academic-cv-builder
paramchoudhary/resumeskills
Format CVs for academic positions with publications, grants, and teaching experience.
What is academic-cv-builder?
This skill structures curriculum vitae documents for academic careers, organizing publications, grants, teaching, and research experience according to disciplinary conventions. Use it when helping someone apply for faculty, postdoc, research, or lecturer positions.
- Structure CVs with standard academic sections in appropriate order
- Format publications, presentations, and grants with proper citations
- Organize teaching experience, mentoring, and service contributions
- Tailor CV emphasis for different academic roles (tenure-track, postdoc, lecturer, research scientist)
- Adapt section ordering and content by discipline and career stage
- Balance research, teaching, and service visibility
How to install academic-cv-builder
npx skills add https://github.com/paramchoudhary/resumeskills --skill academic cv builderHow to use academic-cv-builder
- 1.Gather your education history, degrees, advisors, and dissertation/thesis information
- 2.Compile all publications, presentations, and grants with dates and funding amounts
- 3.List academic positions held with dates and institution names
- 4.Organize teaching experience by course, role, and enrollment numbers
- 5.Document mentoring, service, and professional memberships
- 6.Choose your role emphasis (research, teaching, administrative) to determine section order
- 7.Format each section according to discipline-specific conventions provided
Use cases
- Creating a CV for a tenure-track faculty position application
- Updating a postdoctoral researcher's CV with recent publications and grants
- Building a teaching-focused CV for a lecturer or instructor role
- Reorganizing an existing CV to emphasize grants and research for a research scientist position
- Formatting publications and presentations for a discipline-specific CV
- PhD candidates and recent graduates entering academia
- Postdoctoral researchers applying for faculty positions
- Early-career faculty updating CVs for promotion or new positions
- Career changers transitioning into academic roles
- Graduate students preparing for academic job market
academic-cv-builder FAQ
Academic CVs are typically 2-20+ pages depending on career stage. Early-career (postdoc, assistant professor) CVs are 2-5 pages; established researchers may have 10+ pages. Include comprehensive records rather than highlighting like a resume.
Yes, many fields expect these sections. List works under review and in preparation separately from published work. This demonstrates ongoing productivity and research pipeline.
Bold your name in all author lists regardless of position. Include full author names and DOIs. Note that author order conventions vary by discipline—in sciences, first and last author positions are most prestigious.
A resume is 1-2 pages highlighting relevant experience for a specific job. A CV is a comprehensive record of all scholarly work, publications, and service. Use a CV for academic positions; use a resume for industry or administrative roles.
Lead with teaching experience and course development, followed by education, mentoring, and service. De-emphasize publications unless they're pedagogically relevant. Include teaching evaluations if strong.
Full instructions (SKILL.md)
Source of truth, from paramchoudhary/resumeskills.
name: academic-cv-builder description: Format CVs for academic positions with publications, grants, and teaching
Academic CV Builder
When to Use This Skill
Use this skill when the user:
- Is applying for academic positions (faculty, research, postdoc)
- Needs to create or update a curriculum vitae
- Wants to format publications, grants, and teaching experience
- Is in academia or transitioning to academic careers
- Mentions: "academic CV", "curriculum vitae", "faculty position", "research CV", "professor resume"
Core Capabilities
- Structure CVs for academic positions
- Format publications, presentations, and grants
- Organize teaching and research experience
- Include appropriate academic sections
- Tailor for different academic roles (tenure-track, postdoc, lecturer)
- Balance research, teaching, and service
Academic CV vs. Resume
| Resume | Academic CV |
|---|---|
| 1-2 pages | 2-20+ pages (length increases with career) |
| Highlights relevant experience | Comprehensive record |
| Results-focused | Scholarship-focused |
| Industry keywords | Disciplinary expertise |
| Skills section prominent | Publications prominent |
| Education minimal | Education detailed |
Standard Academic CV Sections
Typical Order
1. Contact Information
2. Education
3. Research/Academic Positions
4. Publications
5. Presentations
6. Grants & Funding
7. Teaching Experience
8. Mentoring
9. Service
10. Professional Memberships
11. Honors & Awards
12. References (or "Available upon request")
Section Order Varies By:
- Research position: Publications, grants, research experience first
- Teaching position: Teaching, course development first
- Administrative position: Leadership, service first
Section-by-Section Guide
1. Contact Information
FIRST MIDDLE LAST, Ph.D.
Department of [Field]
[University Name]
[Building, Room Number]
[City, State ZIP]
Email: email@university.edu
Phone: (555) 123-4567
Web: www.yoursite.edu
ORCID: 0000-0000-0000-0000
2. Education
Format: Degree, Field, Institution, Year
EDUCATION
Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Stanford University, 2019
Dissertation: "Title of Your Dissertation"
Advisor: Dr. Jane Smith
Committee: Dr. A, Dr. B, Dr. C
M.S. in Biology, UC Berkeley, 2015
B.S. in Biochemistry, UCLA, 2013
Summa Cum Laude
Include:
- All degrees (in reverse chronological order)
- Dissertation/thesis title
- Advisor(s)
- Committee members (for PhD)
- Honors (cum laude, etc.)
- Relevant minors or certificates
3. Research/Academic Positions
ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS
Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Michigan, 2022-Present
Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology
Postdoctoral Fellow, MIT, 2019-2022
Advisor: Dr. John Doe
Lab: Computational Biology Lab
Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University, 2014-2019
Advisor: Dr. Jane Smith
4. Publications
Most Important Section for Research Positions
Formatting Options
Option 1: Numbered List (Common in Sciences)
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles
15. Last, F.M., Co-Author, A.B., & Senior, C.D. (2023). Article title. Journal Name, 45(2), 123-145. doi:10.1000/xyz
14. Last, F.M., & Co-Author, A.B. (2022). Article title. Journal Name, 44(1), 10-25. doi:10.1000/abc
Option 2: Categories (Useful for Multiple Types)
PUBLICATIONS
Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (15)
Book Chapters (3)
Books (1)
Under Review (2)
In Preparation (3)
Formatting Details:
- Bold your name in author lists
- Include DOIs when available
- Note impact factors if requested/relevant
- Indicate student co-authors with asterisk*
- Some fields expect reverse chronological; others expect chronological
Categories to Consider:
- Peer-reviewed journal articles
- Books and book chapters
- Conference proceedings
- Technical reports
- Non-peer-reviewed publications
- Works under review
- Works in preparation
5. Presentations
PRESENTATIONS
Invited Talks
"Talk Title," Conference Name, Location, Date.
"Talk Title," Department Seminar, University Name, Date.
Conference Presentations
"Poster/Talk Title," Conference Name, Location, Date. [Poster/Oral]
Categorize By:
- Invited talks (keynotes, seminars)
- Conference presentations
- Campus talks
- Public lectures/outreach
6. Grants & Funding
GRANTS AND FUNDING
Awarded
NIH R01 (Co-PI), "Project Title," 2023-2028, $2.5M total ($500K to my lab)
NSF CAREER Award (PI), "Project Title," 2022-2027, $650,000
Internal Grant (PI), "Project Title," 2021, $25,000
Pending
NIH R21 (PI), "Project Title," submitted January 2024
Not Funded (Optional)
[Some fields expect you to list unfunded submissions]
Include:
- Funding agency and mechanism
- Your role (PI, Co-PI, Co-I)
- Project title
- Dates
- Total amount (and amount to your lab if split)
7. Teaching Experience
TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Courses Taught
BIOL 301: Molecular Biology (Instructor of Record)
University of Michigan, Fall 2022, Fall 2023
Enrollment: 45 students
Developed new course curriculum
BIOL 101: Introduction to Biology (Lab Instructor)
Stanford University, 2015-2018
Guest Lectures
"Topic," Course Name, Professor's Name, University, Date
Include:
- Course number and title
- Your role (Instructor, TA, Guest Lecturer)
- Institution and dates
- Enrollment numbers
- Course development or new preparations
- Teaching evaluations summary (if strong)
8. Mentoring
MENTORING
Graduate Students
- Student Name (Ph.D. expected 2025), Dissertation: "Title"
- Student Name (Ph.D. 2023), Current position: Postdoc at MIT
Postdoctoral Fellows
- Name (2021-2023), Current position: Assistant Professor at X
Undergraduate Researchers
- Name (2022-2023), Thesis: "Title," Current: PhD program at Y
- Name (2021-2022), Thesis: "Title," Current: Industry position
9. Service
SERVICE
To the Profession
- Editorial Board Member, Journal Name, 2022-Present
- Grant Reviewer, NIH Study Section XYZ, 2023
- Conference Organizer, Conference Name, 2022
To the University
- Graduate Admissions Committee, 2022-Present
- Faculty Search Committee, 2023
- Curriculum Committee, 2022-2023
To the Department
- Seminar Coordinator, 2022-Present
- Undergraduate Advisor, 2022-Present
10. Professional Memberships
PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS
American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), 2015-Present
Society for Neuroscience (SfN), 2018-Present
11. Honors & Awards
HONORS AND AWARDS
NSF CAREER Award, 2022
Best Paper Award, Conference Name, 2021
Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Stanford University, 2018
National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2015-2018
Phi Beta Kappa, 2013
Role-Specific Emphasis
Tenure-Track Faculty
Emphasize:
- Publications (especially recent, high-impact)
- Grants (especially independent funding)
- Research trajectory and vision
- Teaching experience
- Mentoring record
Postdoctoral Position
Emphasize:
- Publications (from PhD and postdoc)
- Research experience and skills
- Collaboration experience
- Future research potential
- Any funding/fellowships
Lecturer/Teaching Faculty
Emphasize:
- Teaching experience (courses, evaluations)
- Course development
- Pedagogical training
- Mentoring undergraduates
- Teaching awards
Research Scientist
Emphasize:
- Publications
- Technical skills
- Grant writing experience
- Collaboration record
- Relevant research experience
Discipline-Specific Conventions
Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics)
- Author order matters (first author, last author = senior)
- Impact factors sometimes included
- Numbered publication lists common
- Conference presentations less weighted than publications
Humanities (History, Literature, Philosophy)
- Single-author publications highly valued
- Book publications crucial
- Conference presentations important
- Public scholarship valued
Social Sciences
- Both solo and collaborative work valued
- Mix of journal articles and books
- Funded research important
- Policy impact valued
CV Length Guidelines
| Career Stage | Expected Length |
|---|---|
| Graduate Student | 2-4 pages |
| Postdoc | 3-6 pages |
| Early Career Faculty | 5-10 pages |
| Mid-Career Faculty | 10-20 pages |
| Senior Faculty | 15-30+ pages |
Rule: Your CV grows throughout your career. Don't pad, but don't artificially constrain length.
Output Format
When creating an academic CV:
# ACADEMIC CV STRUCTURE FOR [NAME]
## Recommended Section Order
[Based on position type and field]
1. [Section]
2. [Section]
...
## Section Content
### Education
[Formatted education section]
### Publications
[Formatted with appropriate style for field]
### [Other Sections]
[Formatted content]
---
## Formatting Notes
- [Field-specific conventions to follow]
- [Style guide recommendations]
## Things to Add/Update
- [ ] [Missing item]
- [ ] [Item needing update]
Academic CV Checklist
- ✅ Contact information complete (including ORCID if applicable)
- ✅ Education includes all degrees, advisors, dissertations
- ✅ Publications properly formatted with your name highlighted
- ✅ All grants listed with amounts and your role
- ✅ Teaching experience comprehensive
- ✅ Service documented
- ✅ Consistent formatting throughout
- ✅ Reverse chronological order (usually)
- ✅ No unexplained gaps
- ✅ Updated within last 6 months
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