B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Writing Your CV: Do’s and Don’ts Professor B.A. Wallace School of Crystallography Birkbeck College

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Purposes 1. Job 2. University (Graduate Programme) 3. Studentship/Bursary 4. Place on Meeting or Course

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Items to Include Date Name Contact Address Telephone, Fax, Education Fellowships and Honours Professional Experience Professional Affiliations (combine with Honours if that list is short) Presentations Publications Courses Taught Qualifications or Skills Reference: Names and Addresses (and telephone, and fax)

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Do’s 1. Tailor it to the particular job/fellowship you are applying for. You needn't use the same one for every application. 2. Make the layout appealing: use different font sizes, underlining, etc to emphasize a point (but not too much) colour does not photocopy well one/two page 3. Use a spelling checker! 4. Ask your supervisor to look at it. 5. Include all your relevant experiences, including demonstrating/giving tutorials (you may want to volunteer to do some to enhance your CV). 6. Include all your publications/external presentations (however minor). List your (pending) thesis title and supervisor's name. 7. Join relevant professional societies (most have cheap student rates). 8. Include your business address (Birkbeck) and, if you wish, a permanent address. Also phone/fax/ .

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Do’s 9. If English is not your native language, ask some whose native language is english to read it through for grammatical errors. 10. The accompanying letter is just as important as the CV - spend some time on it! 11. References: always ask your referees if you can use their names BEFOREHAND. Make certain you ask someone who knows your work, but is also of sufficient standing to be respected (not one of your mates). 12. If you are asked to supply references, give your referees a description of the job you are applying for (and if appropriate an addressed, stamped envelope). As a courtesy, give them as much time as possible (no less than 1 week). Check back with them one week after your request to make sure they have sent it. 13. Include any significant honours you receive. Remember to participate in poster prize competitions at meetings. They look good on your CV (and they often have money associated with them). 14. If you have changed your name after you have a publication, underline your name in each publication in the list. 15. Don't mix chronological and reverse chronological order - use one. 16. If you have more than 1 page, make the last thing on the first page and the first thing on the second page impressive things (same for publications).

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Don’ts 1. Don't use too small a type font. 2. Don't tell them what they don't need to know that could be to your disadvantage: age marital status hobbies "other interests" current salary 3. Don't use jargon or slang. 4. Don't say "references will be supplied on request".

B.A. Wallace – Generic Skills 29 March 2011 Application letters: CV examples: Job applications (Letters, CV, etc): CV examples (including industrial and non-UK [often called resumes instead]): Useful Websites