Getting Your CV into Shape for a PhD Application Part I

The day you decide that you want to apply for a PhD programme marks the beginning of a lengthy to-do list of things that you need to accomplish in order to be successful in your application. This is true regardless of whether you are currently enrolled in an undergraduate course, a Masters programme, or have been out of school for a few years.

It is necessary for you to choose the educational institutions to which you will submit applications, work on your applications, and (ideally) get ready for interviews. However, may I inquire about your resume?

If you are still in school, there is a good possibility that you have not yet been required to compose an academic CV. Even if you have already put in applications for research jobs in the past, it may be a very nerve-wracking experience to have your CV in order and ready to submit. The following are a few of my top recommendations on how to make your resume the most impressive it can possibly be.

#1 Try to keep it as brief as possible

Put yourself in the place of the individual who will be reviewing your application. This is the most effective technique to apply for any position. They are virtually undoubtedly doing this on top of their regular duties despite the fact that they almost certainly have thousands of candidates to sift through.

In other words, they do not have the time to read through a manifesto that is ten pages long and lists every single skill you have ever used and every single activity in which you have ever participated. If you stop writing after two pages of text that is properly spaced out and formatted, you will have a greater chance of capturing the interest of your readers and keeping their attention!

#2 Make it a priority!

Because this is a CV for a PhD, you should order it appropriately (and make sure that the most vital information is on the first page).

Start with the part titled "Education" and provide specifics about the classes you've taken and when you took them. Next, go on to the "Research Experience" part of your resume. Arrange your experience and credentials in a backwards chronological manner, beginning with the most current and working your way towards the earliest entries.

Because your curriculum vitae can be no longer than two pages, you will almost certainly need to exclude some information from it. Begin with the events that took place further back in time, and work your way forward. For instance, the education portion of your resume probably does not require anything more recent than your A-levels. When reviewing your own CV, "cutting from the back" is a useful rule of thumb to keep in mind; nevertheless, you should also use common sense. If you participated in something truly amazing while you were a student in high school that is really relevant to your topic, it should probably take precedence over the intramural netball games that you play for your institution.

#3 Make sure you read over the job description.

It doesn't matter what PhD post you're looking for; each one will come with a project description, just like the ones on our website. For someone with a Machiavellian mindset, that description might hold the keys to successfully designing a CV to apply for that PhD position.

What exactly are the superiors searching for here? What qualifications does the perfect candidate need to have? What kinds of research objectives and previous experience do you have? You can make use of this information to organise your curriculum vitae in a manner that is a point-by-point answer to the advertisement for the PhD job.

For instance, a candidate for a PhD position might be required to have previous research experience in biological chemistry as well as proficiency in coding. It is also possible that this is referring to teaching abilities (the student may be required to serve as a teaching assistant as part of the curriculum), as well as high multitasking abilities (very necessary if the student will be responsible for coordinating work carried out in multiple laboratories). The well-prepared candidate might organise their curriculum vitae with a section titled "Research Experience," then another titled "Coding Skills," then another titled "Teaching Experience," and finally a section titled "Multitasking Experience." Do not be concerned if it appears that your efforts are a bit too visible; after all, this is the task that has been assigned to you.