How to Make a CV for Graduate School

 This is going to be a short and sweet blog but I hope it is very informative and to the point. No need to mess around with this one- here we go. 

Why do I need a CV?

    CV or Certificate Vitae is a thing most commonly used in the sciences or in graduate school. It is a compilations of all your things, like a resume, but it has other important things included like your research interest(s) and things like practical skills. This should be a little bigger than a resume and anything above 7 pages is probably going to be too much. 

What to put in a CV

    You need:

1. Name, italicized "Certificate Vitae" and Contact info all in separate lines and I like to have mine centered

2. If you are going into graduate school under your stuff from #1 you write a few sentences in italics about your research interest. 

3. Education

4. Professional experience

In this make sure to note the important skills you have learned and tasks you have done under each job heading 

example: 

Illinois River Fish and Wildlife Refuge Complex

-Learned how to independently and as a team conduct IWMM Bird Surveys 

-Conducted wetland surveys testing water quality and macroinvertebrates 

5. Volunteer experience 

This is exactly the same as professional experience but you didn't get paid, probably an irregular schedule and could be for a longer term. You want to make sure to include skills under these headings, too. 

6. Practical and Technology skills

This is where you say you are skilled with using Microsoft Word, excel and PowerPoint AKA the Microsoft suite. Any GIS experience would go here (note that the basic skill of knowing it goes here ,but what you did with that skill, if it was mapping invasive plants, would be under #4 or 5). 

This also is the practical skills section which is that you can work independently or as a team, self motivated, great at public speaking etc. 

7. Honors and Awards

List them all if it pertains to your field of study, even going back to high school.

8. Scholarships and Grants

This is especially important for graduate school to show your advisors and advisory board that the school and other organizations have invested in your education because you have potential. 

Grants are a huge thing if you are doing research because that is your main funding most likely; if you have received any definitely put that down. Also write what you have done with it such as filled out/wrote the grant, submitted it and received it. 

9. Professional memberships and certifications

This is any club or organization that you are a member of, these usually involve a yearly membership fee like the wildlife society. 

If you are like me and just starting out then certificates are fine to be here, if you have a bunch of certifications then you should make this a separate heading. Certifications include ATV training or hunter education. 

10. Relevant Coursework

Classes you have taken in college that pertain to what you are applying for

11. Make a separate page for about three  references (title the page 'references') and include their contact and position title  

Then you're done! I hope this helped and God bless you!

-Nichole💜