Resume vs. CV?
Resumes are meant to concisely present your skills and qualifications,
and should be limited to a single page.
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CV’s, or curriculum vitaes, are commonly used in academia and tend to be longer than resumes in length. They include more information specific to research - such as professor appointments, prior publications,
conference presentations, and research interests.
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Professors usually ask for one of these two documents, so check their website for which they prefer before sending them an email about undergraduate research. If no preference is given, send either one, but have both prepared.
Resume Writing Tips
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Include courses relevant to the lab position you’re applying for in your academic history section. It’s a succinct way to state some of your qualifications because many faculty members are familiar with the bioengineering curriculum.
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Showcase what you’re good at, and don’t worry about lacking relevant technical experience. PIs know undergrads get into research to learn, and interdisciplinary strengths from extracurriculars and special class projects can demonstrate skills that indicate you are a quick learner and would be committed to lab work.
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If you have space, include interests at the bottom - they’re good ice breakers for interviews!
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Take advantage of the career center - they have an online resume review and 1 on 1 meetings you can schedule.
CV Writing Tips
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As an undergraduate, you can include research interests and class projects (e.g. final project from BIOEN 215). Some of your research interests should be tailored to the lab position you’re applying for, but feel free to include research interests outside of the lab's focus. You want to show that you’re interested, but also that your interests are genuine.
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Can be longer than a page in length. It’s simplest to add the extra information to your resume between “Academic History” and “Experience,” don’t worry about deleting anything for space.
Additional Writing Help
If you need any additional writing help (e.g. Resume, Cover Letter, Review Papers for lab), you can reach out to the Odegaard Writing and Research Center.