CV and Cover Letter WritingChemistry Graduate Student Council July 12, 2007 Wendy Perry, Ph.D., Assistant Director for Graduate Arts experiment with style, set up your sections. Presentation is key! Be concise. Proofread, proofread, PROOFREADthere is NO excuse for typographical error.Formatting Use 11- or 12-point font size with 1”- to 1.5”-inch margins. Choose an attractive font. (Students use Times New Roman.) Enlarge/bold name on first page. Include name consistent formatting. Avoid personal pronouns. Use action verbs, measurable results. Use parallel grammar and minimal punctuation. You may wish to include “revised date” in a footer.Style Avoid CV and cover letter templates. Make your documents your own. There is no exhaustive list of categories. Use guides but dont bind yourself to terms. Be honest; dont exaggerate. Put yourself in the shoes of your readers. What has meaning to them?Organization and Clarity Use section headings to guide your audience in assessing your qualifications. Sub-headings in lengthy sections further facilitate this process. There is no exhaustive list of section headings; rely on your judgment and faculty guidance. Be careful not to pluralize section headings that cover only one entry. Even though content determines length, aim for a tightly constructed, succinct and efficient presentation.Tip Where would you like to get a job (both ideally and realistically)? Think of a few examples. Go to the websites of those schools (or companies/research centers), search for your field/department, and view the electronic versions of assistant professor/researcher CVs (RECENT hires) there. Use their categories and organization as guides.Common CV Sections/Headings The document heading “Curriculum Vitae” is commonly used but optional. Identification: nameprominently set apart at the topaddress, complete telephone numbers and email addresses, link to webpage if professional (no SSN). Some include both personal and departmental addresses, or departmental address only, to emphasize “pedigree.”Special Notes on Identification *Citizenship/date and place of birth: customarily included in some fields (mostly for funding considerations), inappropriate in othersfollow the norm in your field. Dont list marital status or other similar personal information. *Cautionary note on personal photo: what does this text convey? Education List degrees, institutions, graduation years. Do not list non-degree related coursework unless relevant to your career. Dissertation/Dissertation Abstract Follow the norm in your field. List your dissertation title and advisers name in the “Education” section, in the “Research” section, or in a separate longer “Dissertation Abstract” section. If no abstract is required, you may include a brief description after the title or in the research section2-3 sentences. Honors, Awards, Fellowships, Grants List distinctions, bestowing institutions, years. Include undergraduate distinctions ONLY if exceptional or relevant to your field. Explain distinctions if necessary. If few in number, list in “Education” section. Separate section for big grant-funded projects. Research Experience Describe projects, techniques, affiliated labs or professors. Research Interests Publications Include field-appropriate bibliographic citations of articles, books, book reviews, etc. You may include web links. If this section is long, break it into sub-categories. Works Submitted/Works in Progress Follow the norm in your field. Include as a separate section or sub-section in the “Publications” section. Presentations/Meeting Abstracts List professional papers/talks/posters you have given with names, dates, locations of conferences or meetings. If numerous, you may list only “invited” or “selected” presentations. You may list significant presentations at U.Va. symposia or workshops. Other Professional Experience Use only if you have RELEVANT professional experience outside academe. Teaching Experience List all full-time, part-time, CUSTOMIZE letter! Again, think about what has meaning to your readers. Draw attention to whats important in your CV. Doing so is NOT repetitive; its crucial! Academic cover letters are typically a bit longer than the traditional 1-page cover letter for business or industry; letters in the humanities and some social sciences tend to be longer than in the natural sciences. Have a voicea cover letter is not a scholarly article.Cover Letter Structure: 1st Paragraph Begin with a statement of purpose, mention the position by title. You may mention how you learned of the opening. If someone referred you, mention the persons name. Identify yourself briefly. Mention your dissertation adviser by name and when you expect to complete your Ph.D. You may introduce your interest in the position or