Exploring the Impact and Use of Narrative CVs in Academia

“Narrative CVs are an attempt to be able to surface all of the things which academics do in a structured way.”

We would like to invite all researchers and their supporters, developers and enablers to build their awareness of Narrative CVs (NCV) with this podcast episode. They are increasingly used for funding applications, in recruitment or promotion processes, and as such are also a useful framework for academic career planning.

We are delighted to be joined by narrative CV researchers, Becky Ioppolo and Kate Murray from the University of Cambridge who are doing fascinating research into the use of narrative CVs to uncover more about them and answer the big questions about whether or not they meet their purpose of being more inclusive, how to write a good one and where you can go to find out more.

Resources below mentioned in the episode:

• King’s researchers can access one-to-one specialist careers support and narrative CV resources. If you are based in another institution, check for careers support and training available to you.
• Résumé for Research and Innovation (R4RI): guidance – UKRI
• Video-based resource from the University of Glasgow provides insights as to how other researchers have approached writing an NCV
• The University of Oxford’s resource on writing NCVs.  Search their website for more information on writing team NCVs.
• NCV sharing platform - Join for access to narrative CV examples, set up by the Marie Curie Fellowship Alumni Association and others.
• ARRC Project one-page PDF supporting researchers to write an NCV and signposting to many different sources of help.
• ARRC Project NCV FAQs and do submit any you would like them to answer!
• LSE blog post⁠ - Bordignon et al. summarise the reasons behind the creation of the NCV
• Evaluation from the FNR, Luxembourg national funder, mentioned in connection with the amount of time it takes to write an NCV.
• Alzheimer’s Research UK podcast on implementation and general advice

Jargon:

NCV - narrative CV

R4RI - Resume for Research Innovation (same as a narrative CV)

UKRI - UK Research and Innovation - UK government research funding

ARRC Project - Action Research on Research Culture