Give me guidance

I feel Susan Bassnett perhaps overstated her point when she said "there is so much guidance around (for academics) about how to write (CVs)" (Professional, June 25). There is much advice for non-academics on how to write two-page summaries, but whoever heard of an academic writing anything under six pages?

What advice there is on writing academic CVs is hazy and leaves many questions unanswered. For example, should I include a short abstract of my doctoral thesis? Should I provide descriptions of the courses I've taught? Do I need to say I attend staff and examiners' meetings so my potential employer doesn't think I'm too far removed from departmental administration?

Dennis Low
Hull University