Justin Kiggins's Blog

Just got an email about a workshop for grad students called “Convert your CV into a Resume.” Besides the fact that universities should be offering more than workshops to prepare the vast majority of grad students who won’t be securing a coveted tenure position, the description seems to reflect so many of the problems with the current system.

Interested in pursuing a career in consulting, government, non-profit, policy, finance, academic/student affairs or “industry” in general? Well you will need a concise and dynamic resume and cover letter to peak[sic] any companies’ or institutions’ interest enough to call you for an interview–and résumés often differ drastically from CVs.  This workshop introduces graduate students to the basic but essential strategies and tips for converting a CV into an effective resume. Graduate students are also introduced to the concept of “transferable skills” and given the latest information regarding current industry needs and resume styles.

C’mon academia, grad students are going to need a lot more than a workshop on the latest “resume styles” to land safely after getting kicked out the window of the 92nd floor of the Ivory Tower.