Writing Your CV and Letter of Intent

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Writing Your CV and Letter of Intent

• David Gard
• Psychology Dept. - SFSU

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Overview

• What is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?
• How it differs from a resume
• Style issues
• Nuts and bolts of a CV
• What is a letter of intent?
• What to include in a letter of intent
• General format of the letter
• A brief word on good writing
• Answers to your specific questions
• Time to look at and work with your CVs and letters

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First, are there crucial questions I should
definitely address?
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Second, some general comments

• Suggestions about writing your CV and letters of
  intent are guidelines only
• Different people have different ideas about what
  makes a good CV and a good letter
• Interrupt ask questions at any time

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What Is Included a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

• A summary of education training including
• Name contact Info
• Education
• Awards, Publications Presentations (if any)
• Clinical Experience
• Teaching Experience, Research Experience (if
  any)
• Other Professional Experience /or Additional
  Relevant Experience
• Professional Affiliations
• References

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What Is a Curriculum Vitae (CV)?

• It should be brief (approximately 2-4 pages,
  depending on your experience) and should
• Be concise and to the point
• Include all relevant experiences
• Highlight strengths
• Give a good clear sense of your experiences
• Be professional
• Not have any typos
• Remember at this point all clinical experiences
  are good clinical experiences (leave them in!)

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A CV Is Not a Resume

• Resumes are short, CVs longer
• CVs include more details about your experiences
  than resumes do
• Because they are more academic in nature with CVs
  there is generally less of a concern with gaps
  in time (e.g., if you were abroad for a year)
• Style issues (e.g., font, paper) are much less
  important with CVs

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A Word About CVs and Style

• It is okay to use your favorite font, or a header
  that looks nice, but use sparingly!
• Readers are interested in content, not the look
  of the CV
• No clip art or pictures
• However, make it easy to read
• Separate the dates from the details
• Also separate the place of employment, position
  title, and duties from each other in a way thats
  easy to read (using bold, italics, etc.)
• Start each section with most recent position
• No need for pronouns (e.g., I conducted)

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order That
They Should Appear)

• Contact Info top of first page. Name, address,
  phone and email
• Education
• List each university (most recent first) with
  dates and degree
• SFSUs should state M.S. expected May 2007
• Awards, publications, presentations (if any
  dont fret if you dont have these)
• Only include awards that are academic in nature

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order) -
continued

• Clinical experience
• Include placement name, your position title, and
  the dates of service
• In one sentence define the placement
• (e.g., The SFSU Psychology Clinic offers
  no-cost outpatient services for SFSU student and
  Bay Area communities)
• On a separate line articulate all
  responsibilities or duties usually 1-3
  sentences max (include population).
• If position was paid, indicate this
• Some people encourage listing your supervisors in
  a separate line

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order) -
continued

• Teaching Experience (if any)
• Include where the teaching was done, the course
  title, the instructors name (if it was not you),
  and the dates of the course
• In one sentence define the class (e.g., This
  undergraduate course focused on the etiology and
  maintenance of mental illness including
  depressive, anxiety and Axis II disorders.)
• On a separate line articulate all
  responsibilities or duties

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order) -
continued

• Research Experience (if any)
• Include where the research was done, the
  principal investigator/mentor, your title, and
  the dates of service
• In one sentence define the study or project
  (e.g., This study looked at the correlates of
  emotion dysregulation and invalidating
  environments in a borderline personality disorder
  patient population.)
• On a separate line articulate all
  responsibilities or duties
• If position was paid, indicate this

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order) -
continued

• Professional Affiliations
• e.g., APA, CAMFT (include dates)
• Other sections?
• Community (or) Volunteer Experience is an OK
  section, but usually is better placed in clinical
  exp.
• Hobbies or Interests this is a style thing.
  I personally am not a fan of it
• Objective or Mission this is not typically
  on a CV, is more of a resume thing best left
  out
• Professional Training this section comes
  after Education. It is okay to include but keep
  to a minimum (no CPR training).

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Nuts, Bolts, Sections, of a CV (In Order) -
continued

• Other sections? (continued)
• Additional Professional Experience a good
  section to have (after research before the
  prof. affill.), but only used when you have
  changed careers (e.g., previous management, law
  exp.)
• Additional Relevant Experience A good section
  if you speak a second language or if you want to
  point out related experience (e.g., with
  children tutoring, summer camp counselor, baby
  sitting)
• References
• List the name, title, address, phone , and email
  address to all of your letter writers

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Questions?
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What is a Letter of Intent?

• A letter of intent is a very brief letter to a
  training director expressing your interest in
  their practicum placement
• The letter should contain
• Something brief about you (especially any unique
  characteristics about you)
• Your experiences - concisely summarized
• What the program will offer you (relevant to your
  goals)
• What you might offer their program

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What is a Letter of Intent?

• All this in 2-3 paragraphs!
• Think carefully about each program that you are
  applying to
• Why this placement?
• The population youd work with?
• Particular psychopathology
• Age, diversity, etc?
• Didactics of interest?
• The therapeutic orientation?
• The quality of the supervision?

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The Letter of Intent

• Remember your reader!
• Reads dozens of these
• This is probably an extra part of their job
• Wants you to excite them about you
• Good writing requires good editing
• Do not write a lengthy letter
• Editing does NOT include
• Changing the font size, margin or spacing (12pt
  TNR!)
• If it is a little long, something needs to be
  cut

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Important Things to Know About Good Letters of
Intent

• Balance is the key to good letters
• Excitement but professionalism
• Be specific vagueness kills
• Highlight what is unique about you (if you are
  unsure ask your supervisor)
• Be humbly boastful (dont minimize or overstate
  experiences)
• Excitement not hyperbole. In the end these
  placements are often with tough populations your
  readers know this

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How to Write a Letter of Intent General format

• Note This is just a guideline Its good to be
  creative!
• Introduction
• State what placement/position you are applying
  for that youve included your CV
• Briefly state your clinical experiences
• Their specific placement
• Articulate what interests you about their program
  
• Mention how this fits with your goals
• State what youll bring to their program

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How to Write a Letter of Intent The Process of
Writing

• Good writing is difficult
• Ask other people (professors, friends, family) to
  read it
• Ask someone to read it who does not know you
  well. Does it read clearly to them?
• Read other successful letters (especially from
  2nd years who are working at the placement you
  are applying)

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How to Write a Letter of Intent The Process of
Writing

• Good writing is difficult (continued)
• Reward yourself (internally externally) for
  even a little progress
• Put it away for a bit and come back to it later
• Dont be afraid to start over
• In fact, the best letters are almost always
  subsequent re-writes

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Questions?

• Lets take a look at your current drafts of your
  CVs and letters

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