Preparing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV) and Cover Letter

1. Preparing Your Curriculum Vitae (CV)and Cover Letter Marianne Green Finding Jobs in Academia HETC PROGRAMWinter, 2013

2. Purpose of this workshop: • Provide information on CV (curriculum vitae) preparation and dissemination • Indicate the difference between the use of the term CV in the U.S. and in other countries • Prepare for academic positions at colleges and universities.

3. Your application package for an academic position includes: • Curriculum Vitae (academic resume) • Cover Letter • Letters of Recommendation • Research or Teaching Statement • Additional Materials • Web Portfolio • Chapter from your dissertation, writing sample • Course evaluations

4. What does Curriculum Vitae mean? • CV means “Course of Life”; it is a document used primarily in an academic setting. • The CV may be used for: • Admissions to graduate school • Graduate assistantships or post doctoral fellowships • Scholarships • Grant proposals • Application for faculty or administrative positions • Speaking engagements • Appointment to committees

5. Curriculum Vitae/CV or Vita • Uses of CV (continued) • Leadership in professional or community organizations • Annual review for faculty and professional staff • Tenure review for faculty • Consulting positions • Publishing and editorial review boards

6. Basic rules for CV construction • General advice: • Use techniques to help the reader find relevant information easily- positioning/key words. • Create a professional product that reflects your skills and abilities. • Have your CV reviewed by faculty in your department. • Keep your CV current and ready to share at all times.

7. CV: Style and Form • Style and form of CV • No limit on number of pages • Each page, following the first page, should be numbered (3/4, 4/4). • Put your name on each page. • No job objective is necessary. • May include names, addresses and other identifying information for references at the bottom of CV. • Use reverse chronological order within categories. • Use formatting techniques such as indenting, uppercase, bold and italics consistently.

8. CV: Style and Form cont. • Dates: line up in column down left or right side of page. • Use same font throughout- conservative. • Proofread! • Use high quality, white or off white paper for your “mailable” CV.

9. CV: Style and Form cont. • Educational background should have a prominent place on the CV following contact information. • Include all degree granting institutions in reverse chronological order. Include dissertation, thesis topics and advisors. Entire committee- optional. • Honors and Awards category may follow Education or may follow Research.

10. CV – Categoriesorder in accordance with position you are trying to match • Education; Academic Preparation • Teaching Experience • Research • Research interests • Publications • Skills: Foreign language and Technical Skills • Conference Presentations • Community Service • Campus Leadership • International Experience • Professional Associations (Affiliations; Memberships) • Administrative Experience • Consulting • Professional Development • References

11. Category I: Identifying/contact information • Name • Address (Home, Office or both) • Cell phone number- “professional” message • Professional email address- not UD! • Personal web page (professional) • LinkedIn URL (optional)

12. Education • Categories- order should reflect requirements of position • Academic Preparation/Education/Academic Background is the first category * A post-doc may put his/her current research in a unique category that comes before the Education category. • Explain advanced degrees from non-USA institution in terms of equivalent U.S. degrees • Only degree granting institutions mentioned • If you receive 2 degrees from one school, mention school once Master’s Project or Thesis- title and name of adviser. Dissertation- topic and name of adviser Members of Committee- may be necessary in some fields.

13. Education

14. Category II: Teaching (Research) Experience • University (mention one time only,with titles beneath). Department. Date • Your title (e.g. Lecturer, Lab Instructor, Teaching Assistant, Guest Lecturer, Tutor). • Course title and number. • Description of course: accomplishments, class size, level, your responsibilities and scope. Can include mentoring and advising experience if actual teaching experience is sparse.

15. Teaching Experience

16. Use Action Verbs to describe your teaching activities • Taught; instructed; tutored; mentored; advised; educated; lectured; graded; prepared; assigned; trained; oversaw; coached; reviewed; demonstrated; designed. • Use present tense for current activities and past tense for past activities. Use the first person implied, not third person.

17. Teaching Interests • Mention classes that you would like to teach in the future. • Make this align, if possible, with the requirements of a job posting you are interested in.

18. Research Experience • List chronologically starting with most recent University. Location. Department. Dates.*Post-doctoral research may be located before the Education section in some cases. • Your title (e.g. research assistant) • Special skills sets developed (software, test equipment, etc.) • Results of research • Future research projects

19. Research Experience

20. Research and Work Experience

21. Use action verbs to describe your research activities • Researched; analyzed; presented; designed; investigated; explored; discovered; studied; tested; inquired into; simulated; probed; studied; examined; charted; monitored; measured; tested; experimented with; developed; uncovered; patented.

22. Research Interests • Include some future research plans that can, if possible, gibe with the research agenda of potential employers.

23. Publications • In chronological order within separate headings for: • Refereed Articles • Book Sections/Conference Proceedings • Abstracts • Articles in Progress To shorten the CV, you can choose “Selected Publications,” etc.(When research does not relate to current research)

24. Presentations • Conference Presentations • Posters • Invited Lectures (May also be in the Teaching Section)

25. Other Academic-Related Categories: • University Service , Leadership, Community Service, Memberships in professional societies- with dates. • Professional Development- HETC Program • Skills: Technology and foreign language skills. • Additional Information (unusual hobbies) • References: Name, Title, Institution, Address, Phone, Fax, email. May be annotated for teaching and research purposes.

26. Service, Awards

27. Professional Development, Skills

28. CV-Production and formatting Considerations • Create different versions of your CV so you are prepared for sending it in different forms, as per requests. • Paper • Good quality bond- white or off-white- no linen threads to impede duplication, scanning or faxing. • Use bold print and capitalization; avoid underlining and italics or fancy fonts because they scan poorly. • Use Times New Roman as your font.

29. CV production (continued) • Web CV- (Suggested but not required)Create a “professional” web site and link to your CV and other documentation. (Avoid personal data on your “professional” web site.) • Create a Google profile and LinkedIn Profile to control your web presence. • Electronic Create a plain text version of your CV in case you are asked to email it or paste into text box.

30. Caveats • Caveats for CV preparation and dissemination: • Follow directions! • If you fax or email your CV, follow up with a hard copy of your CV on good paper. This shows an extra measure of interest. • For email: carefully label each attachment • Keep extra copies of your CV with you at all times for networking possibilities.

31. Caveats (continued) • Avoid personal information: date of birth, marital status, health, children, or a photograph. Only information directly related to your eligibility for the position should be included. • Please note that some countries require personal information on an applicant’s CV. • Include a cover letter or electronic “cover note” with your CV. • Be accurate; proof read carefully; have at least two people check over your documents, ie. your advisor; a professor, etc. Don’t rely exclusively on spell check.

32. Suggestions for CV distribution: • Distribution of CV • Accuracy counts! • Use white or off white paper without linen threads or water marks • No staples- use paper clips • Mail flat in a 9x12 envelope • Make sure cover letter mentions all enclosures under the signature • For emailing, make sure cover letter mentions attachments

33. Cover letters for CV • Preparing your cover letter • Try to direct it to a specific individual. • Mention something specific and positive about the institution to which you are applying. • Indicate how your experience/academic background will contribute to the institution as reflected in the job posting. • Use terminology that appears in the ads. • Provide examples*** • Try to communicate something of who you are as a person. • Use the traditional business format: block style, justified margins, shorter paragraphs, etc. (See sample) • Minimize the use of “I” to start first paragraphs. • Accuracy counts.

34. Cover letters for CV (continued) • Send shorter cover letter when asked to email them. • Use the middle paragraphs to show a match between job requirements and your qualifications. • After your signature, list any other documentation enclosed in envelope: abstract, writing sample, proposal, CV, letters of recommendation, etc. For emailed letters, list attachments with name.

35. Cover letters (continued) • Types of cover letters • Letters of Inquiry • Written to organizations when you are asking if a job is available. • Letters of Application • Written in response to a known job vacancy • Electronic cover letters • Be very concise; carefully prepare subject line, stay polite and respectful • Cover letter is not needed when resume is provided in person.

36. Converting CV into Resume • Resume A document that highlights experience and training related to a particular position. Used to locate a position outside academia. Needed for applying for non academic jobs. • Limited to two pages (one page is preferable for new professionals) • Contains primarily relevant information. • Pitched to a particular job