Curriculum Vitae: Tips CDR Dan Brum Pharmacist, USPHS Commissioned Corps PharmPAC Member, Readiness Section Co-Lead

Disclaimer The views and opinions expressed in the following PowerPoint slides are those of the individual presenter and should not be attributed to any organization with which the presenter is employed or affiliated.

Agenda Who looks at your CV? Helpful resources My recommendations Open discussion

Who looks at your CV? Promotion board members ROS, PIR, COERs, OS, CV Hiring officials / interviewers Others e.g., PACs, working groups, etc. Whenever a decision-maker is short-listing, interviewing or selecting applicants. PIR – Promotion Information Report OS – Officer’s Statement ROS – Reviewing Official’s Statement CV COER

Who else might you ask to look at your CV? Family or friend Mentor (Senior) officer volunteers Professional resume and CV writing service We have an outstanding group of Sr Officer volunteers this year to review CV’s of officers eligible for promotion that request a review. Any officer requesting a CV review may e-mail their CV to CDR Mike Crockett at mcrockett@bop.gov

Multiple Versions? Depending on the purpose or intended audience, you may need to develop more than one version of your CV (e.g., USAJobs)

Resources (1) Sample CV Template on PAC website E.g., Pharmacy http://www.usphs.gov/corpslinks/pharmacy/career/guidance.asp PharmPAC website, under Career Development, under Guidance: Category Benchmarks and Sample CV Template

Resources (2) Category promotion precepts and benchmarks Precepts: e.g., performance (40%), progression (25%), edu/training (15%), career officership (15%), etc. Precepts described in terms of factors Each factor has a benchmark which is a level of achievement for the officer given the category and grade **Benchmarks are not a checklist, they are a hypothetical set of attributes for the ideal officer at a given grade**

Your accomplishments should be documented The category promotion benchmarks guidance states repeatedly that accomplishments should be documented in your CV Your CV is your chance to tell your story.

Recommendations (1) Follow the CV template Know the precepts Update CV frequently (living document) Living document that’s constantly evolving. The CV template follows the precepts and this is not by accident, so make sure that your CV follows that as well.

Recommendations (2) Proofread: Be meticulous Remove outdated & irrelevant items Shorten it…more One page cover sheet One page cover sheet is NOT a requirement, but I would recommend it. Also, remember to highlight the most important accomplishments on the cover sheet. Some tips- could use bold typing or italic or underline to accentuate certain items, but DON’T over-do-it.

Recommendations (3) Make prominent the most important information e.g., “10 staff report directly to me” “Directly control & manage a $15M budget” Emphasize career highlights Use bold, italics, underline sparingly E.g., PHS Distinguished Service Medal (DSM)

Recommendations (4) Be truthful Don’t plagiarize If team effort, don’t take all the credit Don’t plagiarize Be consistent (e.g., formatting) Fax in CV to eOPF regularly Fax #: (301)480-1407 or (301)480-1436

Highlights Use the template Know the precepts & benchmarks Highlight accomplishments that differentiate you (from your peers) Proofread Less is often more Yes, be clear and concise and stay away from agency abbreviations. The person reviewing your CV may not be familiar with your particular agency jargon.

Less is more (Example 1a) PHS Outstanding Service Medal (2010) Exemplary performance in the… PHS Commendation Medal (2009) – Outstanding performance for the… PHS Unit Commendation (2008) – Yet another long citation Etc. A long history of awards leads to lengthy CV. Probably too much detail for a CV.

Less is more (Example 1b) PHS Outstanding Service Medal (2010) PHS Commendation Medal (2009) PHS Unit Commendation (2008) Etc.

Less is more (Example 2) USPHS Winds Ensemble, Percussionist (2005-10) 30 performances USPHS Winds Ensemble Played at Event A Played at Event B Played at Event C Played at Event D Played at Event E Played at Event F Played at Event G Etc. Probably too much detail for a CV.

Less is more (Example 3) PLANT Workgroup, Writer (2005-10) Authored seven (7) mini-biographical sketches PLANT Workgroup, Writer (2005-10) Profile A Profile B Profile C Profile D Profile E Profile F Profile G

Less is more: conclusions Summarize where possible Emphasize key points (e.g., group leader, major contribution, measureable impact, etc.) Don’t document the “accomplishment” until you have actually done it

Food and Drug Administration Contact Information CDR Dan Brum Food and Drug Administration White Oak 22, Rm 4160 10903 New Hampshire Ave. Silver Spring, MD 20993-0002 W: 301-796-0578 Dan.brum@fda.hhs.gov

Open Discussion