
• Data Modelling Tools: ER/Studio, Archi, Ludichart, etc.
• Automation Tools

15 academic and research technical skills:

• Technical Literacy
• Presentation and visual: Tableau, Prezi, PPT, etc.
• Learning platforms: Moodle, Classroom, Teams, etc.
• Surveys: Google Forms, MailChimp, Kahoot, etc.
• Data-Processing Software: SPSS, RStudio, NVivo, etc.
• Academic Networks: Google Scholar, Academia.edu., ResearchGate, etc.
• Academic Research and Technical Writing
• Email Writing
• Data and Information Analysis
• Copyright and License
• Videoconferencing: Zoom, Teams, Google Meet, etc.
• Applications for Securing Grants and Funding
• Peer Reviews and Co-Writing Interdisciplinary Technical Papers

Moving on to your PhD resume soft skills

There's still no precise formula for how soft skills are gained and applied in the workplace.

How many times have you seen an advert that requires "a can-do attitude and teamwork"?

Yet soft skills are on all recruiters' must-have checklists.

In the case of Ph.D. applicants, these transferable skills are built thanks to all the healthy habits you've maintained through your education, including your:

• collaboration
• ability to meet deadlines

Soft skills hint to recruiters more about your character and style of work.

Here are some ideas as to which ones you can include within your resume:

37 PhD soft skills to spice up your resume:

• Critical / Logical Thinking
• Problem-Solving
• Time Management
• Brainstorming
• Creativity and Innovation
• Meeting Deadlines
• Working Under Pressure
• Negotiation
• Project Management
• Organization
• Prioritization
• Flexibility
• Independent Work
• Ethical Decision-Making
• Leadership or Mentorship
• Collaboration
• Teaching or Lecturing
• Conduct Meetings
• Supervision
• Feedback and Evaluation
• Motivating Others
• Communicating Ideas
• Presentation
• Constructive Debating
• Leading or Participating in Group Discussions
• Public Speaking
• Accelerated Learning
• Attention to Detail
• Writing Proficiency
• Quantitative Literacy
• Listening and Reflection

When describing your leadership or mentorship soft skills, here are a couple of questions you could answer within your resume to qualify your achievements:

• What actions did you take to maintain a constant and successful team dynamic?

Mix in extracurricular certificates

Back in the day, you earned a couple of extracurricular certificates and wondering if you should include those on your Ph.D. resume.

Again, it's a matter of analyzing how necessary your certification is for the job.

E.g. if AICPA's CPA certificate is listed as obligatory within the job description - and you have earned yours - you know what to do.

Certificates show that you're willing to put in the extra effort to stay relevant. Proving that you're committed, flexible, and a life-long learner.

So, think about the relevancy the certificate would have within your field.

Then, consider including some of these popular certificates:

Top 50 PhD certificates from various institutions for your resume:

• Association of Clinical Research Professionals (ACRP) - Certified Professional
• ACRP - Clinical Research Associate Certification
• ACRP - Clinical Research Coordinator Certification
• American Health Information Management Association - Coding Specialist Physician-Based Certification
• Nationally Registered Certified Patient Care Technician
• National Healthcare Association (NHA) - EKG Technician Certification
• NHA - Phlebotomy Technician Certification
• NHA - Clinical Medical Assistant Certification
• American Association of Medical Assistants - Medical Assistant Certification
• Red Cross - Nursing Assistant Certification
• Behavior Analyst Certification Board, Inc. - Registered Behavior Technician
• American Association of Professional Coders - Certified Professional Coder
• Pharmacy Technician Certification Board - Certified Pharmacy Technician
• Society for Clinical Data Management - Clinical Data Manager
• American Medical Writers Association - Medical Writer Certified
• Board of Editors in Life Science - Board-Certified Editor in Life Science
• International Society for Medical Publication Professionals - Certified Medical Publication Professional
• Regulatory Affairs Professional Society - Regulatory Affairs Certification
• Google Project Management Professional
• Society of ​​Petroleum Engineers - Petroleum Engineering Certification
• American Institute of Chemists - National Certification Commission in Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Certification
• Coursera - Software Engineering MasterTrack Certificate
• Cisco Certified Network Professional in Service Provider Operations
• CompTIA Security+ Certification
• (ISC)² Certified Information Systems Security Professional
• American Society for Quality (ASQ) - Quality Engineer Certification
• ASQ - Reliability Engineer Certification
• Advanced Certificate Program in CFD-Aircraft Aerodynamics
• Engineer in Training License and Certification
• Society of Broadcast Engineers - Certified Audio Engineer
• Association of Technology, Management, and Applied Engineering - Certified Technical Professional
• International Council on Systems Engineering - Systems Engineering Professional Certification
• American Academy of Project Management - Certified Planning Engineer
• Heating, Ventilation, and Air Conditioning Master Specialist Certificate
• iNARTE Electromagnetic Compatibility Designer Engineer Certificate
• American Academy of Environmental Engineers and Scientists - Board Certified Environmental Engineer
• American Public Power Association - Key Accounts Certificate Program
• Global Association of Quality Management - Certified Agile Developer
• Environmental Protection Agency - Operator Certification Program Management
• Institute of Management Accountants - Certified Management Accountant
• National Association of Certified Public Bookkeepers - Certified Bookkeeper
• Association of International Certified Professional Accountants - Certified Public Accountant
• Chartered Financial Analyst Institute - Chartered Financial Analyst
• Internal Revenue Service - Enrolled Agent
• The Institute of Internal Auditors - Certified Internal Auditor
• Association of Certified Fraud Examiners - Certified Fraud Examiner
• National Association of Sales Professionals - Certified Professional Sales Person
• Institutes of Management Consulting - Certified Management Consultant

PhD resume: let’s get creative with a few more resume sections

When completing your Ph.D. resume, you should always find ways to stand out from the crowd.

That’s why we’ve compiled for you some of the most popular sections which you could add to your resume.

Before doing so, always question each section's relevance to the job you're applying for.

• Publications or Projects - focus on topic, methodology, and impact; include your grant ID code, if your research won any funding
• Academic Awards - once more, consider if those would shine a better light on your expertise
• Conference Presentations - this would showcase your public speaking abilities
• Language Skills - be honest when listing your language proficiency

One final word of warning - your Ph.D. resume offers limited space to showcase your expertise, so try to make the most out of it.

key takeaways

• The extra effort to align your Ph.D. skills with the job you're applying for always gets recruiters' attention.
• Include as many relevant keywords within the header and summary of your Ph.D. resume.
• Have separate sections, detailing how your academic background has helped you attain experience, skills, and certifications.
• List chronologically all degrees you've earned through your education, with an adaptable approach to details.
• Remember that the recruiters or the ATS assessing your resume may not be that scientifically literate. Substitute complex terminology with impact and results.

Looking to build your own PhD resume?

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PhD Student CV Examples

Start creating your CV in minutes by using our 21 customizable templates or view one of our handpicked PhD Student examples.

Join over 260,000 professionals using our PhD Student examples with VisualCV. Sign up to choose your template, import example content, and customize your content to stand out in your next job search.

Create your student resume in less than 5 minutes. Try our Student CV builder .

PHD Student CV

Education professional with a strong belief in life-long training and smart university practices. Committed to developing new initiatives to take advantage of innovative technologies for the betterment of humanity. I work easily and effectively with international as well as regional strategic partners. Pivotal in site methodologies in compliance with safety, quality & cost control standards. Possess competent cross-functional skills and ensure on-time deliverable within pre-set cost parameters.

• PHD Doctorate in Structural Engineering

Michigan State University

• Doctor of Philosophy in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering.
• Dissertation: "Probabilistically- Based Models to Represent Loads due to Shipping Activities".

M.Sc in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering

Stanford university.

• Master of Science in Civil Engineering, Structural Engineering.
• Thesis: "Design and Reliability of Pre-stressed Columns".

B.Sc. in Civil Engineering

• Structures Emphasis.
• Work Experience

PhD Researcher

Bamboo creative.

• Develop probabilistic models to represent loads due to human activities.
• Work on random vibration theory and reliability principles that are used to develop load models to represent human loads on structures.
• Collect data from a force platform and a floor system.
• Suggest design criteria for assembly structures.
• Develop software to facilitate the calculation of individual and group human loading for predefined motions.

Research Engineer

• Prepared and presented a synthesis of the best knowledge available on different bridge elements, summarized various practices, and provided recommendations that relate to each bridge element.
• Provided an abstract of all research projects related to bridge engineering and/or maintenance for the last 30 years in the State of Michigan.
• Developed a report on the probabilistic characterization of ground anchors in the reliability of navigation systems.
• Reviewed, evaluated, and characterized the reliability of ground anchors and suggested the statistical parameters to describe the behavior of anchors over a structure's lifetime.
• Developed dynamic loads produced by occupants of public assembly structures.
• Responsibilities included gathering a large sample of forces due to human movements.
• Trained undergraduate assistants to maintain data acquisition system used to measure human loads.
• Developed code to convert measured deflection to force-time histories.
• Prepared a final report to the National Science Foundation (NSF) on the status of the research project.

Project Engineer, and Design Engineer

Penguin random house.

• Prepared and gathered site survey data.
• Managed the construction of 1000 housing units @ $14,000,000; responsibilities included construction management, preparations of reports and contract documents, planning and coordination of detailed phases of the project, and preparing the engineering documents needed to finance the project.
• Tasked with construction and finishing of several multiple family rental projects; responsibilities included civil drafting, site work, foundation, and superstructure.
• Designed multiple-family units, mosques, and the completed structural design of 35 10-story residential buildings.
• Developed a computer program to facilitate the design of reinforced concrete.
• Wrote construction progress reports.
• Supervised and ensured the quality of concrete mix produced on the site.

Academic & Business Development

• Team leadership
• Research & analysis
• Smart university initiatives
• New academic business development

Strategic Planning

• Change management
• Capacity building
• Operational excellence
• Strategic planning & analysis

Presenting & Writing

• Proposal writing
• Author of 6 books
• Keynote speaking
• Awareness building
• Expanding knowledge and utilization of all matters related to the business of organizations/corporations/universities to identify new opportunities/prospects, and driving business growth and requirements.
• Developing strategies for future planning of strong/smart education and training programs.
• New initiatives for academia, vocational training, and corporate world and developing world.
• Increasing awareness on the use of technology-enhanced education and training to empower change, reform, and advancement of emerging economies.
• Initiating elaborate business development plans, designing, and implementing processes to support business growth, through stakeholders and market definition.

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Phd/postdoc resume samples

/images/cornell/logo35pt_cornell_white.svg" alt="cv for phd template"> Cornell University --> Graduate School

Resumes and cvs.

Depending on the type of job, you will need to create a curriculum vitae (CV) or a resume. Both documents put your qualification in writing, but they are used for different audiences and use a different format.

When to use a Resume

In the United States, most employers use resumes for non-academic positions, which are one or two page summaries of your experience, education, and skills.  Employers rarely spend more than a few minutes reviewing a resume, and successful resumes are concise with enough white space on the page to make it easy to scan. 

For more information on developing your resume, please visit Cornell Career Services’ Career Development Toolkit . Students often find it helpful to review resumes from graduate students who got their first job outside of academe.

When to use a Curriculum Vitae (CV)

A CV is a longer synopsis of your educational and academic background as well as teaching and research experience, publications, awards, presentations, honors, and additional details. CVs are used when applying for academic, scientific, or research positions. International employers often use CVs as well.

A CV is a comprehensive statement emphasizing:

• professional qualifications
• accomplishments
• special qualifications

A CV can vary from two pages to several pages. Professionals seeking academic positions and non-academic positions in science, higher education, research, and health care typically use a CV. It is also used to seek a fellowship or grant and is expected for some positions overseas. Consult with faculty members in your field to determine what is expected and appropriate for your field.

Guidelines for Preparing a CV

• The order of topics in a CV format is flexible.
• Arrange sections to highlight strengths for the position you are seeking.
• Elaborate on accomplishments and skills within categories.
• List items within each category chronologically, the most recent appearing first.
• Include additional headings when appropriate to reflect certifications/licensures, workshops/training, languages, book reviews, etc.
• Present information in an easily accessible and attractive style.
• Faculty advisors are the most knowledgeable resource for determining what constitutes effective content in your discipline.
• For formatting assistance and to see more examples of  CVs, visit the Cornell Career Services Library in 103 Barnes Hall. The following books also may help:  How to Prepare Your Curriculum Vitae  and  The Curriculum Vitae Handbook .
• Non-academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Academic samples from the University of California, San Francisco
• Samples from Columbia University
• Samples from University of Pennsylvania
• Chronicle of Higher Education’s CV Doctor

Electronic Version of CV

When sending electronic versions, attach a file or cut and paste the CV into the text of the email message. State your objectives and career interests in the first few lines since they may be the only items seen on a screen. Other tips:

• Use language and acronyms recognized in your field.
• Avoid using bold, italics, underlining, lines, or graphics. Use all caps for emphasis.
• Put your name at the top followed by address and each phone number on a separate line.

Many employers use websites for applicants to apply for positions. Although each form may be different, some elements may be similar. Save parts of your CV in a format that can be cut and pasted for each individual web-based form, such as saving a bulleted list of work experience.

Transforming Your CV into a Resume

You may need both a CV and a resume for your job search. Sending the appropriate document (CV or resume) tells employers that you can distinguish the differences between the academic and non-academic environments and that you can adapt your skills to either environment. Most employers in industry prefer a resume. When rearranging your CV to make it a resume:

• Do not exceed two pages.
• Re-evaluate your experience. Think creatively about how your academic experience can be translated into the necessary skills for a non-academic environment. Consider skills of project management, leadership, teamwork, effective communication, and meeting deadlines. 
• Choose action verbs to describe your experience.
• Put your strengths first. List your professional experience or your degree first, depending on which is most important for a specific position.  
• Include a well-written job objective; state the type of position and work setting you are seeking, skills or abilities you possess, and long-term goals. Be sure that your resume supports your job objective.
• Emphasize skills and accomplishments.
• List relevant presentations, publications, and papers, but not all. 
• Have someone proofread it.

Recent College Graduate Resume Templates and Examples for 2024

Recent College Graduate Resume Template Example

How to write a recent college graduate resume, check out related examples, recent college graduate resume template text example.

Your recent college graduate resume should demonstrate your commitment to continuing education, drive to excel, and success in networking and developing mentor relationships. Also, display your accomplishments in internship or volunteer opportunities in your field of study. This guide provides expert tips to create an accomplishment-driven resume emphasizing the most compelling aspects of your experiences as a recent college graduate.

Using a resume template can help you write an effective recent college graduate resume that includes these key sections:

Contact information

Professional experience, education and certifications.

Provide your full name, phone number, email address, location, and a link to your online professional profile. Ensure your contact information is current so potential employers can contact you for an interview.

Your Name (123) 456-7890 [email protected] City, State Abbreviation Zip Code LinkedIn | Portfolio

As a recent graduate, list education and certifications earned before your profile or career objectives section. List any relevant education and certifications you’ve received to show you’re qualified in your field of study. Include the title of the degree or certificate earned, the institution’s name, and the completion date. You can also list continuing education courses or professional development programs you’ve completed.

Certifications

• Certified Governance of Enterprise Information Technology (CGEIT), Information Systems Audit and Control Association, 2021
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Project Management Institute, 2023

In about two to three sentences, summarize your educational background, relevant skills, career objectives, and experience in your field of study as a recent college graduate. Use this section to make a strong, enticing introduction. Highlight your strengths and integrate keywords from the job description to show you’re a good match for the position. You can choose to title this section Career Objectives and share your goals and skills that you’ve developed on the road to attaining them.

Ambitious, recent multi-disciplinary college graduate with degrees in business administration and computer science. Proven performer with experience as a junior software developer at Microsoft, with success in significantly lowering software bugs by 25%, and as a business administration intern at Johnson & Johnson, focused on lowering operational costs by 10%. Dedicated to continuous learning, networking, and professional development.

Display the specific skills that make you a strong candidate for the position. Choose hard skills such as software development and soft skills such as communication and problem-solving. Strategically choose which ones to include. Consider which skills the company is looking for and how you can match them.

Common hard and soft skills for a recent college graduate

Resume writer’s tip: use strong action verbs.

Take a strategic approach with the words on your recent college graduate resume. In the professional experience section of your resume, use action verbs to communicate your job duties and accomplishments. Instead of listing responsibilities, start each sentence with an action verb. Show how you executed your tasks through descriptive words and avoid using first-person language, such as, “I was responsible for…” Consider using the action verbs below to inject some energy into your recent college graduate resume:

This section should list your internship experiences, including job duties, employer names, and dates of employment. Be sure to highlight specific achievements and accomplishments, quantifying your results wherever possible.

Junior Software Developer, Microsoft, Redmond, WA June 2021 – present

• Contributes to software development, maintenance, and troubleshooting tasks on client software applications
• Collaborates with multidisciplinary team to design user-friendly interfaces by applying the latest web development strategies
• Reduced bugs in software by 25% within the first few months of joining the team, resulting in a more seamless user experience (UX) and improving customer satisfaction ratings by 32%

  Business Administration Intern,  Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ June 2019 – May 2020

• Assisted team leads in preparing quarterly business performance reviews and updating company databases, improving operational efficiency by 15%
• Actively participated in the corporate decision-making process, suggesting cost reduction strategies that helped save the company 10% in operational costs during nine months
• Managed scheduling for team meetings and events, improving interdepartmental communications

Resume writer’s tip: Quantify your experience

Use numbers and metrics to show the results you achieved in previous roles. Provide context to your academic and field experience, and give recruiters a better understanding of your scope and impact. You can demonstrate your value and potential as a recent college graduate by detailing your contributions to teams.

• “Reduced bugs in software by 25%, driving customer satisfaction ratings from 3 to 5 stars within six months.”
• “Helped with troubleshooting and customer service requests.”

What if you don’t have experience?

Creating a recent college graduate resume can be challenging if you don’t have real-world experience yet. However, it’s important to remember you still have valuable skills and knowledge from your education and training. Be sure to highlight any relevant coursework you’ve done or certifications you’ve earned.

Consider including volunteer work or internships you’ve completed in your field of study. Focus on emphasizing your willingness to learn, strong work ethic, and problem-solving skills. By focusing on these qualities, you can demonstrate your potential to be a valuable asset to any team.

Resume writer’s tip: Tailor your resume for each application

Align your resume with each job description, which will require tweaking your document by incorporating some of the same language and target keywords. Highlight specific skills and capabilities the hiring manager is seeking. This will give you the best chance of capturing a recruiter’s attention and winning an interview.

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Your Name (123) 456-7890 [email protected] City, State Abbreviation zip code LinkedIn | Portfolio

Bachelor of Arts (B.A.) Business Administration, August 2020 – June 2022 Boston College, Boston, MA 

Bachelor of Science (B.S.) Computer Science, August 2017 – May 2020 Bunker Hill Community College, Boston, MA

Ambitious, recent multi-disciplinary college graduate with degrees in business administration and computer science. Proven performer with experience as a junior software developer at Microsoft, with success in significantly lowering software bugs by 25%, and as a business administration intern at Johnson & Johnson, focused on lowering operational costs by 10%. Dedicated to continuous learning, networking, and professional development.

• Complex problem-solving
• Information systems
• Operational strategy
• Project management
• Software development, maintenance, and troubleshooting
• Technology auditing

Professional Experience

• Reduced bugs in software by 25% within the first few months of joining the team, resulting in a more seamless UX and improving customer satisfaction ratings by 32%

Business Administration Intern, Johnson & Johnson, New Brunswick, NJ June 2019 – May 2020

Executive Resume Writer and Career Coach

A resume should be a forward-looking value proposition that showcases your most relevant accomplishments for a target role — not a rear view summary of your previous roles and responsibilities.

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