Focus on the FutureEffective Resumes and Cover Letters for

Academic Libraries

By Giao Luong Baker

April 2018

Before you begin….

• Read the job description VERY carefully

• Be cognizant of the due date for applications and know exactly what is expected in the application process

• Do research on the position and organization, this will help you tailor your CV and cover letter to the position

Resume v. Curriculum VitaeResume Curriculum Vitae

Emphasizes skills Emphasizes academicaccomplishments

Used when applying for a position in industry, non-profit, and public sector

Used when applying for positions in academia, fellowships, and grants

Is no longer than 2 pages, with an additional page for publications and/or poster presentations if highly relevant to the job

Length depends upon experience and includes a complete list of publications, posters, and presentations

After 1 year of industry experience, lead with work experience and place education section at or near the end, depending upon qualifications

Always begins with education and can include name of advisor and dissertation title or summary. Also used for merit/tenure review and sabbatical leave

Source: UC Davis’ Internship and Career Center

The Basics

Source: UC Davis’ Internship and Career Center

Content Essentials Notes

Contact Information Full name, address, current phone number and email, web address

Make sure this section is free of errors. Do not include your address or phone number if you are posting the document online.

Education Name of school, degree earned, major & minor, graduation dates. GPA is not included on CVs.

List your highest degree first, followed by the others.

Relevant Experience Job title, company name, dates of experience, describe job responsibilities, accomplishments, and contributions. Possible to include volunteer, leadership, research experience related to the position. Experiences should be listed in reverse chronological order.

Can include paid and non-paid positions, internships, and military duty.

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience• Publications• Presentations

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience• Publications• Presentations• Programs• Grants

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience• Publications• Presentations• Programs• Grants• Library Service• Workshops, Lectures, &

Presentations• Community Service• Consulting• Professional

Development

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience• Publications• Presentations• Programs• Grants• Library Service• Workshops, Lectures, &

Presentations• Community Service• Consulting• Professional

Development• Foreign Language• Technical Skills• Professional Affiliations• Honors & Achievements

Sample CV• Education• Work Experience• Publications• Presentations• Programs• Grants• Library Service• Workshops, Lectures, &

Presentations• Community Service• Consulting• Professional

Development• Foreign Language• Technical Skills• Professional Affiliations• Honors & Achievements• Acknowledgements• References

The Cover Letter

• An opportunity for the search committee to get a sense of who you are beyond the resume.

• If there are gaps in your resume, the cover letter is a chance to address those gaps in a positive manner.

• Speak on your accomplishments and interests (as it relates to the position).

• Showcase your knowledge of the position, the organization, etc.

• Convey your excitement for the job, organization, and institution.

SampleCover Letter

• Format your document using 1-inch margins

• Use 12 point font

• Always spell out the month and include the entire year

• Type the person’s name that you’re submitting your application to. Include the title and address.

SampleCover Letter

• For an entry-level position, cover letters should range in length from one to one-and-a-half pages. Don’t go beyond 2 pages.

• Use the language of the job posting in your letter.

Suggestions• Your first paragraph should include the title of the position.

• Your second paragraph should address the library that you’re applying to. Do research on the organization. Incorporate their mission statement or strategic goals in this section.

• The next paragraphs should address different job specifications and how your experiences meet those requirements. If you lack certain qualifications, you may want to reframe those qualifications as areas you’d like to develop.

• After this, sell your skills to the library. Apply certain soft-skills to the job as you understand it.

• Always thank the committee for their consideration of your application.

Source: NMRT Footnotes from ala.org

Thoughts on CVs and Letters• Don’t be sloppy. Make sure to proof read your materials.

• Ask someone else to read your materials.

• Speak about each qualification listed on the job description and how your experience relates to it.

• Be forward thinking – include some ideas about possible projects in your letter as it pertains to the organization’s goals and strategic plan.

• Be aware of your letter’s tone. Try to strike a balance between confidence and deference.

More thoughts on CVs and Letters

• Make sure to send a PDF and not a Word document. Word documents do not always look the same across different computers AND it may be possible for the viewer to see your revisions.

• Let your references know ahead of time that you listed them in the application and send them the job description.

Sources

A. (2017, July 19). The Top of the Pile, or How to Avoid Having Your Application Thrown in the Trash. Retrieved from http://www.ala.org/rt/nmrt/news/footnotes/november2006ab/topofthepilenov06

Internship and Career Center. (n.d.). Retrieved from https://icc.ucdavis.edu/materials/resume/resumecv.htm

Questions?