Preparing your Academic CVDr. Allyson Hadwin (Uvic)Christina Skorobohacz (Brock)
What is a CV?Your CV speaks primarily to an academic
audience and acts as a record of your scholarly pedigree and accomplishments. It is an all-encompassing portrait of who you are intellectually and should include everything you've been involved with academically since starting graduate school.
CV versus ResumeA resume
1-2 page career summary summarizes work experience, accomplishments, education and
other pertinent topics such as professional associations and special skills.
tailored to a specific job (usually outside academe).
A curriculum vitae, or CV: comprehensive document. more detail, including a listing of publications, presentations,
research projects, academic work, teaching experience, and so forth.
generally used in PhD-driven environments, such as academe and higher level research.
attests to expertise, qualifications and experience.
http://www.dcardillo.com/articles/resvscv.html
When to start a CV?NowEasier to construct if you start it now because:
You can add things as you go It helps you monitor your progress & plan next steps You’ll need it for many fellowship applications either
formally or informally
Book 1hr per month to update it
Strategies For CV Development
Reflect on your career goals What corresponding knowledges, skills, and mindsets are
necessary in order to succeed in various careers of interest to you?
Recognize your particular stage of development within your program Ensure your CV reflects the expectations that others would
hold for someone at your stage
Identify the skills, experiences, and accomplishments that set you apart from others and demonstrate your competence in particular areas Unique awards and scholarships, research and writing
distinctions, research and teaching assistantships, co-investigative work, etc.
Whenever possible, show how you are building a strong program of research with a clear focus
Are connections evident between your current research and your previous research studies and experiences?
Highlight the transferable skills you have acquired
Seek feedback on your CV from a variety of sources Exchange your CV with peers, invite your committee
members to comment on your CV, have someone outside your discipline read your CV
Look at sample CVs online Consult with your advisor and ask for his/her feedback
Strategies For CV Development
The CV conveys information about your…
Degrees (year completed.,institution, field, dissertation & thesis titles) Awards (name, yr, amount,
duration)
Research Positions, specific roles, & experience
Publications (journal, conference, etc)
Course, title, level, your role, enrollment, year
(details in teaching dossier)
Committees, student governence roles & responsibilities (elected or volunteer)
Memberships in associations, leadership experiences
Organizing the CV Form and style varies SSHRC CV is one model for organizing Usually start with the most recent information within each section Frequently see these headings:
Fellowships, Awards, & Distinctions
Start with most recent Include
Title of award Organization awarding it Total amount of award (add up over the
years) Year/s awarded
I wouldn’t include travel grants, and GTFs because they are sometimes seen as “padding”
Professional Experience Title of position Brief statement of your role Name of employer (and contact info) Years of employment
Publications Use APA format Clearly distinguish between peer-reviewed publications
and other publications Clearly distinguish between articles, book chapters, and
books As a graduate student include a section “under review”
and list manuscripts you have submitted for publication Use APA format Keep track of publications that were supported by
SSHRC (including fellowships) *** remember to acknowledge sources of funding for all
manuscripts in an author note
Conference Presentations Distinguish between refereed and non-
refereed List presented, accepted, and submitted
(indicate clearly which is which) APA style, indicate where it was
presented and for which organization
Other publications & presentations
Workshops Demonstrations Invited addresses Lectures
Thesis Reports
Include: title, date, who to, brief description
Memberships List the organizations you have joined + years
of membership If you haven’t joined any…do it… membership
is cheap for graduate students and you often received journals and newsletters free (or discounted)
The associations you belong to say something about your areas of interest and your commitment to your scholarly communities
Service Committees (indicate level)
National Local University Faculty Department
Referees Tailor referees to the position (you may
have different people for different positions)
Name Contact information How the referee knows you what the referee can speak to
Guiding Questions What are your career plans/professional
priorities? (Hall, 2002) What kind of environment would allow you
to thrive/meet your goals? “Why are we drawn to this profession and
what do we expect from it?” (Hall, 2002, p. 26)
What are the gaps in my current knowledge and skills? (Hall, 2007) How will I go about filling these gaps? (Hall,
2007)
Guiding Questions How am I going about articulating my values, balancing roles,
and building community? How am I situating myself within my field? (key words,
theoretical orientations, key journals) What did I learn from moments of failure or challenging
experiences? What would I do differently next time? Does my CV provide evidence that I am able to work both
independently and collaboratively? How am I building a meaningful programme of research? Are
key threads or themes evident and consistent throughout my CV?
How have my “actions and interactions contribute[d] positively… to the realization of a more just and intellectually dynamic world, within our department and more globally?” (Hall, 2007, p. 18)
Yearly Program Planning as CV Building
What I want to do with my
degree?
Required courses
Elective courses
Specialization/ Expertise courses
Teaching
Manuscripts
Conferences
Conference papers
Committees
Research Apprenticeships
Tips For Graduate Students1. It is never too early to present “research in
progress” or “proposed research.”
2. Be selective and strategic when submitting conference proposals. Identify your motivations and goals for attending the conference, and then do your homework to determine whether participating will be worthwhile.
3. Regard research, teaching, and service as integrated rather than separate. Consider how they may complement or extend one another.
Tips For Graduate Students
4. Build a strong and diverse support network (peers, professors, family, friends).
• Peer mentoring groups, critical colleagues, etc.
5. When eliciting feedback from others about your work, strategically cue them to particular sections, questions, issues, or concerns.
6. Sit on academic search committees.
7. Keep your CV up-to-date.
8. Compile your own resource manual with relevant artifacts (samples of CVs, job postings of interest to you, etc.)
ResourcesUseful WebsitesCV Doctor article in Chronicle of Higher Ed [http://chronicle.com/article/CV-Doctor-Is-Back/49086/]
http://chronicle.com/blogs/profhacker/creatingmaintaining-your-cv/26887
Job seeking and CVs http://www.psych.ucla.edu/graduate/current-students/career-search/useful-job-market-websites
ResourcesUseful Websites
University Affairshttp://www.universityaffairs.ca/
CAUT Bulletinhttp://www.cautbulletin.ca/
CSSE http://www.csse-scee.ca/csse/
UofT Career Centerhttp://www.careers.utoronto.ca/myCareer/
resumeInterview/cv.aspx
ResourcesUseful Readings
Hall, D. E. (1999). Professional life (and death) under a four-four teaching load. New York: Modern Language AssociatioHall, D. E. (2002). The academic self: An owner’s manual. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Press.Hall, D. E. (2007). The academic community: A manual for change. Columbus, OH: The Ohio State University Press.
Questions & Discussion:
Christina’s Experiences Tailor your graduate program to meet your needs and
to explore possible career pathways
internships, independent studies, directed readings, etc.
Example 1: shadow a professor Role negotiations, opportunities, tensions, balance, etc. http://www.academicmatters.ca/2010/06/considering-a-
career-in-academia-here-are-some-observed-realities/
Example 2: carefully craft your directed readings course Biweekly critical conversations, teaching philosophy
development, course and syllabus design, career exploration, journal review
Christina’s Experiences Be aware of how you are spending your time
Conduct your own time study
Participate in activities that expose you to others’ CVs Award adjudication committees, hiring committees, grant-
writing, job talks, etc.
Design a co-investigative research project with a professor
Equal decision-making, being involved in a project from beginning to end, acquiring transferable skills, etc.
Christina’s Experiences Take on leadership roles
o Serve on the Executive of an Association or Society in your field, organize a research colloquium, develop a program or initiative, etc.
Build alliances, communities, and supportive spaceso Graduate Network For Aspiring Academics
o mentoring opportunities for women in academia, CV writing, job hunting, navigating comprehensive exams, transitioning from graduate student to beginning professor, ethical and moral issues in academia
Apply for awards, scholarships, and unique opportunitieso SSHRC, International Writing Group,
o Look at this as an opportunity for learning o Time to think through your program, research, values, and goals,
Christina’s CV Approximately 15 pages HEADINGS
Contact information Post-Secondary Education List of Awards, Scholarships, Fellowships Teaching Positions
Instructor, Co-instructor, Teaching Assistant, Tutor, Teacher, Lifeskills Worker
Research Positions Co-investigator, Research Assistant
Scholarly Activities Publications, Reports, Presentations, Guest Lectures, Panels,
Workshops, Posters Works Submitted Works in Progress Professional Memberships Service and Leadership Professional Development Travel
Allyson –CV in a digital age http://allysonhadwin.wordpress.com/
hadwin-bio/ The wordpress CV Taking advantage of linking and
knowledge mobilization opportunities
Break out groups Brainstorming and planning – preliminary
steps for the CV
Organizing and constructing your CV
Feedback on your current CV
Future directions, planning my year with the CV in mind
Break out groups Part 2 Review various job postings and
consider how you would tailor your CV to fit each position Showcasing desired qualifications, skills,
experiences, knowledges, etc.