PhD candidate CV example

How to add contact details to your PhD candidate CV

If you’ve sent your CV to dozens of people but haven’t heard back, you might have forgotten to add your most up-to-date contact details. It’s vital to add these, as it will increase your chances of getting a call that might further your career. Double-check that you’ve listed the information at the top of the page, preferably in a slightly larger or bolder font.

Our top advice? Keep your email address work appropriate and only include the best phone number to reach you on (this can be a mobile). It’s also important to outline your location so that the employer knows where you are based. This section should cover:

• Full name
• Location
• Phone number
• Email address

Example of contact section for a PhD candidate CV

Start your PhD candidate CV with a personal statement

A thoughtful and persuasive personal statement is the secret to making an excellent first impression. This punchy opener summarises why you’re the best person for the position, highlighting your unique skills, achievements, and qualifications. However, drafting one isn’t as easy as it sounds – you only have three to four sentences to play with. Thankfully, we have a straightforward formula that can help.

Begin your statement by explaining who you are, including your years of academic experience and field. Next, confirm your credentials with a showstopping fact or figure. For instance, you might have “designed a research study that secured £500,000 in funding”. Lastly, blow the reader away with your key strengths and specialisms, such as “psychology”, “clinical research”, or “acute mental disorders”. You could also add an extra sentence outlining your proposed research topic.

Following the above structure is just one way to set yourself apart from the competition, so here’s some extra advice:

• Write in the third person to sound more professional
• Use positive adjectives like “motivated”, “inspired”, and “curious”
• Don’t embellish or exaggerate – authenticity is the key to success
• Let the role specification guide the writing process
• Double-check your work before moving on to the following sections

Example of personal statement for a PhD candidate CV

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How to present your work history on a PhD candidate CV

The work experience section is one of the most exciting for employers because they learn more about your personality and work ethic. What you don’t say is equally as crucial as what you do – as well as picking out your key strengths, the reader can discern your weaknesses via the information you leave out. Additionally, they can see how long you typically stay in a position, which is a testament to your loyalty.

We advise listing three to six responsibilities underneath each role. When discussing your experience, outline the following:

• Job title
• Employment start and end dates
• Company name
• Company location
• Brief list of responsibilities
• Career achievements

It’s a good idea to re-read the advertisement before completing this section, so you can tailor your duties to what the employer is looking for. While you shouldn’t copy the spec word for word, this is a helpful exercise to keep your information concise and to the point. Busy decision-makers don’t have the time to scroll through pages of waffle!

Like the personal statement, include as many results and examples as possible to give weight to your claims. Let’s say you “led weekly positive behaviour management workshops” – can you explain the outcome? They might have “increased patient wellbeing by 94%” or “reduced the need for medication by 31%”. The more specific you can be, the more impressive and authoritative you’ll sound.

Finally, keep the tone upbeat and confident by leading with positive adjectives and action verbs. We’ve already spoken about the former, but the latter are often overlooked and better alternatives to “responsible for”. Some of our favourites include “authored”, “founded”, and “investigated”.

Example of work experience for a PhD candidate CV

Top skills for your PhD candidate CV

CV skills can boost your chances if you’re up against equally experienced applicants with brilliant thesis ideas. Don’t be afraid to shout about your most valuable talents and accomplishments – modesty won’t get you noticed. We suggest highlighting around 12 skills, split equally between hard and soft skills.

What’s the difference? Hard skills are technical and related to your chosen field – you can learn them on the job or via formal education. Examples include “writing psychology research papers”, “designing intervention plans”, and “speaking at seminars”. In contrast, soft skills are character-based and transferable – you might be “adaptable”, “enthusiastic”, and “resourceful”.

Hard skills are nothing without soft skills and vice versa. You can possess all the knowledge in the world but lack the personality to stick with such a comprehensive period of study. Likewise, you might have a positive outlook and disposition without the practical tools to succeed.

If you need some more ideas, read through the below lists:

Outlining education on a PhD candidate CV

Unsurprisingly, education on a CV is paramount if you’re an aspiring PhD candidate. This degree is the highest qualification possible, granting you Doctor status in your field. You could even spotlight your core credentials underneath the personal summary to reassure the reader you have the fundamental knowledge to hit the ground running.

What does it take to become a PhD candidate? Most applicants already have a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in their chosen subject (e.g. “Psychology), but this isn’t essential. For example, you could complete your Master’s degree in “History” but apply for your PhD in “Religious Studies”. Either way, you must demonstrate an aptitude for independent learning.

You also need to propose a viable research project to get accepted onto a PhD programme. The most successful applications identify and fill gaps in the current knowledge.

What else should you include? Outline the following:

• Name of school, college, university, or other awarding body
• Study start and end dates
• Subject title
• Qualification level – e.g. Bachelor’s degree or A level
• Qualification result

Example of education for a PhD candidate CV