What Goes in a Resume or CV Case Western Reserve University Career Center Kimberly Paik September 25

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What Goes in a Resume or CV? Case Western
Reserve UniversityCareer Center / Kimberly
PaikSeptember 25, 2008
http//studentaffairs.case.edu/careers/
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Agenda

• What is a resume?
• What is a CV?
• Uses / purposes
• Basic principles
• Sections / content areas
• Tips on preparing an effective document

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What is a resume/CV?

• A key part of your job search
• A summary of work experiences and qualifications
• A genuine writing project
• A marketing tool what can you sell the
  employer/institution?

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A resume/CV should

• Get you more, high quality interviews
• Give employers their first impression of your
  professional talents
• Market your skills and abilities
• Catch an employers attention
• Answer key questions

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What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

• Primary differences are the length, the content
  and the purpose.
• A resume is a one or two page summary of your
  skills, experience and education. A goal of
  resume writing is to be brief and concise since,
  at best, the resume reader will spend a minute or
  so reviewing your qualifications.
• A CV is a longer (two or more pages), more
  detailed synopsis. It includes a summary of your
  educational and academic backgrounds as well as
  teaching and research experience, publications,
  presentations, awards, honors, affiliations and
  other details.

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What is the difference between a resume and a CV?

• The curriculum vitae (also referred to as the
  vita or CV) is a summary of an individuals
  educational background and experience as related
  to the interests of academia.
• CV displays your academic credentials and
  accomplishments in great detail.
• The CV is used when applying for teaching and
  administrative positions in academia or for a
  fellowship or grant.
• A resume is used to summarize an individuals
  education and experiences related to a specific
  career objective in the public or private sector.

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Uses and Purposes

• Job Search Tool The purpose of a Resume / CV is
  to land an interview
• A CV can also be used for these purposes
• supporting document with a grant or contract
  funding proposal
• requirement for an annual review by your employer
• requirement with an application for membership in
  a professional society / organization
• background statement for an introduction at an
  important convention presentation.

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Basic Principles Layout

• Pages name and page number on each page except
  the first
• Do NOT use a template
• Double-check for spelling and grammatical errors
• Paper Size 8 ½ x 11 / Margins .5 - 1
• Font Size 10-12 (11 is often ideal) Ink black
• Format use boldface to highlight information,
  but be consistent in your use
• Design leave enough white space so it is easy to
  read
• Use a laser printer, avoid colored inks
• Do not staple
• Use bond, neutral colored paper
• Keep format simple

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Resume / CV Know-How

• How do I grab the employers attention?
• Easy to read
• Logical flow
• Focused on accomplishments
• PAR statements
• Targeted to reader

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Key Points The Dos

• Clean format that is easy to read/easy to scan
• Most important information first
• Choose strong headings
• Stress results, skills, and accomplishments
  rather than duties
• Write to an outsider
• Use consistent tense
• Begin sentences with action verbs
• Laser print on quality paper

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Key Points The Donts

• 1 mistake???? ERRORS!!!
• Do not include personal information
• Avoid personal pronouns
• Vague, poorly focused
• Dont include the word resume or CV at top
• Photo
• Salary history
• Reason you left your previous position

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Possible Categories of a Resume / CV

• Identifying Information
• Summary
• Education
• Research Experience
• Teaching Experience
• Work Experience
• Skills
• Activities, Honors, Awards
• Service
• Publications / Presentations
• What categories suit you?

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Identifying Information

• Name
• Permanent address
• Temporary address (if applicable)
• Phone number
• E-mail address

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Summary

• A clear, concise statement describing your
  skills/experience and expressing your goal
• Gives structure
• Be specific
• 3 ways to focus
• Knowledge, experience or skills offered
• Job function (position) desired
• Organization type, industry, or field desired

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Sample Summaries

• PhD candidate in Environmental Science with 9
  years of work experience in forest and prairie
  ecology seeking faculty position.
• Doctoral candidate in Biochemistry with 10 years
  of experience in the healthcare industry.
  Skilled in project management, research, and
  facilitating presentations. Seeking consulting
  opportunity.
• PhD candidate in Operations Research with
  research experience in Scheduling, Linear/Integer
  programming, Statistics, Logistics and
  Combinatorial Optimization. Research interests
  include Forecasting, Revenue Management,
  Inventory Management and Simulation.

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Education

• University and degree(s)
• Graduation Date
• Majors Minors
• Relevant Coursework
• Can include honors or separate section
• Date of completion

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Dissertation / Thesis

• Date dissertation will be finished.
• Dates describing your current status (Completed
  coursework, June 20xx, Passed qualifying exam,
  March, 20xx).
• Provide the title and a brief description of your
  work, its framework, your conclusions, your
  advisor.

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Sample Education

• Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
• Ph.D., Mechanical Engineering, May 2012
• Dissertation title
• Advisor
• Master of Science, Electrical Engineering, May
  2008
• Thesis title
• Advisor
• Bachelor of Science in Electrical Engineering,
  May 2006
• Multiple Scholarship Recipient, Deans List

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Sample Education

• Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland, OH
• Ph.D., Chemistry, May 2012
• Dissertation XXX
• Advisor Persons name
• GPA 3.6 / 4.0
• Iowa State University, Des Moines, IA
• M.S. in Chemistry, May 2008
• GPA 3.5 / 4.0
• The Ohio State University, Columbus, OH
• B.S. in Chemical Engineering, May 2006
• Minor in Biology
• Studied abroad for 3 weeks in South Africa
• GPA 3.5 / 4.0

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Experience

• Company Location
• Title Dates
• Action goal / result
• Action skill developed
• Include job title, the name of the
  employer/institution, your responsibilities and
  accomplishments, dates.
• You may want to divide the experience into
  Teaching and Research
• Stress what you contributed and accomplished
  using verb/active skills
• Delivered 8 class lectures on composite
  materials and developed 5 supporting problem sets
  and a midterm examination versus
• Responsibilities included preparing class
  lectures, homework assignment, and exams.
• Developed and implemented a scholarship plan
  which increased membership grade point average
  through use of study groups.

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Experience

• Research Experience
• Postdoctoral Research Environmental Science
  Division, Oak Ridge National Laboratory,
  2007-present
• (research advisor Dr. Stephen H. Smith)
• Developed a quantitative theory of hierarchical
  structure in ecological systems.
• Analyzed how ecological communities reflect
  environmental heterogeneity at different scales.
• Completed a numerical study of foraging behavior
  with short and long range movement in
  heterogeneous environments.
• Doctoral Research Department of Biological
  Sciences, Stanford University, 1999-2004
• (research advisor Dr. Jane Advisorname)
• Studied the impact of avian predation on lizards
  in the eastern Caribbean. Documented the
  importance of differences in spatial scale
  between prey and predators.
• Completed analysis that demonstrates how species
  interaction can sharpen underlying environmental
  patterns and how heterogeneous environments can
  stabilize predator and prey populations.
• Undergraduate Honors Research Department of
  Biochemistry, Northwestern University, 1995-1999
• (research advisor Dr. Advisor Name)
• Investigated primary events of bacterial
  photosynthesis

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Experience

• Teaching Experience
• University of Kansas, Lawrence, KansasDepartment
  of Cell BiologyAssistant Professor (tenure
  track), Summer 2005 to present Assistant
  Professor, acting (tenure track), 2004-2005
• University of Illinois, Chicago,
  IllinoisDepartment of Biology Adjunct
  Instructor, Spring 2004
• DePaul University, Chicago, IllinoisDepartment
  of NeuroscienceVisiting Instructor, Fall 2003
  to Spring 2004Adjunct Instructor, Fall 2002 to
  Spring 2003
• University of IowaDepartment of Biochemistry
  Graduate Student Teaching Assistant, Fall 1997 to
  Fall 2000 Summer 2001

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Skills

• Computer
• Technical
• Laboratory
• Communication
• Leadership
• Language

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Sample Skills

• Protein and biochemical cell fractionation,
  enzyme assays, protein phosphorylation assays,
  atomic absorption spectroscopy
• Proficient with SolidWorks (CAD software), C,
  MatLab, MetaFluor, PageMaker
• Advanced experience with SPSS and Microsoft Excel
• Fluent in French and Arabic
• What is relevant?

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Activities, Honors

• Professional Associations
• Leadership Roles
• Clubs
• Include only if active member

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Professional Associations

• PROFESSIONAL ASSOCIATIONS
• College Art Association, 2000-Present
• Modern Language Association, 2004-2006
• MEMBERSHIPS
• College Art Association Historians of
  Netherlandish Art Association of Art Historians
  ICOM (International Council of Museums) ICFA
  (Fine Arts Committee) Sixteenth Century Studies
  Society Renaissance Society of America

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Awards

• Receipt of competitive assistantships,
  scholarships, fellowships, teaching or research
  awards
• Award, Date

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University Service

• UNIVERSITY SERVICE
• Curriculum Committee, Visual Culture Studies
  Research Cluster, 2002-present.
• Humanities Center, Advisory Committee, invited
  for 2006-2007.
• Department Representative to University Senate,
  2003-2004.
• Faculty Mentor for First-Year Undergraduate
  Research Scholars Program, 2005.
• Faculty mentor for Undergraduates creating the
  first independent major in XXX.

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Publications

• Publications listed in standard biographic form,
  classified by type (journal and conference).
• See examples.

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Presentations

• INVITED PRESENTATIONS
• Title of Presentation, Genetics Conference,
  Northwestern University, October 2006.
• Be consistent!!

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Tips for Success

• The very best CVs are drafted with particular
  applications in mind, and clearly targeted
• As you prepare your CV, think about what the
  organization is likely to value
• the quality and quantity of your research
  (achievement and potential)
• your previous experience
• the ways you have added value to your current
  job or department and made your presence felt
• your education

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References

• On separate page from resume
• At least 3 to support your candidacy
• Talk with your references FIRST
• Bring to interview
• Include all particulars (name, title, company,
  address, phone, email)

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References

• Dr. Jane Smith, Professor
• Department of Electrical Engineering
• Case Western Reserve University
• 206 Sears
• Cleveland, Ohio 44106
• 216-368-5555
• email_at_case.edu
• Dr. Somebody Jones, Assistant Professor
• Department of Biology
• Ohio State University
• XXX Building
• Columbus, Ohio 43214
• 614-555-5555
• email_at_osu.edu

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Resources / Websites

• http//chronicle.com/jobs/tools/cvdoctor/2007/01.h
  tm
• http//www.training.nih.gov/careers/careercenter/c
  v.html
• http//www.vpul.upenn.edu/careerservices/gradstud/
  samples.html
• http//www.quintcareers.com/curriculum_vitae.html
• http//www.quintcareers.com/vita_samples.html

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Resume/CV Advice

• Visit the Career Center for a resume/CV critique
• Monday Thursday
• 1100am-200pm
• Walk in hours
• Career Center, Room 206 Sears
• No appointment needed
• Or call 368-4446 to schedule an appointment