Module 4: Converting your CV to a Professional Resume

Objective

To create or refine your resume! As you develop your resume, keep in mind which skills you have and which skills your prospective employer might be looking for, and draw on those experiences you articulated when identifying your transferable skills.

Individual Activities

If you are considering a non-faculty position outside the academy, you will need to prepare a professional resume. Unlike your CV, which paints a portrait of your academic history and accomplishments, a resume is a marketing tool that selectively emphasizes those skills and experiences most relevant to the job you are applying for. Depending on the job, it may be the transferable skills that you have built, and not your academic strengths, that you will want to highlight.

If you are not yet applying for jobs, doing a resume is a productive exercise anyway! By evaluating the range of skills reflected in your experience set, you will be in a much better position to strategically determine what skills to invest in while at Yale.

For this module, work on a draft of your resume. To get started, review the resources below. Be sure to drive your resume entries with strong action verbs.

Group Activities

Do a peer resume review. You may use this Resume Rubric to evaluate each other’s resumes.

    1. What skills stand out? Are experiences well-described to sell relevant skills?
    2. Do descriptions of research highlight how you executed the work and your functional contributions, or do they primarily describe the topic (which may or may not be relevant)?
    3. Is the language used too technical and inappropriate for the audience? Is there unnecessary jargon?
    4. Does the resume follow a consistent and clear format that uses descriptive headings?

Optional Activity

Make an appointment with an OCS advisor on Yale Career Link for revisions and feedback!