Part 3 of a 3-Part CV vs. Resume Series

Hybrid CVThe hybrid CV-resume is the unicorn of job application materials. Why a unicorn, you ask?

Because the hybrid CV-resume is appropriate in such limited contexts and follows a few unique, special rules that aren’t true for a typical resume or curriculum vitae. And because unicorns are rare and kinda cool, like PhDs.

What jobs require a hybrid CV-resume?

Positions in higher education administration, also called alt-ac positions, typically require a hybrid CV-resume.  By alt-ac, I’m using the strict definition to include only jobs in higher education, not the whole gamut of nonacademic or postacademic jobs.

These alt-ac positions are primarily administrative or managerial in nature, and may have a teaching or faculty component. Typically these positions are in student affairs or academic affairs.

One example of a higher ed admins or alt-ac position is my former job as the Associate Director of Career Services at the University of Pennsylvania. My role was not a faculty line, but an administrative line. I was not affiliated with a school or department, nor did I have teaching or research responsibilities. My teaching happened through the job search and career related workshops I created for graduate students and postdocs.

This position strictly worked with grad students and postdocs so I needed to demonstrate to the directors that I understood the culture and work of academics.  Because of this experience,  I include a brief description of my dissertation (not all my other research projects) and a concise list of my teaching.

What should I include? How long should the hybrid CV-resume be?

My higher ed professor client who I discussed last week included the same mix of activities in her hybrid CV-resume, but we made hers a bit longer. She was applying to high level administrative positions like dean and provost, so we needed to prove her administrative experience and academic productivity.

We kept her most recent publications and included a condensed list of her teaching, but we began the resume talking about all the committees she lead and participated in. She had been an assistant professor for a couple years and had extensive administrative experience during graduate school, so she had a wealth of information to put into the hybrid CV-resume. Her final document was 4 pages. That’s a rarity – remember, she was applying for very high-level leadership positions.

Don’t worry so much about the length of the document. Include relevant content, and present that content in an order that most resonates with the position. Back to my higher ed professor who wanted a dean position. We listed her experience first. We had a section titled “University Administration Experience.” I’m all about making things clear.There’s no need to make your hiring manager frustrated trying to understand your experience – just tell them. We followed her experience with a section on “Research.”

The goal of the hybrid CV-resume is to showcase managerial, project management, and administrative experience and experience with teaching, mentoring, or student achievement.  Your reader, those who will determine if you’re interviewed and hired, will first look to see if you have administrative, management, and operations skills. Next, they will consider your knowledge of the higher education environment, to include teaching and research. Take note of the priority order.

What positions have you seen that request a hybrid CV-resume? If you’re in a position like this, what skills are most important to your daily projects?

Did you miss the first two parts of this series? They’re worth checking out!

Part 1: CV vs. Resume: What’s the Difference and When Do I Need Which One?

Part 2: CV to Resume Conversion: FAQs Answered!

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