CV Questions

[Esenabla]

I'm editing my CV for sociology PhD applications and am unsure of two things. Perhaps there is no right answer, but I'd love to hear any advice.

1. Should I create a separate "Research Experience" section or is it alright if I simply put all positions (excluding irrelevant positions like part-time kitchen jobs, of course) under a "Work Experience" section?

2. I have been credited on publications before (e.g. "Research Assistant Esenabla assisted with this piece" written at the end of a report) but I have yet to author my own work. Would I create a "Publications" section for the works from which I have been credited? Or would it be best to simply put this under an "Experience" section?

 

Thanks in advance!

[high_hopes]

Here are my thoughts:

1. Putting research experience as a separate heading is probably a good idea, particularly because...

2. You should put the publications you were credited on as helping out with under each specific Research Experience heading. Unless you were a coauthor, I strongly advise against listing publications you helped with in a publications section.

[Esenabla]

Great, thank you so much for your advice.

Just a quick follow-up: one reason I'm considering combining my research positions with my other relevant employment underneath a "Work Experience" or "Professional Experience" section is because I worked as a Research Assistant in 2015, then worked outside of research for three straight years, and then took another research position in 2018. I'm concerned if someone is skimming my CV, they'll see the gap in the research experience section without thinking to consider my other work experiences (as I have no employment gaps). Considering this gap in the research experience, would you still say it's best to separate the research experience from the other work experience? 

[high_hopes]

Unless your other work experience is somehow related to what you plan to study, I don't think the admission committee will be too interested in it. I also don't think they will care that you worked in a different field or that they would even find it problematic if you did have an employment gap--this is very common in the current economy. I think that if you just lump all work experience together, they might skip over reading it and not discover the research assistant work you did in 2015. Of course, I'm guessing you might mention the research you have done in the personal statement, but I still think highlighting it on your CV makes sense.

 

Just my opinion though -- perhaps others see it differently?