History Graduates on the Job Market - Best Practices in CV, Resume, and the Interview

Sep 11, 2026

Guidance for history graduates entering the job market, focusing on how to present qualifications effectively through CVs, resumes, and interviews. The material explains the core difference between a detailed CV and a tailored, concise resume, then outlines recommended resume sections and a practical do’s and don’ts checklist. It also details optional CV sections, formatting principles, and provides action-verb guidance plus interview questions with coaching for strong, professional responses.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryResumes

FormatPDF

Pages3

Reading Time1 min

AccessFree to download

CV and Resume - What’s the difference?

What Goes on Your Resume?

Resume Do’s and Don’ts

What goes on Your Curriculum Vitae?

Format

Appearance

RESUME AND CV SUPPORT

For Action Verbs to Include in your Resume

The Job Interview - Five Difficult Questions to Expect

GRADUATES ON THE JOB MARKET – BEST PRACTICES IN CV, RESUME, AND THE INTERVIEW CV and Resume – What’s the difference? A Curriculum Vitae (CV) is a detailed, lengthy, and structured listing of education, publications, projects, awards, and work history. The CV should address your aptitude, experience, and skills; and display your education related to a specific position. A CV is mostly utilized in academia, the medical sciences, law, and research-related careers. By contrast, the resume is a brief (one to two pages) summary of your professional achievements and skills. While the CV provides a full record of your educational and professional life, a resume is typically tailored to a specific position and deliberately connects the applicant to the skills required in the new position. What Goes on Your Resume?** ❖ Contact Information ❖ Objective (Optional) ❖ Education ❖ Experience ➢ Professional ➢ Internship ➢ Leadership ❖ Projects ❖ Skills ➢ Technical ➢ Language Resume Do’s and Don’ts** | YES | | NO | | | --- | --- | --- | --- | | ● | Tailor your resume for the job | ➢ | Use “I” or “MY” statements | | ●
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● | Make sure your contact info is current Be Honest
Proofread
Continuously update your resume Aim to limit to one page
Include accomplishment statements that use ACTION, PURPOSE, | ➢
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➢ | Provide salary information
Include references or state “available upon request”
Include photographs
Disclose personal information: age, gender, religion, weight, marital status, | | RESULT
○ Action: start each bullet point with an action verb (i.e. developed, created produced, executed)
○ Purpose: what was the purpose of your action, your responsibility, your assignment, project, ect.
○ Result: what was the result of your action, what did you accomplish?
Example: Developed (action) an after school tutoring program for elementary schoolchildren focused on reading comprehension skills (purpose) which resulted in participation of 20 students (result) | test scores, etc.
➢ List skills without backing them up ➢ Leave out dates | | --- | --- | What goes on Your Curriculum Vitae?* In addition to sections included in a resume, below are possible sections to take into consideration: ➔ Academic and Research ➔ Certifications ➔ Educational Travel ➔ Grants Received ➔ Professional Affiliations ➔ Professional Presentations ➔ Publications ➔ Special Training Format Prioritize the information on your CV, and provide it in chronological order. Devote more space to the most important aspects of your background. Consider developing more than one CV if you are applying for different positions. Appearance Similar to a resume, a CV should be well structured, concise, and easy to read and follow. A CV differs from a resume in the sense that a CV can be as long as it needs to be. *Found on [http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/curriculum-vitae.php](http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/curriculum-vitae.php) RESUME AND CV SUPPORT For Action Verbs to Include in your Resume [http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/action-verbs.php](http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/action-verbs.php) To see sample resumes and CVs, click on the link [http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/sample-resumes.php](http://www.fullerton.edu/career/students/resumes-cover-letters/sample-resumes.php) [The Job Interview-Five Difficult Questions to Expect](The Job Interview-Five Difficult Questions to Expect)** 1. Why should I hire you? ● Focus on the organization’s needs rather than your own. 2. Tell me one thing you would change about your last position? ● Never criticize a former supervisor or colleague in an interview. Instead try to describe a positive change and fit it into the position that you are applying for now. 3

FAQs

What is the main difference between a CV and a resume?

A CV is a detailed, lengthy record covering education, publications, projects, awards, and work history, commonly used in academia and research fields. A resume is a brief 1–2 page summary tailored to a specific position, connecting skills and achievements to the requirements of that role.

What sections should a resume include?

A resume should include contact information, an optional objective, education, experience (professional, internship, leadership), projects, and skills categorized into technical and language skills.

How should answers be handled in the job interview using the guide’s examples?

Answers should be focused and professional—emphasize the organization’s needs, avoid criticizing former colleagues, keep responses brief while covering key topics, and support success claims with examples of relevant actions and results.

Sep 11, 2026

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