Oxford CV: Tips and Templates for Success

What is an Oxford CV?

An Oxford CV is the perfect academic CV for applications to study and work at a university or other academic institution. Any role that requires specific academic achievements beyond a certain type of degree, such as research experience, teaching experience or published academic works in your chosen field, is suitable for an Oxford CV. The CV format emphasises your academic career and achievements, presenting them alongside your work experience to give a rounded account of your career to date.

Oxford CV structure

A standard, reverse-chronological CV example usually includes the following sections:

• CV header
• CV summary
• Work experience
• Education
• Skills
• Additional information

An Oxford CV includes all these sections, but also expands upon the educational and academic achievements of the candidate, adding in several further sections, such as:

• Awards
• Presentations
• Publications
• Research experience
• Teaching experience
• Professional memberships
• Relevant training
• References

You may not include all these sections in your Oxford format CV, but any extra information you decide to include will add extra weight to your academic credentials.

Oxford CV formatting

The Oxford CV is also defined by its clear, professional layout and formatting. Each section should be clearly defined with a simple heading, making it readable for employers and easily scannable by ATS software. For the body text, use bullet points for concise, easy-to-digest paragraphs that remain focused on showcasing the skills and experience required for the role.

Oxford CV vs. a Regular CV

The Oxford CV shares many similarities with a regular CV, but there are some key differences. Both CVs share the same core sections of work experience, education and skills. Both CV templates have a clear structure with well-defined headings and professional formatting.

However, with an Oxford CV there is far more emphasis on the education section. While traditionally, education on a CV tends to be brief, you can add more detail about your degrees in an Oxford CV. The Oxford CV also adds more detail about other academic achievements that you might not typically include in a regular CV. These include your awards or funding, publications, research experience and other relevant academic activities and experience. Additionally, your main education section typically sits above your work experience section in an Oxford CV format.

As a result of the additional academic sections in an Oxford CV, these tend to be longer than a regular reverse-chronological CV or functional CV. While standard CVs are usually no longer than two sides of A4 (and can sometimes be as short as a single side of A4), Oxford CVs tend to run longer than two sides.

Benefits of Using the Oxford CV Format

The Oxford University CV template has many advantages, especially if you’re applying to work or study at an academic institution. It offers a clear, professional and readable layout that will benefit any job application, academic or otherwise. The Oxford CV favours concise bullet points that remain focused on the relevant message of how and why your previous work and educational experience makes you suitable for the job. It provides a template for producing an academic or university student CV that’s focused, to-the-point and easy for the reader to follow and understand.

Another benefit of using the Oxford CV template is its emphasis on highlighting academic achievements. This is particularly useful if you’ve followed a career in academia, gained multiple degrees or if the job you’re applying for requires an academic level of expertise in a given subject. Besides academic roles, the Oxford CV layout can be useful for senior positions in business, finance, law, healthcare, engineering, surveying or any other professional industry.

How to Structure Your Oxford CV

As we’ve already explained, the Oxford CV contains much of the same information as a regular, reverse-chronological CV, plus some additional sections detailing your academic achievements, depending on the role. However, there are some slight differences in layout and order. Take a look below at the recommended structure for an Oxford CV:

Header

Like a traditional CV, your CV header should include your name, contact details and location or address. You can also include your LinkedIn profile or a personal website URL, if you have one. If you have any professional titles or post-nominal titles (such as master’s degrees or doctorates), be sure to include these.

CV summary

For your CV summary, write two or three sentences outlining your relevant professional and academic experience. Showcase your skills, using keywords and phrases that match the job description.

Education

The education section typically comes after your CV summary and before your work experience. List your degrees and professional qualifications, starting with the most recent or highest qualification. Add full details of the level of the award, the course name, the institution you studied at, your dates of study and the grade you achieved. Underneath, write bullet points outlining your areas of study and specialism.

Work experience

In your work experience section, list any relevant previous employment in reverse-chronological order, starting with your most recent. Add bullet points highlighting your key achievements, making sure everything you add is relevant to the job description.

Skills

Write a list of your key skills, including both hard/technical skills and soft/transferable skills. Ensure everything you include in this section matches the skills in the job listing.

Additional academic sections

Any additional academic credentials and experience can help you impress employers, particularly if the job you’re applying for is in academia or a highly technical or professional sector. List awards, presentations, publications, research experience, teaching experience, professional memberships and any relevant training.

Other additional information

Other potentially relevant sections to add to your CV include certifications, language skills, volunteer work or hobbies and interests.

Oxford CV margins, fonts and spacing

Use margins, line spacing and fonts that are clear and easy-to-read. Set margins at the edges of your document to at least 2.5cm, to give the content room to breathe. Use line spacing of 1.15 or 1.25, and consider adding a space before and after each paragraph of between 6 and 12 points. Choose a professional font between the sizes of 10 and 12. For academic applications, serif fonts such as Times New Roman and Garamond are effective. 

Tips for Writing an Oxford CV

Follow these quick tips to ensure your Oxford CV makes the best possible impression with recruiters and hiring managers:

• Use strong action verbs: use strong action verbs to illustrate the action you took in previous roles. Match your action verbs to the job description to show you’ve got the skills necessary for the role.
• Quantify your achievements: offer evidence to show the impact you’ve made in your career to date. This could be performance figures, project outcomes or personal recognition you’ve received in the form of awards or funding.
• Use bullet points: use bullet points throughout your CV to make sure it remains concise and relevant at all times.
• Tailor every CV to the role: make sure you adapt and edit your CV for every application, tailoring it to the specifics of the job description. This will ensure your application is as relevant as possible.
• Write a strong cover letter: accompany your Oxford CV with a strong cover letter that reinforces your credentials. For a college student cover letter, include a personal statement that illustrates why you’re a suitable candidate for the course. Learn more about perfecting your cover letter with Jobseeker’s expert cover letter articles.

Common Oxford CV Tips To Avoid

Be aware of these common Oxford CV mistakes and ensure you avoid them with your applications:

• Overloading your CV with too much information: add all the necessary relevant information, but don’t overload your CV with irrelevant details about your career journey and academic record.
• Using inconsistent formatting: Oxford CVs are all about clear presentation and formatting. Inconsistent, messy formatting can jeopardise your chances. Consider using an online CV maker for a clean, professional CV design.
• Not using keywords: failing to use relevant keywords throughout your CV creates a risk of your application falling at the first hurdle. Keywords can help your CV pass the initial ATS stage of the selection process.
• Writing an over-long cover letter: choose cover letter templates that can help you limit your cover letter to a single side of A4. This will keep it concise and make it more readable for employers.

"Besides academic roles, the Oxford CV layout can be useful for senior positions in business, finance, law, healthcare, engineering, surveying or any other professional industry."

Key Takeaways for a Winning Oxford CV

The Oxford CV format can be a valuable option for academic applications and roles that require a high level of technical mastery and expertise. Emphasise your education by including details about your academic achievements and previous relevant research and teaching roles. Use a clear, professional CV design, like the CV examples offered by Jobseeker. Sign up to Jobseeker to gain access to a wealth of CV articles and resources, and start creating your perfect CV and cover letter today.