Professional advocacy: Curriculum vitae

Arizona Nurse, Jul 1999 by Miller, Barbara Kemp

In the last issue of the Arizona Nurse a portfolio was described; nurses were encouraged to save materials and documents that represent their professional biography. This information may then be organized for a resume or curriculum vitae. This issue contains information about organizing and creating the curriculum vitae (CV).

The curriculum vitae (CV)

Dictionaries, synonym and thesaurus books interchange the terms resume, vita, and curriculum vitae (CV). Although the resume and curriculum vitae are shortened versions of one's life experiences, each has a different purpose and differ in focus and length. The curriculum vitae (CE) is an encompassing biographical document without objectives and goals that includes all professional activities and experiences.

When would I need a CV?

The CV is necessary for a position in the academic setting but would also be used for presenting qualifications in various situations. Consultants, researchers, and politicians may use CVs to illustrate credibility for a particular appointment or position. The CV may be used for presenting qualifications for an award, honor, or committee chair position. CVs are also needed in the publishing arena when sending manuscripts to publishers, writing reviews of books and peer reviewing for journal editors. Individuals planning to write, review or evaluate media, need a CV which includes past activities or experiences that portray expertise in a particular field or specialty. A CV offers information of activities that could influence one's participation as a reviewer, educator, gain an appointment to an administrative position in an organization or nomination as a political candidate.

How do I organize the CV from the portfolio?

If you have been gathering and saving professional materials such as records, certificates, letters and other documents, the CV will become the organized written document portraying your professional activities. All loose materials will be retained in the portfolio; the CV will contain only phrases or words that illustrate the content of the material. The CV may be organized in various ways but the format of succinct data with specific dates will not vary. An example of the organization and content of the CV would include the following:

Name, address, work and home telephone numbers which would be organized at the beginning of the document. Information that is not included would be marital status, birthdate, religion, ethnic background and gender. These data are considered optional for a vita under the Equal Opportunity Law, however a writer may wish to provide selected information such as ethnic background, heritage, activities, or professional interests that may be influential toward a particular position. Nevertheless the writer should be judicious in the selection process of the information to be included.

The second category would be educational background beginning with the most recent educational experience, including year, setting (include name and location), and the outcome (certificate, diploma or degree). Attendance at seminars, workshops or educational programs would not be included in this category but later in a category that would include continuing education activities. The third category would include former positions or experience with dates and setting. Again the most recent is at the beginning of the list. This category would not include statements identifying significant achievements or contributions with the listed past positions, but these data may be relevant for a separate category entitled, Honors and Awards.

Several of the next categories may be prioritized in a different sequence depending upon the recipient of the information. In general, the CV is an organized, succinct document that includes biographical data, not opinion or value statements.

Research Activities would be listed with the year or years, the principle investigator, name of the study, and if group research, then names of those in the group. In addition, funding or awaiting funding would be listed with the research along with the name of the funding agency. The thesis, dissertation, and projects would be identified in this category.

The next category is for publications. In academia, publications usually are segregated according to refereed and non refereed. Most journals are refereed with that information stated in the masthead. Letters to an editor, many newsletters, pamphlets, book reviews and magazines are non refereed. Whether one or two categories are used, publications would be listed with the latest or most current first. The American Psychological Association Manual (1994) would be an appropriate resource for the entries format.

This category would include oral presentations, posters, or other types of communication to others. Note dates, sponsoring organization, and type of presentation (e.g. keynote speaker or moderator for panel). The identification of the sponsoring organization gives more specific information such as whether the presentation was offered at the local, national or international level. Specific information provides the reader awareness of the type of audience for the presentation. This category would also include activities such as, peer reviewer, advisory and editorial board member, book reviewer, thesis or dissertation committee member, and evaluator for any type of media. Educators in agencies could include inservice programs that they created and taught, including the type and size of the audience, hours of the presentations and the dates. The recording of these data offer information concerning expertise and experience.