What type of Curriculum Vita (CV) should you use for Executive Leadership searches?

???????????When applying for an academic executive leadership position (i.e., Dean and above), you will be asked to submit a CV as part of the application materials. The question arises, should you submit your regular CV, which documents everything you have done in higher education as a faculty member or should you prepare a special abbreviated CV focusing on your leadership experiences and accomplishments? If the institution is using an external search firm, I recommend you asking the search consultant who is overseeing the process. They will give you a good sense of what the search committee wants to see, because they will have met with the search committee and conducted listening sessions to determine what the institution is looking for in their next leader. In my experience, some search committees want to see the full CV, which can easily run 30 plus pages, documenting your education, research (publications and grants), teaching (courses you have taught and a lists of , and your service activities (both internal to the institution and external, including professional offices you have held, etc.).

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???????????However, there are instances when search committees prefer to focus on one’s leadership experiences and accomplishments. Why? I believe one’s leadership abilities are independent of their scholarly and faculty responsibilities. For example, a person can be a great scholar and yet a poor leader. This is a highly debated issue and perceptions differ depending on the search committee member’s perspective. Remember for leadership searches, the position you are seeking is very different than being a faculty member. Your responsibilities and productivity will be assessed in very different ways than the typical faculty evaluation process. In many cases, a leader’s performance is based on their ability to communicate, support their faculty and staff, be collegial, be transparent in their decision-making process, etc.

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???????????As a result, I have two CV. One is my full CV and the other is an abbreviated CV where I pare down my full CV significantly. My full CV is currently 36 pages. My abbreviated CV is 11 pages. The abbreviated CV focuses on my leadership experiences, responsibilities, and accomplishments. It does contain scholarly information as it pertains to being qualified for a full professorship rank. Most executive searches, especially for academic leadership positions like Dean and Provost require the applicant be a viable candidate for the rank of full professor.

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???????????For a leadership CV, I recommend highlighting responsibilities and accomplishments for every administrative position a person has held to date. The more you can illustrate your accomplishments through metrics, the better, because it is easier for people to understand the progress you led. For each accomplishment, you should identify what your contribution was for any achievement. It is important for your CV to tell a story. Your job is to determine what story you want to tell. Remember you are applying for an executive position and your story needs to align with what the institution is seeking in their next academic leader, so be mindful of the position profile. In particular, try to highlight in your CV how your experiences align with the opportunities and challenges identified in the position profile.