Changing Your CV to a Resume

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Changing Your CV to a Resume

• Jenny Furlong
• Career Services
• University of Pennsylvania
• furlongj_at_pobox.upenn.edu

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A Resume is NOT a CV

• A CV is used in academic and research-oriented
  job searches.
• A CV is of flexible length
• A CV is a record of your academic accomplishments
  and credentials.

• A resume is used in business, non-profit,
  government and other types of job searches.
• A resume should be 1 page, 2 pages max.
• A resume is not all-embracing it should be
  targeted to a particular job in a particular
  field.

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Elements of a Resume

• Objective
• A targeted statement that clearly states the type
  of job you are seeking.
• Good objectives are very specific To work with
  the design and development of new computer
  systems with a special interest in microprocessor
  application. Position in public opinion
  polling or consumer product market research using
  skills in survey design and statistical
  analysis.
• Objectives are optional.

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Elements of a Resume (2)

• Summary of Qualifications/Profile
• A summary of relevant skills, knowledge and
  accomplishments.
• Be specific! Tailor this section to the job to
  which youre applying.
• If it is well written, this section can really
  help a potential employer to focus on your
  strengths.
• Think carefully about what you have to offer.

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Elements of a Resume (3)

• Education
• Include degrees, expected date of completion if
  you have not finished, relevant coursework, and
  honors and awards (placed under the appropriate
  degree)
• You might also consider placing your Experience
  section first.

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Elements of a Resume (4)

• Experience
• Think in terms of experience, not employment or
  work history.
• Be sure to include internships and unpaid
  positions if they are relevant.
• Be concise in your descriptions of what you did.
• Do not use Responsibilities included or Duties
  were.
• Translate specialized skills and interests into
  everyday language.

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Elements of a Resume (5)

• Some additional/optional categories
• Professional memberships/Leadership
• Community Activities/Leadership
• (Computer) skills
• Publications/Presentations (much briefer than on
  a CV)
• Additional Information

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Resume Dos

• DO think of your resume as an ad for your
  qualifications, not an autobiography.
• DO begin each bullet point with a verb.
• DO included paid and unpaid experience to
  demonstrate the range of what youve done.
• DO show the reader why youre a good match for a
  particular job.
• DO make several resumes, with each one targeting
  a particular field.
• DO look at other resumes to see how they are
  written.

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Resume Dos (2)

• DO use reverse chronology (the most recent
  position is your first entry) to organize your
  education and experience.
• DO format your resume clearly.
• DO proofread many times.
• DO ask others to look at your resume.
• DO come to Career Services for a critique. (Call
  215 898-7530 to schedule an appointment.)
• DO remember that most employers will only look at
  your resume for 15-30 seconds.

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Resume Donts

• DONT make your reader dig for information.
• DONT tell everything youve ever done.
• DONT use complete sentences
• DONT include personal information, such as age,
  race, marital or health status.
• DONT make your resume too dense, busy or cute.
• DONT use a font smaller than 10 point.
• DONT use fancy fonts that are hard to read.

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Where to Start for Grad Students and Postdocs

• Think of the tangible skills youve gained at
  Penn. For example Have you taught? If so,
  youve gained valuable presentation and
  management skills.
• Though not necessary, it helps to have fields in
  mind. What skills have you acquired at Penn that
  might be of use to you in a given field?
• Carefully consider your extra-curricular
  activities.
• Come to Career Services for help with resume
  writing.

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Find a Resume Format that Works for You

• Sample materials can be found on the Career
  Services website
• The library at Penns Career Services has an
  entire section on resumes
• A wealth of sample resumes can be found on the
  web (for example, at http//content.monster.com/ex
  perts/resume/library/).
• Useful books
• Alternative Careers in Science Leaving the Ivory
  Tower by Cynthia Robbins-Roth
• Guide to Nontraditional Careers in Scienceby
  Karen Young Kreeger
• Jump Start Your Career in Bioscience by Chandra
  Louise
• Put Your Science to Work The Take-Charge Career
  Guide for Scientists by Peter Fiske

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Transform your Academic Career into Credible
Professional Experience

• List your time at Penn in the Experience rather
  than the Education section. Did you teach?
  Put it here. Did you do research? Put it here.
  Did you serve on committees, or in student
  organizations? Put it here? This makes your
  time at Penn look like work experience, rather
  than schooling or training.
• Your education section should be concise.

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Knowledge? Skills? Accomplishments?

• The same task can be described in very different
  ways
• Knowledge Researched and wrote dissertation
  describing the impact of non-governmental
  organizations on the development of democracy in
  Kenya. Developed expertise in Kenyan history and
  political development. Fluent in Kiswahili.
• Skills Researched and wrote dissertation.
  Identified research problem and designed criteria
  to evaluate possible explanations. Developed
  timeline, cultivated contacts in Kenya, and
  conducted necessary research. Wrote dissertation
  while fulfilling teaching duties.

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Knowledge? Skills? Accomplishments? (2)

• Accomplishments Researched and wrote
  dissertation. Secured funding from national
  organization in competition with hundreds of
  other graduate students. Developed timeline for
  research and writing and produced a 250-page
  dissertation one month ahead of schedule.
  Published two articles in respected journals
  based on this research.

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Use Teaching to Your Advantage

• Instead of
• Teaching Assistant, University of Pennsylvania
• Taught Introduction to Biology. Tasks included
  leading discussion, guiding student lab work, and
  evaluating student work. Delivered lecture on
  elementary principles of microbiology.
• Taught Cell Biology and Biochemistry. Tasks
  included preparing teaching materials, leading
  discussion, guiding student lab work, creating
  class web page and evaluating student work.

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Use Teaching to Your Advantage (2)

• Try
• Teaching Assistant, University of Pennsylvania,
  (Fall 2002, Fall 2001)
• Taught biology twice a week to 2 classes of 25
  students each.
• Developed and delivered presentations on a
  variety of topics for audiences ranging from 25
  to 150 people.
• Built website that contained links related to
  course material and student needs (including help
  on how to conduct literature reviews).
• Chaired group discussions that aired ideas and
  reached consensus on introductory biology
  curriculum.
• Supervised 50 students working on lab-based
  research projects.
• Counseled students on their academic progress.