Converting CVs to Resumes
How do I begin?
Whereas a CV is an exhaustive document of academic performance, a resume focuses on accomplishments, experience, and skills in a concise manner.
1. Cut content that is irrelevant to most job searches. This can include:- Academic awards and scholarships
- Courses taken
- Dissertation/thesis topic(s)
- Presentations
- Publications
- References
2. Create new content by identifying each professional role you have held, highlighting responsibilities, skills used or developed, and positive outcomes. Some general tips:
Shift your focus from product to process
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Instead of describing what you taught/ researched/ etc. explain how you managed these tasks. |
Translate academic language into more generalizable terms.
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Use buzzwords found in job descriptions, such as: · Teach → Train, Coach, Mentor · Courses → Educational or Training Programs · Class or student(s) → group |
Aim for a balance of depth and breadth
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Look to the job posting for cues as to what skills and experience are most relevant to a given position. Tip: As you read the posting, highlight key details & required skills/ areas of expertise. Build this section up as much as possible. · Qualifications listed first are generally of a higher priority · “Required” experiences are crucial if you want to make the first cut · “Preferred” experiences are a prime opportunity to gain a competitive edge |
Review, rephrase and reorganize
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Review to identify errors and extraneous information, and reflect to identify areas for improvement: · Is this the most effective presentation of your skills, talents, experience? · Does this demonstrate your ability to fulfill the requirements of the job? · Does this pique the reader’s interest? Encourage them to want to know more? |
Tailor your resume for each position
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Put yourself in the employer’s shoes → Connect your experiences to their needs. Use keywords and strategic section titles. Use terminology from the job posting and the industry/ field you are targeting. Tip: If you don’t know the industry terminology, reference a 101-level textbook from the field. Replace generic section titles with more informative and appealing section titles (e.g. work experience→ training experience) |
3. Consult a career coach or another post-academic from outside your program. An individual who is fluent in the language of academia and the language of your target employers can help you:
- Determine where you need to use more generic, nonacademic terms
- Describe experiences in a way that more effectively appeals to nonacademic employers
- Identify additional aspects of your experience that will strengthen your resume