--- title: "Academic CV builder" type: "skill" url: "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder" updated: "2026-10-28" first_published: "2026-10-25" job: "Prepare job applications" tested: true licence: "MIT" source: "https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/7d85535533914ff0880945570a94fcbec4adc042/cli-tool/components/skills/career/academic-cv-builder" instructions: "https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder/SKILL.md" --- # Academic CV builder > Build an academic CV for a faculty, postdoc or research job. Share your degrees, papers, grants and teaching. Get a draft in the right order. Share your degrees, publications, research, grants and teaching record. It orders the sections for your target academic role and formats each part. You get a CV draft, field-specific layout notes and a checklist of missing details to confirm. Free skill for the job "Prepare job applications" · Level: beginner · Thinking: medium · Tested · Updated 2026-10-28 ## Links - Page: https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder - Instructions (SKILL.md): https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder/SKILL.md - All files (zip): https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder.zip - JSON version: https://useaiblocks.com/skills/academic-cv-builder.json - In your AI: connect https://useaiblocks.com/mcp and ask "Use AI Blocks to get academic-cv-builder" ## What it does Share your degrees, publications, research, grants and teaching record. It orders the sections for your target academic role and formats each part. You get a CV draft, field-specific layout notes and a checklist of missing details to confirm. ## What you give it - Your degrees, publications, grants and teaching history. - The academic role and field you are applying to. ## What you get - A structured academic CV draft. - Notes on section order and field conventions. - A list of missing or unconfirmed details. ## Example: what goes in and what comes out ### What goes in - Your degrees, with dates, advisors and thesis titles - Your publications, with DOIs if you have them - Your grants, with amounts and your role - Your teaching, mentoring and service history - The academic role and field you are applying for ### What comes out - **Recommended Section Order**: The order of CV sections that suits your role type and field, such as research, teaching or admin. - **Section Content**: Your education, positions, publications, presentations, grants, teaching, mentoring, service and awards, formatted in the style of your field. - **Formatting Notes**: Field-specific habits to follow, such as author order, numbered lists and how to mark your own name. - **Things to Add/Update**: A checklist of missing or unconfirmed details for you to fill in or check. ## Skip it when - You are applying for an industry job or a non-academic role: use a standard resume builder, because this skill is made for academic CVs. - You need a cover letter or research statement: write those with your AI as a separate task, since this skill only builds the CV. - You want a one or two page resume: use a standard resume builder, because an academic CV lists your full record and runs longer. ## How to use it 1. Gather your details first: degrees with dates and advisors, a publication list with DOIs, grants with amounts and your role, and the job advert. 2. Open Claude, ChatGPT or Gemini and paste the skill instructions. No code, files or paid tools are needed. 3. Paste your details, and tell your AI the role and field you are applying for. 4. Answer any questions your AI asks about missing details. 5. Check the draft against the job advert. Confirm every item on the missing-details checklist. 6. Replace any sample names, grants and dates before you send the CV. 7. Next, paste the confirmed draft into your application. Ask your AI for a cover letter or research statement as a separate task. ## What to do next - [Resume version organizer](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/resume-version-organizer): Resume version organizer - [Resume parsing checker](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/agency-engineering-ats-validator-architect): Resume parsing checker - [Creative resume layout planner](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/creative-resume-layout-planner): Creative resume layout planner - [Applicant shortlist builder](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/applicant-shortlist-builder): Applicant shortlist builder - [Product manager resume reviewer](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/product-manager-resume-reviewer): Product manager resume reviewer ## Sources and credits - From Daniel (San) Ávila: https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/7d85535533914ff0880945570a94fcbec4adc042/cli-tool/components/skills/career/academic-cv-builder, shared under the MIT licence (original name: academic-cv-builder). - [academic-cv-builder skill](https://github.com/davila7/claude-code-templates/tree/7d85535533914ff0880945570a94fcbec4adc042/cli-tool/components/skills/career/academic-cv-builder), Daniel (San) Ávila: Copied under the MIT licence. We gave it a plain name. We added Before you start and After this sections that link to other AI Blocks steps. We refreshed those generated sections from the catalogue inputs and next-step links. ## Instructions (SKILL.md) ## Academic CV Builder ### Before you start Use the material below to do this job. If facts or tool access are missing, explain what you can finish and what must wait. **What you need** (use your own material or the linked skill): - **A document** (yours): a finished document, such as a Word file, a PDF or a page of notes. **Makes it better (optional):** - **Resumes or CVs** (yours): the resumes or CVs this job uses, pasted or attached. - **The job description** (yours): the role's title, team, duties and level, as a job post or plain notes. How to start: 1. **Look first.** Use what they've already attached, pasted or put in their about-me note. In a coding assistant with file access, look in the project too for these by name. 2. **Check what's missing.** Look for a document, resumes or CVs, the job description. They can attach files, paste the details, or share a file path your assistant can read. Ask only for missing facts that change the result. If they ask you to start with what they have, complete the parts you can and mark the gaps. 3. **Do the job.** Follow the skill below with the facts and tools you have. Mark each gap with `MISSING:` where it belongs and never invent a fact to fill it. ### When to Use This Skill Use this skill when the user: - Is applying for academic positions (faculty, research, postdoc) - Needs to create or update a curriculum vitae - Wants to format publications, grants, and teaching experience - Is in academia or transitioning to academic careers - Mentions: "academic CV", "curriculum vitae", "faculty position", "research CV", "professor resume" ### Core Capabilities - Structure CVs for academic positions - Format publications, presentations, and grants - Organize teaching and research experience - Include appropriate academic sections - Tailor for different academic roles (tenure-track, postdoc, lecturer) - Balance research, teaching, and service ### Academic CV vs. Resume | Resume | Academic CV | |--------|------------| | 1-2 pages | 2-20+ pages (length increases with career) | | Highlights relevant experience | Comprehensive record | | Results-focused | Scholarship-focused | | Industry keywords | Disciplinary expertise | | Skills section prominent | Publications prominent | | Education minimal | Education detailed | ### Standard Academic CV Sections #### Typical Order ``` 1. Contact Information 2. Education 3. Research/Academic Positions 4. Publications 5. Presentations 6. Grants & Funding 7. Teaching Experience 8. Mentoring 9. Service 10. Professional Memberships 11. Honors & Awards 12. References (or "Available upon request") ``` #### Section Order Varies By: - **Research position:** Publications, grants, research experience first - **Teaching position:** Teaching, course development first - **Administrative position:** Leadership, service first ### Section-by-Section Guide > **AI Blocks note:** every name, grant, amount, date, advisor and student in the examples below is placeholder text. Never carry any of it into a real CV. Use only the details the person gives you, and write `MISSING:` where a detail was not given. Ask for missing details one at a time before you draft. #### 1. Contact Information ``` FIRST MIDDLE LAST, Ph.D. Department of [Field] [University Name] [Building, Room Number] [City, State ZIP] Email: email@university.edu Phone: (555) 123-4567 Web: www.yoursite.edu ORCID: 0000-0000-0000-0000 ``` #### 2. Education **Format:** Degree, Field, Institution, Year ``` EDUCATION Ph.D. in Molecular Biology, Stanford University, 2019 Dissertation: "Title of Your Dissertation" Advisor: Dr. Jane Smith Committee: Dr. A, Dr. B, Dr. C M.S. in Biology, UC Berkeley, 2015 B.S. in Biochemistry, UCLA, 2013 Summa Cum Laude ``` **Include:** - All degrees (in reverse chronological order) - Dissertation/thesis title - Advisor(s) - Committee members (for PhD) - Honors (cum laude, etc.) - Relevant minors or certificates #### 3. Research/Academic Positions ``` ACADEMIC APPOINTMENTS Assistant Professor of Biology, University of Michigan, 2022-Present Department of Molecular, Cellular, and Developmental Biology Postdoctoral Fellow, MIT, 2019-2022 Advisor: Dr. John Doe Lab: Computational Biology Lab Graduate Research Assistant, Stanford University, 2014-2019 Advisor: Dr. Jane Smith ``` #### 4. Publications **Most Important Section for Research Positions** ##### Formatting Options **Option 1: Numbered List (Common in Sciences)** ``` PUBLICATIONS Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles 15. Last, F.M., Co-Author, A.B., & Senior, C.D. (2023). Article title. Journal Name, 45(2), 123-145. doi:10.1000/xyz 14. Last, F.M., & Co-Author, A.B. (2022). Article title. Journal Name, 44(1), 10-25. doi:10.1000/abc ``` **Option 2: Categories (Useful for Multiple Types)** ``` PUBLICATIONS Peer-Reviewed Journal Articles (15) Book Chapters (3) Books (1) Under Review (2) In Preparation (3) ``` **Formatting Details:** - **Bold your name** in author lists - Include DOIs when available - Note impact factors if requested/relevant - Indicate student co-authors with asterisk* - Some fields expect reverse chronological; others expect chronological **Categories to Consider:** - Peer-reviewed journal articles - Books and book chapters - Conference proceedings - Technical reports - Non-peer-reviewed publications - Works under review - Works in preparation #### 5. Presentations ``` PRESENTATIONS Invited Talks "Talk Title," Conference Name, Location, Date. "Talk Title," Department Seminar, University Name, Date. Conference Presentations "Poster/Talk Title," Conference Name, Location, Date. [Poster/Oral] ``` **Categorize By:** - Invited talks (keynotes, seminars) - Conference presentations - Campus talks - Public lectures/outreach #### 6. Grants & Funding ``` GRANTS AND FUNDING Awarded NIH R01 (Co-PI), "Project Title," 2023-2028, $2.5M total ($500K to my lab) NSF CAREER Award (PI), "Project Title," 2022-2027, $650,000 Internal Grant (PI), "Project Title," 2021, $25,000 Pending NIH R21 (PI), "Project Title," submitted January 2024 Not Funded (Optional) [Some fields expect you to list unfunded submissions] ``` **Include:** - Funding agency and mechanism - Your role (PI, Co-PI, Co-I) - Project title - Dates - Total amount (and amount to your lab if split) #### 7. Teaching Experience ``` TEACHING EXPERIENCE Courses Taught BIOL 301: Molecular Biology (Instructor of Record) University of Michigan, Fall 2022, Fall 2023 Enrollment: 45 students Developed new course curriculum BIOL 101: Introduction to Biology (Lab Instructor) Stanford University, 2015-2018 Guest Lectures "Topic," Course Name, Professor's Name, University, Date ``` **Include:** - Course number and title - Your role (Instructor, TA, Guest Lecturer) - Institution and dates - Enrollment numbers - Course development or new preparations - Teaching evaluations summary (if strong) #### 8. Mentoring ``` MENTORING Graduate Students - Student Name (Ph.D. expected 2025), Dissertation: "Title" - Student Name (Ph.D. 2023), Current position: Postdoc at MIT Postdoctoral Fellows - Name (2021-2023), Current position: Assistant Professor at X Undergraduate Researchers - Name (2022-2023), Thesis: "Title," Current: PhD program at Y - Name (2021-2022), Thesis: "Title," Current: Industry position ``` #### 9. Service ``` SERVICE To the Profession - Editorial Board Member, Journal Name, 2022-Present - Grant Reviewer, NIH Study Section XYZ, 2023 - Conference Organizer, Conference Name, 2022 To the University - Graduate Admissions Committee, 2022-Present - Faculty Search Committee, 2023 - Curriculum Committee, 2022-2023 To the Department - Seminar Coordinator, 2022-Present - Undergraduate Advisor, 2022-Present ``` #### 10. Professional Memberships ``` PROFESSIONAL MEMBERSHIPS American Society for Cell Biology (ASCB), 2015-Present Society for Neuroscience (SfN), 2018-Present ``` #### 11. Honors & Awards ``` HONORS AND AWARDS NSF CAREER Award, 2022 Best Paper Award, Conference Name, 2021 Outstanding Graduate Student Award, Stanford University, 2018 National Science Foundation Graduate Research Fellowship, 2015-2018 Phi Beta Kappa, 2013 ``` ### Role-Specific Emphasis #### Tenure-Track Faculty **Emphasize:** 1. Publications (especially recent, high-impact) 2. Grants (especially independent funding) 3. Research trajectory and vision 4. Teaching experience 5. Mentoring record #### Postdoctoral Position **Emphasize:** 1. Publications (from PhD and postdoc) 2. Research experience and skills 3. Collaboration experience 4. Future research potential 5. Any funding/fellowships #### Lecturer/Teaching Faculty **Emphasize:** 1. Teaching experience (courses, evaluations) 2. Course development 3. Pedagogical training 4. Mentoring undergraduates 5. Teaching awards #### Research Scientist **Emphasize:** 1. Publications 2. Technical skills 3. Grant writing experience 4. Collaboration record 5. Relevant research experience ### Discipline-Specific Conventions #### Sciences (Biology, Chemistry, Physics) - Author order matters (first author, last author = senior) - Impact factors sometimes included - Numbered publication lists common - Conference presentations less weighted than publications #### Humanities (History, Literature, Philosophy) - Single-author publications highly valued - Book publications crucial - Conference presentations important - Public scholarship valued #### Social Sciences - Both solo and collaborative work valued - Mix of journal articles and books - Funded research important - Policy impact valued ### CV Length Guidelines | Career Stage | Expected Length | |--------------|-----------------| | Graduate Student | 2-4 pages | | Postdoc | 3-6 pages | | Early Career Faculty | 5-10 pages | | Mid-Career Faculty | 10-20 pages | | Senior Faculty | 15-30+ pages | **Rule:** Your CV grows throughout your career. Don't pad, but don't artificially constrain length. ### Output Format When creating an academic CV: ```markdown # ACADEMIC CV STRUCTURE FOR [NAME] ## Recommended Section Order [Based on position type and field] 1. [Section] 2. [Section] ... ## Section Content ### Education [Formatted education section] ### Publications [Formatted with appropriate style for field] ### [Other Sections] [Formatted content] --- ## Formatting Notes - [Field-specific conventions to follow] - [Style guide recommendations] ## Things to Add/Update - [ ] [Missing item] - [ ] [Item needing update] ``` ### Next steps Once the person has confirmed the checklist, they can paste the draft into the job application. For a cover letter or research statement, ask for it as a separate task. This skill builds only the CV. ### After this When you've handed it back, suggest what they could do next in one short question. It's a suggestion: if they're done, that's fine. Offer these, and say they can type their own: - The [Resume version organizer](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/resume-version-organizer). It takes the resumes or CVs. - The [Resume parsing checker](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/agency-engineering-ats-validator-architect). It takes the resumes or CVs. - The [Creative resume layout planner](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/creative-resume-layout-planner). It takes the resumes or CVs. - The [Applicant shortlist builder](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/applicant-shortlist-builder). It takes the resumes or CVs. - The [Product manager resume reviewer](https://useaiblocks.com/skills/product-manager-resume-reviewer). It takes the resumes or CVs. If they pick one and that skill is added here, carry straight on with what you just made. If not, give the link and say what to bring. ### Academic CV Checklist - ✅ Contact information complete (including ORCID if applicable) - ✅ Education includes all degrees, advisors, dissertations - ✅ Publications properly formatted with your name highlighted - ✅ All grants listed with amounts and your role - ✅ Teaching experience comprehensive - ✅ Service documented - ✅ Consistent formatting throughout - ✅ Reverse chronological order (usually) - ✅ No unexplained gaps - ✅ Updated within last 6 months