Academic applications and interviews

Introduced by funding bodies relatively recently, the Narrative CV is intended to disrupt the traditionally narrow assessment of outputs in an academic CV. It’s purpose is to broaden the range of research contributions and impacts which are assessed.  

Typically, there are four ‘modules’ to a narrative CV:  

1. Contribution to the generation of new ideas 
2. Contribution to research teams and the development of others 
3. Contributions to the wider research and innovation community 
4. Contributions to broader audiences and towards societal benefit 

Note each funder’s format differs slightly so be sure to check the guidelines carefully. The final document you prepare will look more like a personal statement than a CV. To learn more: 

Read our Narrative CV Guide (5-10 minutes) 

Review this Guidance from the Action Research on Research Culture project (3 minutes). 

Watch this video on Narrative CVs (15 minutes) 

What’s the difference? A Research statement is your overall research profile and trajectory including past and future plans (e.g. for job applications).  A Research proposal is the specific detail of a research project including e.g. detailed methodology, timelines and budget (e.g. for fellowship applications). These are the documents in an application package where you really get to evidence your research achievements, innovations, context, trajectory and future plans. 

Get support and feedback:  

• Get feedback from our researcher careers consultants on your draft research statement or proposal. (for fellowship applications, we can read your research summary, lay summary, career plans and the justification of the host institution.  We don’t advise on methodology or experimental plans (your academic colleagues and mentors can advise you on this) other than on working with you on how this is communicated )  
• Get feedback from people inside and outside your field. We don’t keep any past applications to share due to GDPR but do recommend that you ask others in your department  if they would be willing to share. You can also reach out to previous fellowship holders from the same scheme, where this information is published online.  
• Use the resources below to get you started: 

Research statements lay out your research vision, context (or bigger picture) to your research, fit and track record. Give yourself the best chance by drafting yours before you start to apply for faculty jobs:  

• Watch our bite size intro videos on when you need a research statement and how to write one. Here you’ll see examples from research statements. 
• Get inspired with examples from successful research statements. 
• Read the dedicated section on research CV book for PhDs and Postdocs.  
• Take a look at our resource on Lay Summaries. 

A research proposal, as its title infers, is about something you would like to do; your next step in terms of your research and your research vision. It’s a good idea to start considering ideas for research proposals sooner rather than later.   

• Answer these Future Work questions (10-30 minutes) 
• Use the Postdoc Academy's Research Canvas tool to support you in making a compelling case for funding, also known as a research value proposition. It invites you to focus not just on the quality of your research but also why the research is needed and how it can achieve its intended impact (30 + minutes)
• Learn how others approached their research proposals in our Fellowships Sessions podcasts (15-30 minutes) 
• Listen to our Fellowships Sessions podcasts where early career and career development fellowship holders share how they approached it.  
• Gain peer feedback on the presentation of your research ideas and experience evaluating others' proposals at a workshop.  

Universities are increasingly and importantly considering their approach to creating an equal, diverse and inclusive environment for both staff and students. In the UK, institutions are competing globally for students and staff and some are opening campuses in other countries which in turn means an increasingly diverse demographic in terms of nationality, race, religious and cultural backgrounds of its staff and student body. At the same time, UK universities acknowledge that there are underrepresented groups facing barriers to accessing study, research and work within the university sector and actively work towards reducing those barriers. 

So, when these universities come to recruit new faculty members, it isn’t surprising then that they want to understand how you would contribute to ensuring an equitable, diverse and inclusive environment – in your teaching, mentoring and potentially research efforts. 

A diversity statement is the typical way to assess a candidate’s approach to this topic, but how do you get started with this document? 

Remember that this isn’t necessarily about your own diversity. The goal of a diversity statement is to show how you have considered issues around EDI in your work to date; you could describe it as a journey or use it to reflect on your connection to these topics.  

Get started with a Diversity Statement by answering these questions (15 minutes): 

• Are there any common EDI issues in your discipline? Are there barriers which prevent people from joining this environment or being promoted within it? What are these? Whom do they affect? And how? Is there any data to support this? 
• Within teaching, is there anything specific you have done to address these issues? When have you stopped and thought about how your teaching will ‘land’ with different groups? 
• Have you participated in outreach or public engagement work to address these issues? 
• Have you organised, planned or communicated your research in an effort to address these issues? 
• How might this experience fit with the institution you are applying to? Do remember to review the department/faculty’s website and look for information on topics such as Widening Participation, Access, Equality Diversity and Inclusion (EDI), Diversity Initiatives, Decolonising Curriculum, Outreach, International activities, Athena Swan. Some departments may have their own policies on EDI. 

Review the University of Vanderbilt’s excellent Developing and Writing a Diversity Statement (10 minutes)