Upcoming Events
• Thursday, Sept 4, 5:15-6:15 pm
• B25 Warren Hall
Interviewing Skills for International Students and Postdocs
• Friday, Sept 12, 5-7 pm
• Clark Atrium, Phys. Sci. Bldg. Mingling and Working the Room
• Tuesday, Sept 9, noon-1 pm
• 700 Clark Hall
Preparing for the Career Fair: Approaches for Grad Students &
Postdocs
• Sept 16 and 17, 10 am-3 pm
• Barton Hall University-Wide Career Fair Days
• Wednesday, Oct 1, noon-1 pm
• 102 Mann
Envisioning Yourself Outside of Academia: First Steps for Grad
Students & Postdocs
• Wednesday, Oct 8, noon-1 pm
• 102 Mann
Cornell’s Non-Academic Career Resources
CV to Resume
Christine Holmes
Director of Post-Doctoral Studies, Caldwell Hall
Anne Poduska, PhD
Graduate & International Student Career Advisor
Cornell Career Services (Barnes Hall)
Where Can You Go For Help With Your Career?
• Workshops and Events
Graduate School Program Chart
CCS Event Calendar
CCNet
• Websites
Cornell Career Services
College career office
• Career Offices
Career Services:
Research Master’s and PhD students
• Agriculture and Life Sciences: 140 Roberts
• Engineering: 201 Carpenter
• Hotel: 180 Statler
• ILR: 201 Ives
• University-wide: 103 Barnes
Professional master’s students: Contact your program’s office
Career Services:
Postdocs
Graduate Students Interested in a Postdoc
Christine Holmes
Director of Post-Doctoral Studies
Caldwell Hall
PhD Comic, Piled Higher and Deeper by Jorge Cham, phdcomics.com
• Describe previous experiences
• Used by employers to decide whether to interview you
• Used during interviews to formulate questions
Purpose of CV and Resume
CV
History, education,
accomplishments
Resume
Skills and abilities
CV
History, education,
accomplishments
Resume
Skills and abilities
Academia:
Job title (Professor)
Subjects (American
history)
Outside of Academia
What you’ve done and
could do
(transferable skills)
Redefining Yourself
Not all jobs outside of academia
require a resume.
Some require a CV.
Caveat
CV Resume
Where Academia
Employers outside of
the US
US employment: private
sector, government, and
non profit
Exceptions US federal Government
(PhD. Level)
International
Organization in US
Development
consulting firms
Think Tank
Content Full list of qualifications Summary of Qualifications
Length As long as you need 1-2 pages
Style Not important Very important
• Check with the employer
• Confirm with others in the field
• Create a CV that details your skills; include a fu ll or partial
publication list
If a US employer asks for a CV…
CV to Resume: Conceptual Shift
My degree and
publications are the main
reasons why I’ll get a job
The skills I acquired while I
got my graduate degree will
help me get a job
My activities that are
unrelated to teaching,
research, and publishing
are unimportant
Outside activities are
valuable because they
demonstrate skills and
interests
There’s one way to view
myself—as a PhD in X
field—and my CV
represents that one view.
There are many ways to
view myself and my
abilities, depending on the
type of job I’d like.
1. Resumes have d ifferent structure than CVs
2. There’s d ifferent ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when you
make your resume
5. You’ll need d ifferent resumes for d ifferent jobs.
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
1. Resumes have different structure than CVs
2. There’s d ifferent ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when you
make your resume
5. You’ll need d ifferent resumes for d ifferent jobs
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
Curriculum Vitae
Resume
Content
Education Research/Teaching Interests Thesis/Dissertation Grants and Other Awards Research Experience Teaching Experience Practical Experience Employment Consulting Internships Publications Conference Presentations Languages Computer/Technical Skills References Not typically tailored by position
Education Summary/Objective Statement (?) Select Grants and Awards Experience Select Publications Select Presentations Languages Computer/Technical Skills Very tailored by position
• Do you need it?
• First (and easiest) place to ad just for job ad
Seeking a responsible position in an industry lab doing
research.
Plant Scientist with 5 years of experience managing multiple
projects in the following areas:
– Automation and high throughput plant handling systems
– Supervision of lab personnel
– Management of lab budget
Summary/Objective Statement
1. Resumes have d ifferent structure than CVs
2. There’s different ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when you
make your resume
5. You’ll need d ifferent resumes for d ifferent jobs.
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
• Chronological
• Functional
• Combination
How Is a Resume Structured?
Format:
• Most widely used style
• Information presented in reverse chronological order
Uses:
• Highlights progressive work experience
• Best for those who have significant experience in the field
where they are seeking a job
Problems:
• Less effective if changing careers or have little work
experience
• Older but relevant experience may be overlooked
Resume Type: Chronological
• See page 55 of Career Guide
Resume Type: Chronological
Format:
• Experiences are grouped by skills (e.g. leadership
skills, communication skills)
• The titles and dates of the experiences are listed at the
top or bottom of the resume
Uses:
• Good for those changing careers or who have little
work experience or gaps in employment
Problems:
• It can be confusing because the relationship between
a skill and an experience can be lost
Resume Type: Functional
• See page 47 of Career Guide
Resume Type: Functional
Format:
• Experiences are given in reverse chronology but are
arranged by type of experience (e.g. communication
experience, leadership experience)
Uses:
• Accentuates your skills
• Draws d irect parallels with skills in job ads
• Helpful if you are applying for a wide range of jobs
Problems:
• Can be d ifficult to fit one experience into just one
category
Resume Type: Combination
• See page 48 of Career Guide
Resume Type: Combination
1. Resumes have d ifferent structure than CV
2. There’s d ifferent ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when you
make your resume
5. You’ll need d ifferent resumes for d ifferent jobs.
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
I reviewed 15 PhD applications, wrote a one-paragraph summary
analysis of each applicant, and identified my top 7 choices. I gave a
15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty members) on
why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen. When 25
prospective students visited campus, I talked to them about Cornell’s
academic and social life and answered their questions.
Developing Bullet Points from your CV
Service and Volunteer Activities
PhD Admissions Committee Member 2008
I reviewed 15 PhD applications, wrote a one-paragraph summary
analysis of each applicant, and identified my top 7 choices. I gave a
15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty members) on
why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen. When 25
prospective students visited campus, I talked to them about Cornell’s
academic and social life and answered their questions.
Developing Bullet Points from your CV
Service and Volunteer Activities
PhD Admissions Committee Member 2008
• Reviewed 15 PhD applications
• Wrote a one-paragraph summary analysis of each applicant
• Identified my top 7 choices
• Gave a 15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty
members) on why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen.
• Talked to 25 prospective students about Cornell’s academic and
social life and answered their questions.
Developing Bullet Points from your CV
• Reviewed 15 PhD applications
• Wrote a one-paragraph summary analysis of each applicant
• Identified my top 7 choices
• Gave a 15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty
members) on why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen.
• Talked to 25 prospective students about Cornell’s academic and
social life and answered their questions.
Developing Bullet Points from your CV
How do you decide which bullet
points to include or expand upon?
1. Resumes have d ifferent structure than CV
2. There’s d ifferent ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when
you make your resume
5. You’ll need d ifferent resumes for d ifferent jobs.
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
Employers typically desire the following core competencies*:
• Content knowledge
• Professionalism and work ethic
• Oral and written communication
• Teamwork (including leadership) and collaboration
• Critical thinking and problem solving
• Ethics and social responsibility
*Casner-Lotto, J., & Barrington, L. (2006). Are they really ready to work? Employers’ Perspectives on the Basic Knowledge and
Applied Skills of New Entrants to the 21stCentury U.S. Workforce.
Retrieved from the Partnership for 21st Century Skills website:
http:/ / www.p21.org/ storage/ documents/ FINAL_REPORT_PDF09-29-06.pdf
What Skills Do Employers Want?
• Reviewed 15 PhD applications
• Wrote a one-paragraph summary analysis of each applicant
• Identified my top 7 choices
• Gave a 15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty
members) on why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen.
• Talked to 25 prospective students about Cornell’s academic and
social life and answered their questions.
Developing Targeted Bullet Points:
Critical Thinking Skills
Developing Targeted Bullet Points:
Critical Thinking Skills
• Analyzed 15 PhD student application essays and
academic records according to admissions criteria and
identified top 7 applicants
• Reviewed 15 PhD applications
• Identified my top 7 choices
• Reviewed 15 PhD applications
• Wrote a one-paragraph summary analysis of each applicant
• Identified my top 7 choices
• Gave a 15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty
members) on why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen.
• Talked to 25 prospective students about Cornell’s academic and
social life and answered their questions.
Developing Targeted Bullet Points:
Oral Communication Skills
• Gave a 15-minute presentation to the committee (5 faculty
members) on why the 7 should be selected—and all were chosen.
Developing Targeted Bullet Points:
Oral Communication Skills
• Persuaded five-member faculty committee in 15-
minute oral presentation to accept 7 applicants
CV to Resume
Service and Volunteer Activities
PhD Admissions Committee Member 2008
PhD Admissions Committee Member 2008
Comparative Literature Dept., Cornell University, Ithaca, NY
• Analyzed 15 PhD student application essays and academic
records according to admissions criteria and identified top
7 applicants
• Persuaded five-member faculty committee in 15-minute
oral presentation to accept 7 applicants
Resources for Identifying Skills
• O*Net
• Google LinkedIn profiles
1. Resumes have d ifferent structure than CV
2. There’s d ifferent ways you can represent yourself on a
resume
3. You need to break down your CV’s job titles and
accomplishments into action verbs
4. You have to understand what an employer wants when you
make your resume
5. You’ll need different resumes for different jobs.
Consequences of This Conceptual Shift
• VersatilePhD
• Optimal Resume
• Chronicle of Higher Education: CV Doctor
Resume Examples
• Opinions vary; everyone who looks at your resume is
looking for something specific
• There is no “right way” – just guidelines
• Have multiple people read it
• Put most important information on the first page
• List responsibilities most important to least
• Use clear, easy-to-understand language
• Past tense vs. present tense
• Use at least 11 point font size
Final Resume Tips
What Are Your Quest ions?
