Narrative CV Study Overview

UKRI and other large funders are encouraging a move to narrative-style CVs to:  

• Move away from quantitative measures and lists  

• Emphasise wider contributions and creating room for complexity 

• Reduce discipline and sector barriers an over-reliance on metrics  

This study is testing how the format and content of CVs influences shortlisting decisions for postdoc recruitments (comparing applications including standard academic CVs vs. Narrative CVs). We are hopeful that our study will support our understanding of the effectiveness of Narrative CVs in recruitment, what additional support and adjustment may be needed, and their wider role in shifting research culture.

PIs at Cambridge hiring a postdoc or a teaching associate are invited to participate in this study.  This is an overview of the study process:

• The job advertisement requests applicants to submit both a traditional CV and a Narrative CV.
• Panel members independently rank applicants first based on just one CV per applicant and then rank applicants again based on both CVs.
• Then the recruitment proceeds as normal.
• The ARRC team analyses the changes in rank order and also interviews selected panel members and applicants to learn more about their experience of writing, assessing, and using Narrative CVs.

We have completed a pilot with five recruitments, and we are in the main phase of the study with more than 15 recruitments studied. We are currently enrolling PIs to take part in the main phase. 

Find out what participation entails on the More on participating in the Narrative CV study page.