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Navigating the Non-
Academic Job Search
August 24th: Job Documents, Networking
August 25th: Interviewing, Negotiation
Summer Camp August 24-25th, 2015
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Getting To The Interview: Résumés and Cover Letters for Non-Academic Jobs
Michael A. Tessel, PhD
Assistant Director, Graduate Career Development
Office of the Provost - UChicagoGRAD
The University of Chicago
Summer Camp August 24th, 2015
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UChicagoGRAD UCHICAGOGRAD CAREER CONSULTATIONS
academic job search advising
career planning and exploration
resume and cover letter review
practice interviewing
networking and connections with alumni
ADDITIONAL UCHICAGOGRAD SERVICES
discounted business cards
career guides by industry
fellowship advising
funding application editing
and more…
https://uchicago.advisestream.com
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Session Overview
Part I: Résumé Format & Conventions
Part II: Bullet Points: The Finer Details
Part II: Cover Letters
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Part I:
Résumé Format &
Conventions
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C.V. vs. Résumé Curriculum Vitae
• Exhaustive summary
of you as a scholar
• Used mostly for
academic jobs
• Tailored for each
application
• Includes publications
• Bullets optional
• No page limit
Résumé
• Concise “snapshot” of
you as a professional
• Used for jobs outside
of academia
• Acutely tailored for
each application
• No publications
• Bullets format used
• 1 PAGE
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Format: Fonts to Avoid
Arial
Times New Roman
Calibri Cambria
Comic Sans
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Format: Fonts That Do Better
Serifs: Garamond
Georgia Palatino Linotype
Gotham Light/Bold
Helvetica Neue Light
Century Gothic Trebuchet MS
Size: 11 - 12
Sans
Serif:
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Format: Margins of Error
.7’ – 1” all around for all docs
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Format that Aids Content 2-line contacts
Education
Thesis?
GPA?
Study Abroad
Headings
Bullets
Spacing
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Format that Aids Content Vertical
Reverse order
Most relevant
on top
In each section,
broadest to
most specific
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Format that Aids Content Horizontal
Most important
information on
the left
Compound
bullets get lost
Strong action
verbs should
run down the
left-hand side
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*Tricks*: Right-Align Dates
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*Tricks*: Right-Align Dates
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Sections: “Education”
Top or bottom of page
Include only degree based programs
Awards/honors including brief
explanation
GPA and GRE scores may be
appropriate
Relevant course work-3 max (optional)
Dissertation title/advisor (optional)
This section should not exceed ¼ of
page
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Sections: “Experience” Tailored to each individual job
Consider breaking up into more specific sections
• “Analytical Experience”
• “Project Management Experience”
• “Teaching Experience”
• “Leadership Experience”
• “Additional Experience”
• Combinations (“Management and Leadership
Experience”)
Includes graduate/postdoc experience
Lead with name of employer/institution in bold
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Sections: “Experience”
Information must be properly balanced throughout
Most recent experience should have most detail
• Level of detail decreasing for experiences farther in past
• Exception for highly relevant experiences
The proportion of information included for each
experience DOES NOT need to reflect work responsibilities
Actual Resume
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Sections: “Skills/Interests”
Skills section - optional
Computer skills- highlight most
impressive, less common competencies
Language skills- fluent, conversational,
basic
Interests - optional
Chance to “humanize” yourself
Make these specific and unique
Use only when space allows
Can lead to interview conversation
One line maximum
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Part II:
Bullet Points: The Finer
Details
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Writing Effective Bullets
1. Follow Basic Conventions
2. Introducing: PPI Method
3. Be Specific and Quantify
4. Diversify competencies
5. Focus on transferrable skills
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Resume Bullet Conventions Structure
Begin with strong action verb: led, analyzed, organized, etc.
Implied first person, no pronouns
Technically fragments, not sentences: no periods at end
1 or 2 lines
Tense
Present tense for ongoing experiences
Past tense for past experiences
Best Practices
Avoid passive verbs: assisted, observed, helped, participated
Try not to repeat same verbs
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P.P.I. Method Ideal bullet: What you did, Why you did it, and So What?
Project
Define the problem or obstacle
What did YOU SPECIFICALLY do to address this?
Include technical competency if relevant
Purpose
Key objective or mission must be clear
Impact
Tangible outcome from your involvement
Academic: publications, successful grant applications,
recognition in popular media
Business-like: increased revenue, reduced costs,
optimized efficiency, innovation, sustained growth
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Be Specific/Include Quantities
Always Quantify When Possible Dollar amounts- Grants and scholarships awarded, budgets managed
Percentage changes- Growth, cost reduction, measurable workflow
efficiency
Number of People- Attendees at presentations, students in classes
Honors and Awards- Specify level of selectivity or prestige
Use numerals: 18, not “eighteen”
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Specificity helps the reader contextualize your experiences
Less Specific… Led discussion sections
More Specific… Led weekly discussion sections with 18 undergraduates majoring in history
Conceived of and initiated section discuss board; posted daily optional
practice problems and monitored online student discussion
Awarded “Teaching Assistant of Year” based on TA performance in this class
Diversify Competencies
Each bullet should represent a specific and
unique competency
Avoid redundancy: multiple bullets that
convey similar technical abilities are
unnecessary
Think about what each bullet says about you
and your abilities
Sometimes minor responsibilities are highly
relevant and should be emphasized
Minimize technical language
Transferrable Skills
• How does what you have done relate to the job?
• Think of the organization of your dissertation as
project management
• For scientists, think of the lab as a small business
enterprise
• Extracurricular activities show management and
leadership skills- treat these like other jobs
• Important skills to highlight: communication
(oral and written), teamwork, leadership,
management, innovation, administrative,
accounting, customer service, organizational
skills, general business acumen
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Part III:
Cover Letters
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Expand on a few items in your resume
Discuss your motivation for seeking
employment in this area
Explain why you are a good fit for the
position
Demonstrate written communication skills
Provides proof of legitimate interest in job
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Purpose of a Cover Letter
Cover Letter Basics Basic Structure and Strategy
½ to ¾ of a page
Well structured: Start with outline
Use examples and avoid lists
Emphasize how you will help them
For non-research based jobs, include at least one
example of an accomplishment outside of research
Maintain a positive tone
Tailoring
Research company and use language that reflects
how company describes itself and its mission
Cite conversations with actual employees
Relate each example back to the company
If possible, address actual recruiter/hiring manager
by name
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Generic Cover Letter Paragraph 1
Introduction
Specific reason(s) for interest in company • Conversations with current/past employees
• Info from website, publications, media
Thesis: 2 distinct competencies, A & B
Paragraph 2
Example using competency A (research)
Relate example back to employer
Paragraph 3
Example using competency B (non-research)
Relate example to different aspect of employer
Paragraph 4
Thank you sentence- Look forward to interview
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Paragraph 1
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As a current PhD student at the University of Chicago with
experience in the field of monetary hygiene, I am applying for
the position of Sr. Money Launderer at Trustworthy Bank.
From my conversation with Tex E. Vader, Assoc. Director of
Cleanliness, I learned that Trustworthy not only launders
currency, but is developing a proprietary disinfectant to
create the world’s cleanliest money. Given my extensive
research on sanitary paper and my established record of
misdemeanor crime, I am confident I could quickly deliver
value for Trustworthy Bank and its clients.
Introduction
Specific reason(s) for interest in company • Conversations with current/past employees
• Thesis: 2 distinct competencies, A & B
A B
Paragraph 2
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Restate Competency A
Example of applying Competency A
Link Competency explicitly to company/role
My doctoral research focused on ways to improve the
cleanliness of toilet paper. I sought to create a tissue that not
only cleaned but disinfected at the same time. By combining
household cleaners with industrial strength disinfectants, I
was able to create the first tissue that makes the skin 90%
more resistant to microbial infection than standard tissue. At
Trustworthy, I intent to use similarly innovative techniques to
maintain optimal money laundering conditions.
Paragraph 3
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Restate Competency B
Example of applying Competency B
Link Competency explicitly to company/role
Beyond my expertise in laundering, I also bring a uniquely
morally indifferent attitude that will serve Trustworthy
well. During my internship at the Maroon Bank, I routinely
embezzled office supplies. I amassed such a collection
that after one summer, I was able to sell it on eBay for
$500. This was enough to buy my first forgery kit. This
propensity toward white-collar crime will be an asset to
Trustworthy in its effort to defraud investors while also
providing them with the world’s cleanest currency.
Paragraph 4
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Thank you for your consideration. I look forward to
learning more about Trustworthy and elaborating on my
skills and experiences in an interview.
Thank you sentence- Look forward to interview
