Writing Your Curriculum Vitae

Tips for Writing an Effective CV

Writing an effective CV is a critical component of your employment search.

In general, cover letters accompanying your CV should be limited to just one page. Craft your letter so that your responses to the employment posting's required and desired elements are concise and engaging.See more on cover letters below.

The definition of curriculum vitae (CV) is “course of your life.” This critical tool serves as a comprehensive and professional summary of your educational and academic background, employment experience, career accomplishments, and related activities. The Heart Rhythm Society provide the following formatting, content and delivery tips for producing an effective CV.

Formatting

Use a CV format, rather than a functional or chronological résumé format. See the Society's explanation of the different formats or download Microsoft Word examples of résumé formats.
Use at least one-inch margins on all sides.
Use a serif font (examples include Times Roman, Bookman Old Style, or Palatino) at a minimum of 10 points for your body text.
Left-align your body text — don't justify or center it.
Avoid using all capital letters, except for headings
Do not label the CV "Curriculum Vitae" or "CV."
Do not date a CV.
Include your last name and a page number on the second page of your CV (don't start numbering on page 1) and on all subsequent pages. The best way to include consistent page numbering that doesn't interfere with formatting is to format a footer and insert numbering automatically there.

Content

Avoid excessive usage offirst person pronouns (I, me, mine)
Tailor the information you include to what is specifically relevant to the jobs you're applying for.
If very experienced, limit your information of your employment to the last 15 years.
Instead of including the statement "References available upon request," use REFERENCES as a heading, then list the names, the professional relationship to you, e-mail address, telephone number (including area code), and mailing address.
Spell out the first usage of any acronym, even if you believe it to be universally understood. Follow the first usage with the acronym in parentheses, and then use just the acronym in subsequent usages.

Delivery

Do not staple or fold résumés.
Send your CV in a 9"x 12" manila envelope and add extra postage.
If submitting your CV or résumé electronically to portals (such as the Society's Career Center) or embedding it in an e-mail, submit plain text only. Generally, HTML or word processing formatting such as bulleted lists, tabs, hanging indents, bold or italicized fonts, or vertical or horizontal lines will not transmit.
CVs or résumés attached as a file (e.g., a Word document, PDF, etc.) to an e-mail will retain their formatting, but remember that unless your e-mail is expected, many organizations will not open an unsolicited attachment because of computer virus concerns.

Writing a Cover Letter to Accompany Your CV

Write a cover letter tailored to the job for which you are applying. Information in the cover letter should explain succinctly how you fulfill the required and desired skills and meet the education and experience expectations. Use phrases from the position announcement in your cover letter.

The point of a cover letter is to get potential employers (or their screeners) to look at seriously at your CV. The point of the CV is to motivate the employer to call you for a phone or in-person interview. The point of the interview is to provide an opportunity to paint a fuller picture of your background, skills and character, and to help each party to assess the fit. Each step has its own requirements; don't squeeze too many details into your cover letter. Focus instead on telling a compelling enough story that will get you to the next step in the process.