Developing a narrative CV

It felt daunting! I was comfortable with the traditional CV and had one that I could tweak depending on the role. It seemed hard to work up something new.

I started with bullet points for each section, noting the key points to address, and then tried to link them in a coherent way. It was challenging trying to explain the ‘impact’ of what I’d done (rather than just listing jobs, papers and responsibilities) without being too verbose.

A couple of hours to get an initial draft, and then a couple more to polish it after getting some feedback from colleagues.

I was pleased with it. The format allows you to highlight what you’d like people to know about you, your wider interests, and what you can bring to a team or institution. It’s a chance to reflect on what you’ve achieved, and helps you target areas to improve.

On the other hand, as an early-career researcher I found it hard to evidence some things: the fact that I’d positively impacted students’ career development, for instance, rather than just saying that I had ‘supervised two students’. This probably gets easier as you become more senior – and more experienced at writing narrative CVs!

Yes – I realised that I didn’t have much experience of ‘wider research impact’. That prompted me to get more involved in various committees and policy engagement activities – which is something I’ve found very rewarding.

• Start early… well before the deadline for a particular job or funding opportunity. This will give you a chance to look at what you’ve done, revise it, and get it to a point where you are happy.
• Draw out what you personally brought to any collaboration you were involved with: how you have contributed to, for instance, building a positive research culture.
• It’s not all about metrics. Include your major contributions to science, but many funding bodies aren't looking for a long list of all your publications. They want to see you are a rounded individual, not a h-index.
• Think about career development. Look out for opportunities and activities that extend beyond your research interests and will help build your CV.

Don’t feel too daunted. The first narrative CV will take some time and thought, but then it gets easier to maintain, update and improve -- just like a ‘traditional’ CV. At Oxford, we’re lucky enough to have Research Facilitators, so do ask them for help. And remember, it’s a great way to showcase what you have to offer so don't be afraid to sell yourself!

Stephen Marshall, PDRA, Schofield Group, Department of Chemistry

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