When the Academic CV Template seems to misbehave, the cause is usually one of two things: something stopped the tool from running, or it ran but the result is not usable. This guide starts with the fastest checks, then walks through the common problems and exact fixes.
Quick Checks First
- Refresh the page - a stalled session is the most common cause of nothing happening.
- Confirm the input is not empty and actually contains what you meant to submit.
- Try the smallest possible input; if that works, the issue is size, not the tool.
- Turn off browser extensions that block scripts, then reload and test again.
- Update or switch browsers if the problem repeats across sessions.
Common Problems and How to Fix Them
My CV runs to eight pages.
Length is expected in academia - keep every section and make it scannable with clear headings instead of cutting content.
Publications are hard to find.
Give them their own section near the top and order them by year so a committee can check your record quickly.
A postdoc advert asks for a short CV.
Follow the advert - keep the research core for that application and move the rest to an appendix.
My teaching experience looks thin.
List modules, supervision and tutoring separately - small duties add up when a department reads them as a whole.
I am unsure about references.
Write references available on request at the end unless the call for applications names specific referees.
The formatting breaks as I add entries.
Use consistent hanging indents and one citation style throughout so new entries stay aligned.
When It Works but the Output Is Poor
If the tool runs fine but the result misses, the problem is almost always the brief, not the software:
- Hiding publications in a buried paragraph
- Applying a one-page limit a CV does not have
- Mixing publications, talks and reviews together
- Skipping the teaching record for teaching roles
How to Stop It Happening Next Time
- Keep a saved prompt template for every task you repeat.
- Change one setting per generation so causes stay obvious.
- Run a two-minute sanity test with known input after any update.
- Note every failure and its fix; a short troubleshooting log pays for itself.
Still Stuck?
Reproduce the problem with the smallest possible input and note the exact steps that triggered it. A one-line description of what you did, what you expected and what happened is enough to get a precise answer from support or a colleague.
Frequently Asked Questions
Is an academic CV longer than a resume?
Yes - it has no fixed page limit, while a resume is a one or two page summary for the private sector.
Where do publications go?
In their own section after the research profile, ordered by year or grouped by type such as journal articles and chapters.
Do academic CVs need to pass an ATS?
Some university portals use them, so keep standard headings, real text and no columns that a parser might scramble.
How far back should the history go?
Include the full relevant record - committees expect the complete timeline rather than the last ten years.
Related Guides
- How to Use Academic CV Template
- What Is an Academic CV Template and How Does It Work?
- Academic CV Template Examples: Real Scenarios and Results
- Academic CV Template for Students, Graduates and Professionals
- Best Academic CV Template Alternatives Worth Trying
- Academic CV Template Tips and Best Practices
- Is Academic CV Template Safe? Free vs Paid
- More CV templates and guides