A CV that is entirely standard in one country can look wrong, incomplete, or even inappropriate in another — and applicants rarely find out why they were passed over.
Where conventions differ
- Photographs: expected in some countries, discouraged in others.
- Date of birth, marital status, nationality: standard in some, never included in others.
- Length: two pages in some systems, unlimited in others.
- Referee details: listed in full, or supplied only on request.
Check before you send
- Look at CVs posted publicly by junior faculty at the target institution.
- Ask someone who works in that system.
- Follow the local convention, not the one you learned at home.
Publications section
- State clearly which items are peer reviewed.
- Distinguish published, accepted, and under review.
- Mark your own name in author lists.
- Explain author-order conventions in your field if they are unusual.
Translating qualifications
- Give the local name and a short equivalent explanation.
- Do not claim an equivalence that has not been formally assessed.
- State the institution and country for every degree.
Language and formatting
- Consistent date format throughout.
- Consistent citation style in the publication list.
- Small inconsistencies suggest carelessness, fairly or not.
One thing worth remembering
Look at publicly posted CVs of junior faculty at the institutions you are applying to.
They show you the local convention directly — length, sections, what is included and what is omitted — which no general guide can tell you, because the conventions are not written down anywhere.
Câu hỏi thường gặp
Why do CV conventions matter?
A CV that is standard in one country can look wrong or inappropriate in another, and applicants rarely find out why they were passed over.
Where do conventions differ?
Photographs, personal details like date of birth and marital status, length, and whether referee details are listed in full or supplied on request.
How do you check the local convention?
Look at CVs posted publicly by junior faculty at the target institution, and ask someone who works in that system.
How should the publications section look?
State clearly which items are peer reviewed, distinguish published from accepted and under review, mark your own name, and explain unusual author-order conventions.
How should you translate qualifications?
Give the local name with a short equivalent explanation, and do not claim an equivalence that has not been formally assessed.
