CV/Resume & Cover Letter Writing

Brian Rybarczyk, Ph.D.brybar@unc.edu

Director, Academic & Professional Development

The Graduate School

UNC Chapel Hill

Goals

• Learn effective structures of CVs and cover letters

• How to align content of CV and cover letter with job ad

• Tailor your own CV and cover letter

Job Job PositionPosition

CVCover Letter

Other Application MaterialsOther Application MaterialsReferences/lettersReferences/letters

Research/teaching statementResearch/teaching statementWriting samplesWriting samples

How long do prospective employers look at your CV/resume and cover

letter?

A) 30 seconds

B) 2-3 minutes

C) 20 minutes

D) throughout the hiring process

What Are “They” REALLY Looking For?

• Fit – background (research and training discipline area) and qualifications aligned with posted position

• Experience – aligned with posted position• Productivity• Other

– Other qualifications specified in job ad– Pedigree – Educational institutions, advisors,

labs– Time to degree

Academic• Area of

research/scholarship• Productivity: pubs &

presentations• Teaching • Grant writing• Fit with potential

colleagues

Resources

Capabilities

Distinctive Competencies

–Differentiation

AdvantageOr

Cost Advantage

StrategyValue

Creation

Strategy Development Process to Achieve Competitive Advantage

http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/competitive-advantage/

What do you have to offer that they want?

What’s your Differentiation Advantage?

EXPERIENCE

Either you have

it

OR

You can translate the experience you have to

the job you’re

applying to

What if…• I don’t have a lot of publications?

– Explain type of research/project– Describe progress of the project

• I don’t have the right skills to match job?– Think about projects differently– May not be the right job for you

• I have experience in other areas– Highlight transferable skills – Management skills, project development,

teaching, organization

Job Job PositionPosition

CVCover Letter

Other Application MaterialsOther Application MaterialsReferences/lettersReferences/letters

Research/teaching statementResearch/teaching statementWriting samplesWriting samples

Cover Letter AdviceAction

• Address properly• Match materials to

correct position • Address all aspects of

the job description• Stretch your fit for the

position

• Missing/Generic letter

Message

• Know your audience• Detailed and organized

• Can do all that is required

• Non selective, may not be able to fulfill responsibilities

• Not serious about THIS position

EducationPh.D. English & Comparative Literature – UNC Chapel Hill

(December 2011)

B.S. English with a minor in art – Cornell University (May 2006)

EducationPh.D. English & Comparative Literature – A.B.D., expected 2013

Large Research University, City, State

Dissertation title:

Advisor:

B.A. English Literature, minor Art History – Cornell University 2006

Teaching ExperienceTA for English 101 course – Spring 2008

Instructor, ENG322 – Fall 2009Instructor, ENG250 – Spring 2010

Teaching ExperienceLarge Public University, City, State, Graduate Instructor, 2006-

present

ENGL 102 – Grammar and Structure

ENGL 101 – Essentials of Language

Teaching ExperienceInstructor, Large Public University, City, State

Grammar and Structure (undergraduates, Spring 2007)Essentials of Language (undergraduates, Fall 2006)

Teaching Assistant, Small School, City, StateIntroductory Writing (undergraduates, Fall 2005)

PUBLICATIONSYour name, author 2, author 3. Year. Title. Journal, Issue.

GRANTSTitle of grant, funding agency, duration, amount (role: PI)

Exploration of North Carolina’s Water Quality, Environmental Protection Agency, 2010-2013, $10,000 (role: Director, PI: Dr. Smith)

General Guidance

• Know your audience – need to tailor documents for position and place

• Describe experiences to illustrate marketable skills• Highlight results and accomplishments – not just tasks• Quantify and qualify• Break up long sentences• Be consistent – dates, formatting, etc• Absolutely no mistakes allowed – Proofread!• Importance is shown by order (top to bottom, left to right)

reverse chronological order• Use text formatting to make information easy to find

(i.e. bold, underlines, bullets), and headings but do not overdo it

DON’TS

• Forget to seek assistance• Worry about length – no set rules for CVs

– 3-5 for early career, 15-20 for senior scholars

• Include unnecessary information - i.e. interests, hobbies, martial status, age, race, and religious affiliations, astrological sign, kids names, etc.

• Be humorous or cute• Be careful of CV advice from UK websites• Pad

CV Padding

• Presenting a paper multiple times• Lots of “manuscript in preparation” or

“forthcoming”• Too much description of research• Including lots of “invited lectures” which are

really local, dept seminars • Including non-authored publications• Long lists of courses taken• Class presentations

Social Media

• Ensure consistency• Dangers of what is public – think about transition from

grad student/trainee to professional – Blogs, Facebook

• LinkedIn – (more resume like than CV)– Summary important – who, what, why unique

http://www.linkedin.com/in/rachelesterline

show that you’re connected, you know field

ResourcesThe Chronicle’s CV Doctor http://chronicle.com/article/The-CV-Doctor-Is-Back-/49086/

Resources • Versatile PhD – Premium Content – Hiring

Success Stories – samples • University Career Services

– http://careers.unc.edu

• LinkedIn advice http://tarheelsintransit.wordpress.com/2009/04/07/writing-an-effective-linkedin-summary/

• http://www.chrisbrogan.com/write-your-linkedin-profile-for-your-future/

• Faculty and other students/postdocs in your depts

• Resumes– http://careerdevelopment.brown.edu/phd/

resumes_cover_letters