Preparing Your CV

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Preparing Your CV

• Rosanne Ecker, Ph.D. Center for Career
  Services Assistant Director
• Graduate Student Career Services

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What Is A CV?

• CV stands for Curriculum Vitae, sometimes called
  a Vita
• Comprehensive statement of education, teaching
  and research experience
• Used in higher education
• Always for faculty positions
• Sometimes for research and administrative
  positions
• For post docs
• For fellowships
• Not used for positions outside of academia

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Talk to your Department

• CV format differs by discipline
• Seek input from faculty in your department

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Look at Completed CVs

• The Graduate School has over 400 teaching
  portfolios which include CVs from different
  fields
• Ask to see faculty CVs
• Ask to see your colleagues CVs

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What is the purpose of a CV?

• The CV is the first point of contact between you
  and your future colleagues. Its conventional
  purpose its to provide a concise overview of your
  academic background and your accomplishments.
  More to the point, however, the role of the CV is
  to pique the interest of the reader and get him
  or her interested in taking a closer look at you
  and your other application materials and
  eventually invite you in for an interview.
• (example of dense description)

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What is the purpose of a CV?

• To summarize your qualifications
• To get you in the yes pile
• (First quick scan can eliminate many applicants)
• To get the reader interested in looking at your
  other materials
• To get you invited for an interview
• (example of more readable description)

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Should I have only one CV?

• Probably not! A CV can be a targeted document.
• You may want to change the focus from teaching to
  research.
• The CV is an evolving document.
• Consider the reader, the college or university
  and the position.

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When do you use a CV instead of a resume?

• This is determined by your audience
• CVs will be read by academics or researchers.
• Resumes will be read by a general audience of
  employers hiring for a wide variety of positions.

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The CV vs. the Resume

• Goal To present your full academic history
  including teaching research, awards and service
• Length As long as necessary
• Focus To demonstrate your academic achievements
  and scholarly potential
• Essentials Lists of publications, presentations,
  teaching experiences, education, honors and
  grants
• Extraneous Activities unrelated to academic
  pursuits
• References Include on separate page

• Goal To demonstrate that you have skills and
  experience necessary to succeed within the
  position your are seeking
• Length 1-2 pages
• Focus To represent your skills and experiences,
  both job-related and volunteer
• Essentials Skills and experiences you have
  gained related to the job you are seeking
• Extraneous List of publications, presentations
  and classes you have taught
• References Do not include

The Graduate College at the University of
Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
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Selected Elements of a CV

• Contact Information
• Education
• Dissertation
• Awards
• Teaching Experience
• Teaching Interests
• Publications
• Research Interests

• Presentations
• Professional Affiliations
• Professional Training
• Languages
• University Service
• References
• Relevant courses

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Organization applies to content as well as form

• Make it easy for the reader
• Make it visually appealing.
• Organize your information by directing your
  reader to it do not make the reader look for
  information.
• Make strategic choices about what should receive
  the most attention.

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This is not easy to read

• Ph.D. Candidate in Comparative Literature,
  Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.. Specializing
  in 16th and 17th Century Literature of Italy and
  the Netherlands.
• Dissertation title The Migration of Italian
  Genres Northward in the Late Renaissance. Chair
  Melvin Shoenwald

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This is easier for the reader

• Syracuse University, Syracuse, N.Y.
• Ph.D. in Comparative Literature, May 2007
  (expected)
• The Migration of Italian Genres Northward in the
  Late Renaissance
• Melvin Schoenwald (Chair), Mary Smith, Barry Knox

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Be specific

• Use concise language that helps the reader
  understand what you are trying to convey
• Chancellors Fellowship for Research
• One of two awarded from over 300 applications

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Make the format attractive

• Leave enough white space so that your CV is clear
  and inviting
• Be selective in your use of bold, italics and
  bullets
• Be consistent with the purpose of each formatting
  option
• Use spacing to keep like things together and
  separate sections
• Put important things on top and left

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Contact Information

• Your name should stand out, bold or large font
• Put your name at the top or bottom of every page
• Your phone message should be professional
• You should be reachable by phone and e-mail
• List one email address
• Omit personal information age, marital status,
  place of birth, etc.
• You may wish to include your personal website
• Start numbering on page 2

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• Steven Briggs
• 100 Spelling Lane, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210
• [phone] stbriggs_at_syr.edu
• Education
• Ph.D. Higher Education
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York May 2006
• Major Administration and Organization
• Minor Student Affairs Administration
• Dissertation Professional Identity and
  Socio-Economic Background Among First Year
  Faculty Committee Malcolm Jones (Chair), Susan
  Freed, Randy Loft
• Master of Arts, Adult Education May 2002
• Thesis Lifelong Learning
• The City College of New York, N.Y., N.Y.
• Bachelor of Arts, Sociology May 2000
• New York University, N.Y., N.Y.
• (lack of attention to format)

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• Steven Briggs
• stbriggs_at_syr.edu
• 100 Spelling Lane, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 (315)
  333-4939
• EDUCATION
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York May 2006
• Ph.D., Higher Education
• Major Administration and Organization
• Minor Student Affairs Administration
• Dissertation Professional Identity and
  Socio-Economic Background Among First Year
  Faculty
• Committee Malcolm Jones (Chair), Susan Freed,
  Randy Loft
• The City College of New York, N.Y., N.Y.
• Master of Arts, Adult Education May 2002
• Thesis Lifelong Learning
• New York University, N.Y., N.Y.
• Bachelor of Arts, Sociology May 2000

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• Steven Briggs
• stbriggs_at_syr.edu
• 100 Spelling Lane, Syracuse, N.Y. 13210 (315)
  333-4939
• EDUCATION
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York May 2006
• Ph.D., Higher Education
• Major Administration and Organization
• Minor Student Affairs Administration
• Dissertation Professional Identity and
  Socio-Economic Background Among First Year
  Faculty
• Committee Malcolm Jones (Chair), Susan Freed,
  Randy Loft
• The City College of New York, N.Y., N.Y.
• Master of Arts, Adult Education May 2002
• Thesis Lifelong Learning
• New York University, N.Y., N.Y.
• Bachelor of Arts, Sociology May 2000

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Think about the what you want to emphasize

• A CV most often starts with identifying
  information, education and dissertation
• What do you want the reader to see next?
• Your fellowship?
• Your recent publication?
• Your teaching experience?

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Content

• Tailor the content to the college or university
• Put the most important items at the top and left
• Use the job ad as your guide to the interests of
  the department

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Education

• List degrees in reverse chronological order
• Include institution name, location, degree and
  graduation date
• If ABD, put year and expected graduation date
• May 2007 (expected) and be able to support this
• Dissertation title, advisor and committee
• If you dont have a separate honors section, you
  can list an academic honor here

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Dissertation

• The heart of your resume if you are just
  graduating
• Set off title
• List chair (and committee members)
• Include a brief description of your work
• Make it accessible
• Check with your department for proper format

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Where should I put honors, awards, grants, and
fellowships?

• Dont be modest Its OK to brag!
• List award, institution, department, if pertinent
  and year
• Include a context when needed
• University Teaching Fellowship
• Syracuse University 2006-2007
• Awarded to two most outstanding TAs out of 125
  applicants

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Teaching Experience and Interests

• Dont list course numbers
• Add a descriptive line if the title is unclear
• State your level of responsibility
• Be specific use bullets and action verbs
• Add a section about teaching interests if you
  would like to teach other courses
• e.g. Teaching Interests or Prepared to Teach
• Know what the department you are applying to needs

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Teaching Experience

• Teaching Experience
• Teaching assistant, Syracuse University,
  2005-2007
• Intro to Political Science
• Prepared lessons and presented lectures
• Advised students
• Graded papers and tests
• or
• TEACHING EXPERIENCE
• Syracuse University, Syracuse, New York
• Teaching Assistant, Introduction to Political
  Science, 2005-2007
• Facilitated small group discussions and motivated
  students to participate
• Evaluated student progress and consistently
  provided meaningful feedback
• Received outstanding instructor award for two
  consecutive semesters, based on student
  evaluations

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Publications

• List all relevant publications.
• Include publications that demonstrate an
  engagement in the profession, like book reviews.
• List in reverse chronological order with full
  citation.
• Use bibliographic conventions of your field.
• If accepted for publication, list as
  forthcoming.
• If submitted, list as under review.
• Beware of padding with in progress.

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Use the format specific to your discipline to
list publications

• Publications
• Post-colonial Processes and Revitalization
  Movements in Zimbabwe. Cultural Mosaic 23 (1)
  88-125, forthcoming.
• Language and Zimbabwean Identity. Cultural
  Mosaic 22 (1) 11-32
• (Anthropology)

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Another format for publications

• SELECTED PUBLICATIONS
• James Joyce, Joseph Tribby, and Wong Yu.
  Development of Hollow Cylinder Tester in the
  Fundamental Property Test of Pavement Mixture,
  Journal of Association of Asphalt Paving
  Technologists (AAPT), 2007 (submitted).
• (Engineering)

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Research Interests

• Use for communicating areas of future research
• Be prepared to discuss these in an interview
• Be prepared to discuss their relationship
• to your previous work

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Presentations

• List presentations you have given at
  conferences, colloquia and meetings. These serve
  as evidence of your engagement with your field.
• List presentations given at the national,
  regional or local level
• List title of presentation, name, date and
  location of conference
• Use documentation style accepted by your
  discipline

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Professional Affiliations

• List scholarly associations you belong to
• Include leadership roles here
• You can title section Professional Affiliations
  or Professional Memberships or Professional
  Affiliations and Service

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Professional Training

• List training outside of the academy
• List specialized training outside of your
  department at the University
• Quantitative Methodology Summer Workshop
  Statistics and Formal Modeling
• University of California at San Diego, 2002

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University/Professional Service

• Include
• Service on advisory or search committees
• Appointed or elected positions
• Leadership experiences as panelist or moderator

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Language Proficiency

• Languages
• Swedish, French and some German
• or
• LANGUAGE SKILLS
• Fluent in Swedish and French
• Intermediate reading knowledge of German
• Indicate level of proficiency
• Rudimentary
• Conversational
• Advanced
• Fluent
• Reading knowledge

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Teaching Competencies

• Use if you are qualified to teach courses in
  areas not described elsewhere in your CV

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References

• Names, titles, academic affiliation, phone and
• e-mail
• Complete mailing address not necessary
• Include at least three
• Can use Credentials Services
• Pam Latham, Center for Career Services
• Phone [phone]
• Location 235 Schine Student Center

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Check your CV

• Make sure it is clear and readable
• Spell check
• Have you described your most relevant experience
  for the college/university that you are applying
  to?
• Is the format attractive?
• Have you had faculty and colleagues review it?
• Bring it to the Center for Career Services?
• CV sign-ups start Oct. 3, 1130 a.m. -1 p.m.
• Appointments will be with Rosanne Ecker and Chuck
  Reutlinger

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E-Mailing Your CV

• If you use e-mail submission, send CV as an
  attachment
• Send a cover letter as well
• PDF Version is a good choice

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Need Assistance?

• Go to your faculty
• Come to Career Services
• To make an appointment, call 443-3616
• A staff member will review your CV with you for
  an hour or more, as needed
• Come to CV Sign-ups for a brief consultation on
  Wednesdays between 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.

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You can have an attractive, well organized CV

• It is more anxiety provoking than difficult
• You can do it!
• It is worth the time you put into it!
• You dont have to do it alone!

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Thank you

• Thanks to
• Dana Landis, Ph.D., UCLA Career Center
• University of California, Berkeley, Career Center
• Matt Helm, Ph.D., Michigan State University
• Rebecca Bryant, Ph.D., and Amber Marks, MSW,
  University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign