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Let's talk career advice for students and early career researchers! Specifically: how do you represent your non-academic work on your CV and job applications? What guidance have you been given in planning your career? I'll share some advice, but please share your tips! #phdchatpic.twitter.com/qsPyxAHVBi
There are various conversations happening about academic applications in #STEM - but many themes apply in other fields. Various threads have in common: 1/ unspoken expectations in academia about what information to include; 2/ norms that discourage underprivileged students.pic.twitter.com/L2KDHX8ZYo
This thread has great discussion about these problems - students are given advice to omit their non-academic work from their CVs and job applications for research jobs. This is TERRIBLE advice because applied skills are important in research careershttps://twitter.com/OtherSociology/status/950559773644091394 …
Applying for jobs after completing my PhD, I included ALL my non-academic jobs in customer service. This (along with my PhD & honours research) got me my first leadership role in a science organisation. I also had experience as a lecturer/teaching assistant/ research assistant.
One useful layout for including non-academic work in CVs for ECR research roles (1): Front page: Name & contact as a header; Current employment - role & key duties/ responsibilities; Education (PhD, honours - with dissertation titles);
(2) Next pages:
*Publications if you have them
*Academic presentations
* Areas of research expertise
* Skills & experience:
-Teaching roles
- Research roles
- Media
- Leadership/management
- Public speaking
- Editing/reviewing
- Customer service 
- Short courses/training
(3) Final pages:
*Awards
-Scholarships incl. conferences
-Academic awards
- Undergrad class certificates
*Other achievements & activities
- High school awards (yep - when applying for first research job )
- Other non-academic achievements
-Memberships
- Volunteering
- Referees
Very important if you are applying for non-academic roles as ECR to tailor your CV! I created multiple versions depending on the role. Science & research orgs often use recruitment agencies who will scan your CV & discount it if you don't layout the info specified in job ads.
Tips for CVs for ECR non-academic research jobs (1): *List all revelant jobs in brief on front page *Move your publications to the end *Spell out basic/intermediary/proficient skills that you might take for granted: name your exp w/ quant software; qual skills; Microsoft; etc
Tips for CVs, non-academic research roles (2) *Organise your CV sub-headings based on the role, to make it crystal clear that you meet all requirements *Do not EVER go over the required page specifications or they may not read your CV let alone your application
How to represent & discuss your non-academic experience in research job applications: 1) List responsibilities. E.g. management & supervision; delegating duties to staff; managing budgets & orders; planning rosters; facilitating effective relationships between staff
2) Give examples that link non-academic experience to the role. E.g. Explain in brief how your skills in customer service translates. Project management; leadership; conflict resolution; problem solving; time planning; managed competing interests/deadlines alongside other duties
3) Market your skills & reinforce YOU know that they translate. E.g. "This job requires X,Y,Z skills. An example evidences my experience in X, Y, Z is when I had to manage SPECIFIC SITUATION. (What did you do? What skills did you use?) These translate to the role in A, B, C ways"
Other general tips: use the resources on campus if you have them. If you have a careers centre, see how they can help you look for work. They are very good with proofreading CVs and applications at the very least.
If your university does not have careers fairs in your field, consider approaching your student body representatives/careers centre/professional association to advocate on your behalf to host these events and invite speakers. Especially for careers outside academia!
Finally, advice for educators: sociologist Michael Burawoy says students are our first public in sociology. Same applies for other fields. I've got a paper in me about how we fail our first public by not adequately preparing them for their careers. Here's a few tips to consider:
*I gave all my undergrad students a career hunting pack with example job ads they could apply for with different levels of experience *Include case studies of how theories/methods link to specific careers or job responsibilities *Invite guest speakers to discuss jobs/resources
That's the end of my advice. What are some practical tips you have for including non-academic work skills in CVs and applications, or other resources/ support for job hunting/ career planning for students?
Excellent - important to tailor the CV to the role!
I'm currently working on adding things I wrote in a resume back into my CV so it's more impactful and less of a data dump eg totalling funding instead of just listing, citations for articles, higher level skills
Such a great tip! In fact, this is something I do in my CV now as a mid-career researcher in more senior roles. On front page, for each role, I include a line for "career highlight." E.g. Managed $ funding for project.
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