A curriculum vitae, or CV, is a type of resume that is utilized largely by academics, such as archaeologists. The main difference between a curriculum vitae and a resume is that a curriculum vitae focuses on academic accomplishments as well as the writer's work history. An archaeologist's curriculum vitae follows several general conventions.

Making it Fit The Job

Writing your archaeology curriculum vitae begins with researching the archaeology job for which you are applying. Each time you apply for a new archaeology position, you should tailor your CV for the requirements of the job. For example, if you are applying for an academic position in archaeology at a university that values field experience, you should arrange your CV to place your field experience prominently, such as on the first page directly after your education section. This arrangement shows the professor in charge of the search committee that you have the qualifications they are looking for.

Planning and Writing

Planning your archaeology CV can be difficult, especially if you have a lot of information. However, archaeology CVs generally have a few specific categories, such as education, honors, teaching, research, field experience, laboratory experience, publications, conference presentations, grants and organizational affiliations. You may have additional categories, such as volunteer experience. Alternatively, you may omit some of these categories, such as grants, if you do not have any experience with them. Once you have your categories planned, list each experience or item in reverse chronological order.

Formatting

Formatting your archaeology CV is an important task because the look of your resume creates the first impression that helps to determine whether your CV gets a second look. Although an archaeologist is not generally expected to be an expert in document design, the CV should still look attractive and be easy to skim. Make sure that your name stands out and that the headings are easy to identify. Use an 11- or 12-point, standard font to enhance the readability of your CV. The headings and your name can be slightly larger, bold and in a different font, if you desire.

Editing

Before you mail off your archaeology CV, make sure that you proofread it carefully. Errors on a CV are unforgivable for most employers because job candidates with advanced degrees in archaeology should have mastered basic grammar and spelling. It is also a good idea to have a colleague or one of your archaeology professors, if you are still a student, review your CV. Another person can sometimes find errors that you made or may have valuable suggestions for improving the content or organization of your CV.