As a political scientist, your CV must encapsulate your analytical prowess and knowledge of political systems to catch the eye of prospective employers or academic institutions.
Crafting the perfect resume can be as complex as the political theories you dissect, but our guide is here to simplify the process for you.
Take inspiration from our Political Scientist CV example to create an application that effectively highlights your expertise and achievements.
This is a good example of a Political Scientist CV which is professionally formatted, and structured in a way that allows recruiters to easily find and understand the candidate’s key selling points.
Take some time to look at this CV and refer to it throughout the writing of your own CV for best results.
Hiring managers and recruiters are frequently overloaded with applications, and if they can’t identify the relevant information in your CV within a few seconds, your application may be overlooked.
To avoid this, it’s essential to format and structure your CV in a manner that makes it simple to pick out the most important information, even if the reader is in a rush.
Quick tip: Creating a professional CV style can be difficult and time-consuming when using Microsoft Word or Google Docs. To create a winning CV quickly, try our quick-and-easy CV Builder and use one of our eye-catching professional CV templates.
Divide your CV into the following major sections when writing it:
Now you understand the basic layout of a CV, here’s what you should include in each section of yours.
Kick-start your CV with your contact details, so recruiters can get in touch easily.
Here’s what you should include:
Quick tip: Avoid listing your date of birth, marital status or other irrelevant details – they’re unnecessary at this stage.
Recruiters and hiring managers are busy, so it’s essential to catch their attention from the get-go.
A strong introductory profile (or personal statement, for junior candidates) at the top of the CV is the first thing they’ll read, so it’s a great chance to make an impression.
It should be a short but punchy summary of your key skills, relevant experience and accomplishments.
Ultimately, it should explain why you’re a great fit for the role you’re applying for and inspire recruiters to read the rest of your CV.
How to write a good CV profile:
Accomplished Political Scientist with a Ph.D. in Political Science from the University of Glasgow and over 7 years of expertise in researching electoral and public policy dynamics. Published academic with demonstrated success in utilising and innovating diverse research methodologies to contribute to evidence-based policy recommendations. Proven track record of securing research grants and delivering impactful projects.
Quick tip: If you are finding it difficult to write an attention-grabbing CV profile, choose from hundreds of pre-written profiles across all industries, and add one to your CV with one click in our quick-and-easy CV Builder. All profiles are written by recruitment experts and easily tailored to suit your unique skillset.
In addition to your CV profile, your core skills section provides an easily digestible snapshot of your skills – perfect for grabbing the attention of busy hiring managers.
As Political Scientist jobs might receive a huge pile of applications, this is a great way to stand out and show off your suitability for the role.
It should be made up of 2-3 columns of bullet points and be made up of skills that are highly relevant to the jobs you are targeting.
Policy Analysis – Evaluating existing policies, assessing their impacts, and recommending improvements to address societal issues.
Quantitative Research Methods – Applying statistical techniques to gather and analyse numerical data for evidence-based policy-making.
Qualitative Research Techniques – Employing interviews, focus groups, and content analysis to explore the social context of political phenomena.
Legislative Process Understanding – Comprehending the procedures and strategies involved in developing and enacting laws within government bodies.
Economic Modelling – Constructing and using models to predict the effects of policy decisions on economic factors such as growth and employment.
Comparative Politics – Examining and contrasting different political systems to understand how they affect policy and governance.
International Relations Theories – Applying theoretical frameworks to analyse political dynamics and power structures on a global scale.
Political Campaign Strategy – Crafting and coordinating efforts to promote political candidates or causes to the electorate.
Geopolitical Analysis – Assessing the influence of geography on political relationships and power distribution across the globe.
Public Policy Drafting – Writing clear and effective policy proposals that can be readily understood and implemented by lawmakers and stakeholders.
Quick tip: Our quick-and-easy CV Builder has thousands of in-demand skills for all industries and professions, that can be added to your CV in seconds – This will save you time and ensure you get noticed by recruiters.
Recruiters will be itching to know more about your relevant experience by now.
Kick-start this section with your most recent (or current) position, and work your way backwards through your history.
You can include voluntary and freelance work, too – as long as you’re honest about the nature of the work.
Recruiters will be keen to gain a better idea of where you’ve worked and how you apply your skill-set in the workplace.
However, if they’re faced with huge, hard-to-read paragraphs, they may just gloss over it and move onto the next application.
To avoid this, use the simple 3-step role structure, as shown below:
Outline
Start with a 1-2 sentence summary of your role as a whole, detailing what the goal of your position was, who you reported to or managed, and the type of organisation you worked for.
Key responsibilities
Next up, you should write a short list of your day-to-day duties within the job.
Recruiters are most interested in your sector-specific skills and knowledge, so highlight these wherever possible.
Key achievements
Round up each role by listing 1-3 key achievements, accomplishments or results.
Wherever possible, quantify them using hard facts and figures, as this really helps to prove your value.
Outline
Work as a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Institute for Political Research, conducting academic research into the intersection of political economy and public policy.
Key Responsibilities
Quick tip: Create impressive job descriptions easily in our quick-and-easy CV Builder by adding pre-written job phrases for every industry and career stage.
After your work experience, your education section should provide a detailed view of your academic background.
Begin with those most relevant to Political Scientist jobs, such as vocational training or degrees.
If you have space, you can also mention your academic qualifications, such as A-Levels and GCSEs.
Focus on the qualifications that are most relevant to the jobs you are applying for.
Although this is an optional section, it can be useful if your hobbies and interests will add further depth to your CV.
Interests which are related to the sector you are applying to, or which show transferable skills like leadership or teamwork, can worth listing.
On the other hand, generic hobbies like “going out with friends” won’t add any value to your application, so are best left off your CV.
A strong, compelling CV is essential to get noticed and land interviews with the best employers.
To ensure your CV stands out from the competition, make sure to tailor it to your target role and pack it with sector-specific skills and results.
Remember to triple-check for spelling and grammar errors before hitting send.
Good luck with the job search!
