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November 02, 2009
Career Center CV/Resume Workshop
Career Center CV/Resume Workshop
November 2, 2009
Kimberly Paik
216-368-4446
kjp14@case.edu OR kimberly.paik@case.edu
Attendees: Allison, Bailey, Julie B., Colleen, Elizabeth S., Margaret, Virginia, Rachael, and Bethany
Career Center – located in Sears 206, one level down from the Quad entrance
Handouts – slides from the presentation; general template (more available online); tips for networking
What is a Resume/CV?
Summarize work experience and qualifications – first thing seen in an application
Takes time, drafts, many reviews
Marketing tool – sell yourself – look at what skills you want to use to entice prospective employers/schools
Goal => peak their interest to get the interview (not the final say)
First impression of your professional talents
Make sure all grammar and formatting are as perfect as possible
Try to put yourself in the reader’s shoes – make it as easy as possible for them to get key points
If an application asks for x, y, and z skills make sure you emphasize those
Difference between CV and Resume
Length, content and purpose differ
Curriculum Vitae – CV is longer (Resume is 1-2 pages, CV has no limit)
CV is focused for academia – apply for academic/museum position; application for grant; presentation at a conference; annual review for an employer; requirement for membership in many professional societies/organizations
More details go into a CV
- Includes summary of your educational and academic backgrounds as well as teaching a research experience, publications, presentations, honors, affiliations and other details
Resumes apply to specific positions outside of academic setting
Basic content:
Name and page number on each page! (include as a footer, with “Hotujac, 2 of 3”)
DO NOT use Word Template (not scanner friendly and spacing issues)
Handout is a skeleton – gets meatier with more content
Double check spelling and grammar!
Use 8 ½ x 11 paper with ½” – 1” margins
Use boldface to highlight information, but be consistent in use
Leave enough white space for someone to read
Use neutral colored paper – higher quality can make a difference in hard copy
Keep it simple! Avoid speckled paper (makes copies less legible)
Laser printer is better quality than ink jet version (better for them to make copies)
Do not staple
How to Grab Attention
Easy to read and logical
First look may be 20 seconds – make skimmer friendly
List is more friendly than a paragraph
Problem Action Result (PAR) statements
Action verb first!
Pair the action with a goal/result/skill developed → show what you learned
Go beyond action (job description) tells about you and adds value
DOs
Format so it is easy to read/skim
Most important information first
Choose strong headings
Focus on result/skills/accomplishments more than duties
Use consistent tense
Write to an outsider
DON’Ts
Beware ERRORS!!!
Have read by friends, family, Professors, Career Services
Do not include personal information beyond name, address, phone (Hurt to have too much info)
Avoid personal pronouns (me, my, I) – keep in sentence fragments
Avoid abbreviations, slang or jargon
Unless generally known to field or common (GPA)
Don’t be vague or poorly focused
No need to label as “CV” or “Resume” at top
No photo!
Salary information is irrelevant
Don’t include the reason you left your last position (can explain in the interview)
Ideas for Categories of Information:
Very personal – will vary from person to person
Identifying information
Summary/Objective – not necessary in CV
Education
Experience (Can split Research and Teaching Experience)
Most relevant information first
Skills
Activities, Honors, Interests
Service
Publications/Presentations
(These are not the only options, feel free to add a category that will highlight your potential)
CV – home and office info if applicable
Summary/Objective
(More for a Resume than a CV)
Short, but difficult to write – 2-3 lines at beginning
First thing after your name
Clear, concise statement describing your skills/experience and express you goal
Give structure
Show what you have to offer for the position
3 ways to focus
- Knowledge, experience, or skills offered
- Job function (position) desired
- Organization type, industry, or field
Tailored to specific job
Education
University and degrees (with graduation date)
Majors and Minors
Honors (if you have enough, you can separate them)
Describe where you are in program
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH
- M.A. Art History, May 2010
- GPA 3.5 / 4.0
The Ohio State University, Columbus OH
- B.A. Art History, May 2008
- Minor in Music
- Studied abroad for 3 weeks in Italy
- GPA 3.8 / 4.0
Variety of ways to separate schools, depending on where you went
No one set method – need to figure out what works best for your information
Highlight what is most important about your experience
Experience
Company, location
Title, dates
- Action + goal/result
- Action + skill developed
Include job title, name of employer/institution, your responsibilities and accomplishments, dates
If you can quantify information it makes it sound stronger
If you quantify – use the number don’t spell it out (stands out more)
If you have a substantial amount of experience in museum, it is ok to label as “Museum Experience” – this is especially important if you want to go into that field
REVERSE CHRONOLOGICAL ORDER
Good phrasing, Example:
“Responsibilities included preparing class lectures, homework assignment, and exams”
vs
“Delivered 8 class lectures on composite materials and developed 5 supporting problem sets and a midterm examination.” **More effective
“Developed and implemented a scholarship plan…”
Research Experience Example
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 the 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 or special 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 Sam Jones)
- Investigated primary events of bacterial photosythesis
Teaching Experience
Case Western Reserve University, Cleveland OH
Department of Art History, Teaching Assistant, August 2008-present
- Issues in Medieval Art, Fall 2008
- Issues in the Arts of China, Spring 2009
- Sixteenth Century Italian Art, Fall 2009
Activities, Honors, Interest
Professional Associations
Leadership Roles
Clubs
Include only if active member (expect to be asked about connections)
Professional Associations:
College Art Association, 2007-Present
Etc.
You may also choose to list them as “Memberships”
Awards
Scholarships, Fellowships, Teaching and Research Awards
List title and date
Can be grouped with Honors
Service:
Community service if relevant and substantial
Publications and Presentations
(can be together or separate; when you have enough you may choose to list “selected”)
Good to keep a full list somewhere in case you need it
Could group by content – if you publish in multiple fields
Publications in standard bibliographic form
Presentation includes title, conference and date
Tips For Success:
Best CVs are drafted with particular application in mind.
Think about what the organization is likely to value:
- Quality and quantity of research (achievement and potential)
- Previous experience
- Ways you have ‘added value’ to your current job or department and made your presence felt
- Your education
References:
List on separate page from CV
Talk to at least 3 people (can be more) so they can be ready to write
Bring to the interview
Talk with references FIRST
Keep them informed on what’s going on (If they tell you they will call references, if you have an interview that went well you should tell the reference – send updated copy of CV if necessary – they can look at the job description)
List: name, title, company, address, phone number, email
If reference is not clear – indicate your relationship with the person (id: professor that moved from one institution to another)
Thank you note when done
Example:
Dr. Jane Smith
Department of Art History
Case Western Reserve University
206 Sears
Cleveland, OH 44106
216-368-5555
Career Center Services:
Majority of these available to Alumni
Representative at Career Services who specifically with Alumni
(On campus interview only within 1 year of graduation)
Online tools always available
Review CV/Resume
Monday-Thursday 11 am – 2 pm Walk in hours (no appointment necessary, first come first served)
They can assess and make suggestions
Accenture Career Resource Library
Section for graduate students
Academic Job Search Handbooks
Books on searching for an academic jobs
Non-circulating, but open times to use
Case Career Link
When a company contacts Case about job postings they go here
Access from Career Center Website
Can search for jobs by keyword
Alumni Career Network
Alumni that volunteer who can provide career-related information and guidance
Fill out an application to find a contact
More to learn about a specific career – not a way to get a job, more to learn about a job
Location, title and degree are the easiest searches to find someone to meet with
You give them your CV/Resume and they put you in contact with someone
Phone (or in person) interview where you can ask questions
Employer Interaction Opportunities
Connect with employers through our on campus interviewing program, employer sessions, annual career fairs
On Campus Interview
Practice with a Career Center Employee
Call 216-368-4446 to schedule a mock interview
1 hour appointment
20 minute interview
Tape interview and get feedback on your response
Consulting Hours
Come into the office for quick questions
Website
http://careercenter.case.edu
Links on left side of page
Section specifically for applying to grad school
Internship programs
“Credential Files” – Interfolio service
Create an account with minimal fee
Service where references are uploaded and you choose where the letters go to
Good for handling multiple references
They remain confidential (you cannot read the letters)
If the school you apply to uses a similar service, you can call them and see if this is possible
“My Career” – login
Access databases – free for Case students – quick descriptions
Guides for specific cities – US and Abroad
Posted by bsh30 at November 2, 2009 10:30 PM
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