How to make your CV acceptable to GC Licensing Boards

If you’ve ever applied for a job, chances are you’ve spent time pouring over your CV. Making sure you’ve made an impressive, eye-catching document that will help you stand out to employers can be a labor of love, or a source of frustration. So, how does it feel when you think you finally have the perfect CV and a licensing board rejects it? Not great.

It’s always best to read the application instructions carefully before submitting anything. Some are more picky than others. But in general, if you follow these guidelines, most states will accept your CV the first time:

Keep things in chronological order- States want to know your full history, sometimes since High School! It’ll be easier for them to tell if there are any gaps if your CV is in order

Include all start and end dates, to the day if possible- Can’t remember exactly when you started your Bachelor’s degree program? It’s best to figure it out instead of just listing a year. Some states want start and end dates listed down to the day.

Explain any gaps- Any gaps in employment or education history more than a couple months long will have to be explained to the board.

Include locations- Include the city and state of each university or job at a minimum. Complete addresses are even better.

Publications and professional activities are great, but they’re not the focus- Most boards are most concerned about your education and employment history. Going into great detail about all the professional activities you’ve accomplished is not required to get your application accepted. Your time is likely better spent elsewhere.

Starting the licensing process with a complete and updated CV will also make filling out your applications easier, since nearly all states will ask for your full educational and employment history. Just don’t make the mistake of writing “see attached CV” when it comes to history sections of applications. Even if you’re including a CV, leaving sections of the application blank does not make state boards happy.

Are you applying to multiple boards? Does keeping track of all the different requirements feel overwhelming? We’re happy to help! Check out our licensing services, here!