From CV to Resume
Is your resume really just a CV crammed into a page or two? CVs and resumes are two very different things. A CV is just that---a curriculum vitae. It provides a very comprehensive listing of your entire career. A resume, however, is significantly shorter. It highlights the elements of your career which are relevant to a particular position. By its very nature, a resume should be and must be tailored for a specific job. Tailoring a resume to a hundred and plus jobs is an impossible task. You may often hear people say "I applied to hundreds of jobs but never got one!" This probably stems from the fact people who apply to hundreds of jobs tend not to tailor their resumes to the specific job. A person who tailors his or her resume to apply to a few jobs which list qualifications which he or she possesses will generally be significantly more successful than the person who takes the scattershot approach. |
 Beautiful but is it appropriate? |
From CV to Resume
Employers often scan resumes through large computers.
There are two types of resumes: organizational and professional. Create and maintain both types of resumes. In fact, you should always have multiple versions of your resume ready. Always adapt and change your resume to suit each specific position (yes, that is a lot of work but that should be central to any job search).
In an organizational resume, skills are listed in separate categories. This kind of resume can be good for academics as it will enable you to showcase your skills more effectively. Typical categories which are used include: managerial experience, research skills, and writing skills.
In a professional resume, the categories and divisions are all done by jobs. This kind of resume enables you to show employers how you have advanced along a career track.
Why doesn't Beyond Academe have sample resumes?
We do not post samples of resumes because these are and should be highly individual. Good resumes are also works in progress. They should be changed to fit each job as you apply for it and they should highlight your special abilities. There are, as a result, no real sample resumes.
Always, always tailor your resume for the job (for example, if the job calls for editing skills, make sure that your resume uses the phrase "editing skills" throughout to describe your experiences doing this type of work).
Note: As more and more employers rely on computers, the ability to match your skills and experiences with the exact phrases used in a job ad has become more and more important. A failure to tailor your resume for a job where applicants are screened by computer may mean that your application will not pass the first screening---even when you are qualified.
In an organizational resume, skills are listed in separate categories. This kind of resume can be good for academics as it will enable you to showcase your skills more effectively. Typical categories which are used include: managerial experience, research skills, and writing skills.
In a professional resume, the categories and divisions are all done by jobs. This kind of resume enables you to show employers how you have advanced along a career track.
Why doesn't Beyond Academe have sample resumes?
We do not post samples of resumes because these are and should be highly individual. Good resumes are also works in progress. They should be changed to fit each job as you apply for it and they should highlight your special abilities. There are, as a result, no real sample resumes.
Always, always tailor your resume for the job (for example, if the job calls for editing skills, make sure that your resume uses the phrase "editing skills" throughout to describe your experiences doing this type of work).
Note: As more and more employers rely on computers, the ability to match your skills and experiences with the exact phrases used in a job ad has become more and more important. A failure to tailor your resume for a job where applicants are screened by computer may mean that your application will not pass the first screening---even when you are qualified.
Quick General Rules
Know the rules
1. Keep it short and focused! A resume should not be longer than two pages. Remember: employers are quickly scanning dozens of resumes in a short period of time. An employer should be able to read your resume quickly (in about ten to fifteen minutes) and determine at a glance whether you have the skills necessary for the job at hand. For most employers, the most impressive resume is one which quickly and clearly demonstrates that the applicant possesses the skills the employer is seeking.
2. Employers look for leadership and managerial skills. Most employers do not understand that teaching requires leadership and management. You must show them this on your resume (see below for a list of the skill set teaching provides).
3. Lump your publications and presentations under broad categories. Do not list every publication; instead, simply state "published with Oxford University Press, Scribners," etc. When discussing presentations, simply state "presented scholarly work at national, international and local conferences."
4. You will find many different opinions on including a "job objective" line. However, we would caution you against this as the line simply takes up valuable space. Worse yet, it can work against you if your job objective does not tally directly with the job for which you are applying.
5. Focus on work experiences as opposed to educational experiences. For example, if you speak a language fluently, do not list the years of coursework; instead, put "developed and did research using a legal vocabulary in German" or "read scholarly papers in Arabic."
"The most sought-after skills, according to a University of Michigan survey of 500 U.S. employers, include the ability to get things done, common sense, integrity, dependability, initiative, well-developed work habits, interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, motivation to achieve, adaptability, intelligence, oral-communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. Notice that most of these are character attributes that have probably appeared on your list of academic capabilities alone."
"Transferring Your Skills to a Non-Academic Setting," by Margaret Newhouse, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Friday, December 4, 1998.
2. Employers look for leadership and managerial skills. Most employers do not understand that teaching requires leadership and management. You must show them this on your resume (see below for a list of the skill set teaching provides).
3. Lump your publications and presentations under broad categories. Do not list every publication; instead, simply state "published with Oxford University Press, Scribners," etc. When discussing presentations, simply state "presented scholarly work at national, international and local conferences."
4. You will find many different opinions on including a "job objective" line. However, we would caution you against this as the line simply takes up valuable space. Worse yet, it can work against you if your job objective does not tally directly with the job for which you are applying.
5. Focus on work experiences as opposed to educational experiences. For example, if you speak a language fluently, do not list the years of coursework; instead, put "developed and did research using a legal vocabulary in German" or "read scholarly papers in Arabic."
"The most sought-after skills, according to a University of Michigan survey of 500 U.S. employers, include the ability to get things done, common sense, integrity, dependability, initiative, well-developed work habits, interpersonal skills, enthusiasm, motivation to achieve, adaptability, intelligence, oral-communication skills, and problem-solving abilities. Notice that most of these are character attributes that have probably appeared on your list of academic capabilities alone."
"Transferring Your Skills to a Non-Academic Setting," by Margaret Newhouse, The Chronicle of Higher Education, Friday, December 4, 1998.
Creating a Skill Set for Your Teaching Experiences
Almost all historians work as teaching assistants during their graduate careers but translating the skills one develops as a teacher into a skills set for a non-academic resume can be difficult. Darryl Stevens, PhD, Coordinator, Graduate Student Services, Career Center, University of California, Riverside, has provided this skills set for teaching:
Communication Skills:
Comfortable with public speaking. Effective presentation of complex material to audiences of varying skills. Facilitation discussion between group members. Providing performance feedback to groups and individuals. Assisting others in development of presentation skills. Exceptional writing skills, from brief executive summaries to long articles. Editing and correction of manuscripts and other copy. Ability to develop rapport through active listening and engagement
Research and Planning Skills:
Creation of novel approaches and generation of ideas. Problem clarification and resource identification. Goal setting and evaluation. Development of assessment and evaluation strategies Superior critical analysis skills. Needs analysis and information gathering techniques.
Leadership Skills
Management of details and coordinating tasks for multiple groups. Delegation of responsibility and evaluation of work product. Teaching, instruction, and coaching of novices attempting new tasks. Counseling, motivating, and managing groups and individuals. Development of strategies to cope with conflict and change. Understanding of how to structure activities for diverse groups.