Academic Cv Builder

---
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

Each section below has a ready-to-use format and inclusion checklist in
`references/section-templates.md`:

1. **Contact Information** — name, affiliation, ORCID
2. **Education** — degrees, dissertation, advisor, committee
3. **Research/Academic Positions** — appointments in reverse chronological order
4. **Publications** — the most important section for research positions; numbered vs. categorized formats
5. **Presentations** — invited talks vs. conference presentations
6. **Grants & Funding** — agency, role, amount, status (awarded/pending)
7. **Teaching Experience** — courses taught, enrollment, evaluations
8. **Mentoring** — graduate students, postdocs, undergraduates
9. **Service** — to the profession, university, and department
10. **Professional Memberships**
11. **Honors & Awards**

See `references/section-templates.md` for the full format of each.

## Role-Specific Emphasis

### Tenure-Track Faculty
**Emphasize:** publications (recent, high-impact) → grants (independent funding) →
research trajectory and vision → teaching experience → mentoring record

### Postdoctoral Position
**Emphasize:** publications (PhD and postdoc) → research experience and skills →
collaboration experience → future research potential → 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:

```markdown
# 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

---

## Related Skills

| Skill | When to apply |
|-------|--------------|
| `resume-formatter` | Ensure consistent layout and ATS-safe formatting |
| `resume-bullet-writer` | Strengthen achievement bullets in experience sections |
| `resume-quantifier` | Add metrics to grants, courses taught, and mentoring sections |
| `cover-letter-generator` | Write tailored letters for faculty or postdoc applications |
| `interview-prep-generator` | Prepare for academic job talks and committee interviews |
| `linkedin-profile-optimizer` | Sync academic profile for broader research visibility |
| `pdf-proof` | Proofread final CV before submission |
| `writing-humanize` | Make AI-drafted section text sound natural |
| `meta-research-workflow` | Research department culture and funding priorities before applying |