Curriculum Vitae (CV) for Professor Jobs: Template and Tips (2026)

Your academic CV is the most important document in your faculty job application. Unlike a resume (1-2 pages), a CV can be 5-15 pages long. It lists everything you have done in your academic career.

Essential Sections of an Academic CV

1. Contact Information: Name, phone, email, Google Scholar profile.

2. Education: Degrees in reverse chronological order. Include dissertation title and advisor.

3. Publications: Peer-reviewed articles, books, chapters. Separate by type.

4. Conference Presentations: List with date, conference name, location.

5. Grants and Funding: Include amount, agency, your role.

6. Teaching Experience: Courses taught, role, institution, semester, enrollment.

7. Service: Committees, reviewing, mentoring.

8. Awards and Honors: Fellowships, scholarships, teaching awards.

9. Professional Memberships: AERA, APA, etc.

10. Skills: Languages, software, instructional technology.

CV Template

[Your Full Name]
[Phone] | [Email]

EDUCATION
PhD in [Field], [University], [Year]

PUBLICATIONS
[Author] (Year). “Title.” Journal, Volume(Issue), pages.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE
Instructor of Record, [Course Name], [University], [Semester Year]

Formatting Tips

– Use 11 or 12 point font, Times New Roman or Calibri

– Reverse chronological order

– No spelling errors

– Save as PDF

– Name file: LastName_CV_2026.pdf

Tailoring Your CV

For research universities: Put publications and grants first.

For teaching-focused universities: Put teaching experience first.

Common CV Mistakes

– Too long or too short for your career stage

– Outdated information

– Claiming publications that are not accepted

– No evidence of teaching effectiveness

Final Advice

Your CV is a living document. Start it now, even if you are still in graduate school. Add every presentation, publication, and teaching role.