Your academic CV will likely be the first way you make an impression on a hiring committee. In competitive academic markets, even small mistakes can make your application less effective. When working with clients to improve their CVs, we frequently see similar mistakes. These are often small mistakes that can be easily fixed, but due to carelessness or lack of awareness, our clients are unable to recognize these.
In this post, we will discuss four common errors that our clients make when writing their academic CVs.
Including a Photo or Personal Information
In some countries, it is common to include personal information, such as date of birth, citizenship, or other personal information. It is also common to accompany this with a photo. However, this information is inappropriate to include on a Western CV. Employers should not be evaluating you based on any personal details, and it including this can potentially bias people reviewing the application. In Western academic settings, you should not be judged based on your age, sex, appearance, or any other factor.
Many clients from Asia, where it is common to include a photo, do not know it is inappropriate to include one. Thus, one of the first things we look for when we evaluate our clients CVs is whether they have photos or personal information.
Poor Formatting
Some applicants submit CVs with inconsistent and sloppy formatting. This includes dates written in different styles, headings that don’t match, bullet points that aren’t aligned, and multiple fonts or font sizes scattered throughout the document. These inconsistencies can make even the strongest academic record look unpolished.
A CV should have a clean, professional appearance that’s easy to follow. When the layout is inconsistent, it signals a lack of attention to detail — a quality hiring committees do not want to see in a candidate. Sloppy presentation can distract from your qualifications and make it harder for reviewers to find important information.
Many clients are surprised at how much more professional their CV looks after we standardize formatting, fix alignment, and create a consistent style for headings and dates. This attention to detail ensures the content can be read easily and leaves a stronger, more credible impression.
Not Differentiating Teaching and Research
Not all academic jobs require the same skills. Some universities, particularly teaching-focused institutions, value classroom experience, curriculum development, and student mentorship. Others, especially research-intensive universities, prioritize publications, grants, and research impact. Many clients are unaware of this, and do not tailor their academic CVs according to the role they are applying to.
Submitting the same CV for every role can make you appear unfocused or unaware of what the position values most. In Western academic hiring, tailoring your CV to the specific type of role is expected and can make a significant difference in how your application is received.
When working with clients, we often ask early in the process: is this application for a teaching-focused or a research-focused position? Based on their answer, we reorganize and emphasize different sections of the CV so that the most relevant experience appears first.
Confusing an Academic CV with a Professional Resume
Another common issues I see is applicants submitting a professional or business-style CV when applying for academic positions. In many countries, “CV” and “resume” are used interchangeably, but in a Western academic context, they are very different documents.
A professional resume is typically one to two pages, focused on work experience, and often omits details like publications or conference presentations. An academic CV, on the other hand, is a comprehensive record of your academic achievements. It can run much longer and should include sections such as education, research experience, publications, teaching, grants, awards, and service to the profession.
When an academic hiring committee receives a short, professional-style CV with minimal scholarly information, it sends the message that the applicant may not fully understand the expectations of the role. Moreover, you should not include prose or long descriptions of your experiences on an academic CV the way that you would on a professional resume.
Many clients come to us after using the same CV for both industry and academic applications — and they are surprised to learn how different the requirements are. One of our first steps is to expand their CV to include the full scope of their academic record, organized in a format that matches Western academic standards
Conclusion
Small details can make a big difference in how your academic CV is received. It is important that you prepare your CV and present yourself as a detail-oriented candidate who understands what is expected working in Western environments. By taking the time to refine your CV, you give yourself a stronger chance of standing out in a competitive hiring process.
Need help improving your CV or job application materials?
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