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Resume or Vita: Which Do You Need?
As a graduate student you may need both. A vita is commonly requested when applying for faculty and administrative positions in higher education. It may also be needed when requesting grant money, when applying for professional memberships, or for biographical data as a presenter. A resume is generally submitted for positions outside the world of academia. You will be wise to have both prepared so you will be ready to respond to a variety of requests.
A resume is a brief summary of your skills and experience and is usually one or two pages long. Categories commonly included are contact information, educational background, work history, professional and community activities and memberships.
A vita is a detailed account of your professional qualifications and experience and is usually three or more pages long. The depth of your experience will determine the length. Categories commonly included are those covered in the resume, plus research, publications, additional educational or training experiences, conferences/workshops attended, and presentations made. A vita is sometimes referred to as a vitae, a curriculum vita(e), CV, or an academic resume.
Remember: Both the resume and vita should be tailored to the position and organization. Request a job description to help you determine the categories to be included.
Useful Resources
CV books available in the College of General Studiesr:
Jackson, A.L. (1994). How to Prepare a Curriculum Vitae. Lincolnwood, IL: VGM Career Horizons.
Anthony, R., & Roe, G. (1994). The Curriculum Vitae Handbook. Iowa City: Rudi Publishing.
Websites for job listings and document development advice:
· College of General Studies website. Access job listings and resume development guidance.
http://careercenter.sdstate.edu.
- Select “Campanile Connections”.
- On your first visit, you will need to register. Your student ID # is needed to complete the registration. Alumni who graduated over five years ago or who do not remember their student ID should contact the College of General Studies for account information.
- Complete the registration form and assign yourself a username and password.
- You may log in immediately following registration.
- To receive emails regarding jobs and on-campus interviews, go to “Jobs”, “Job Search”. Choose your criteria and click the search button. Click “Save Search”. A box will appear asking if you want to receive emails based on the results of your search criteria. Click that box and name your search.
· Chronicle of Higher Education. Access job listings and cv development guidance. http://chronicle.com/jobs/tools/cvdoctor/ · On campus access is free.
· Off campus access is free to SDSU students, faculty, and staff because Briggs Library subscribes. Contact the library at 688-5570 for the username and password.
· University human resources offices
· Professional publications
· Networking
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College of General Studies
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605-688-4153 • Fax: 605-688-5631