CV/Resume & Cover Letter Writing

1. CV/Resume & Cover Letter Writing Brian Rybarczyk, Ph.D.brybar@unc.eduDirector, Academic & Professional Development The Graduate School UNC Chapel Hill

2. 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

3. Job Position Cover Letter CV Other Application Materials References/letters Research/teaching statement Writing samples

4. 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

5. 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

6. Academic • Area of research/scholarship • Productivity: pubs & presentations • Teaching • Grant writing • Fit with potential colleagues

7. Strategy Development Process to Achieve Competitive Advantage Distinctive Competencies – Differentiation Advantage Or Cost Advantage Resources Value Creation Strategy Capabilities What do you have to offer that they want? What’s your Differentiation Advantage? http://www.quickmba.com/strategy/competitive-advantage/

8. EXPERIENCE You can translate the experience you have to the job you’re applying to Either you have it OR

9. 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

10. Job Position Cover Letter CV Other Application Materials References/letters Research/teaching statement Writing samples

11. Cover Letter Advice Action 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 • Address properly • Match materials to correct position • Address all aspects of the job description • Stretch your fit for the position • Missing/Generic letter

12. Education Ph.D. English & Comparative Literature – UNC Chapel Hill (December 2011) B.S. English with a minor in art – Cornell University (May 2006)

13. Education Ph.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

14. Teaching Experience TA for English 101 course – Spring 2008 Instructor, ENG322 – Fall 2009 Instructor, ENG250 – Spring 2010

15. Teaching Experience Large Public University, City, State, Graduate Instructor, 2006- present ENGL 102 – Grammar and Structure ENGL 101 – Essentials of Language Teaching Experience Instructor, Large Public University, City, State Grammar and Structure (undergraduates, Spring 2007)Essentials of Language (undergraduates, Fall 2006) Teaching Assistant, Small School, City, State Introductory Writing (undergraduates, Fall 2005)

16. PUBLICATIONS Your name, author 2, author 3. Year. Title. Journal, Issue. GRANTS Title 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)

17. 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

18. 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

19. 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

20. 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

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

22. 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