Can you list acknowledgements in your CV?

From reader Ivan comes this question: “I would like to hear your comments about the practice of mentioning people in the Acknowledgement section of the reviewed papers. E.g. Can acknowledged person add this information in its CV? My impression is that this would motivate people to assist their peers more often and relax some of the co-authorship problems.”

Thanks for your question, Ivan. I am unaware of anyone who cites personal acknowledgements on their CV. I can understand how difficult it is for people who have short CVs without a lot of publications and are starting out to get credit for their contributions and distinguish themselves from others. But, I think it is probably best to say in your cover letter (if you are applying for jobs) that you’ve helped out quite a few colleagues with their own papers, and these efforts have occasionally ended up in the acknowledgements sections. This kind of team-player attitude is something that most employers are looking for, and it would avoid padding your CV with stuff that most people would dismiss.

Readers, your thoughts?

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