How long is your CV?

[SHC1984]

I figure getting a job now is harder than ever before so I better really put some effort into making a GREAT CV.

I worked on it all day yesterday and finally got done. It turn out to be 7 pages long after I thought about all the stuff I did in pharmacy school.

It was 4 pages before b/c I was too lazy to really put any effort into listing anything....now it's at 7 pages...could be longer after all my rotations are done.

It could be much longer if I did alot of "meetings" and community services but I didn't do many of those! lol...

How long is your CV?

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[IndustryPharmD]

Don't know if residencies like long CVs, but industry fellowships snicker behind your back if your CVs are longer than four or five pages. And I have seen so much irrelevant crap wasting space on people's CVs that it has even stopped being funny by now.

I personally keep a two-page resume with an optional third page listing my professional activities not directly relevant to the position(s) I am seeking. Though when I was a P-4 I had a six page CV. Good thing I outgrew it. 😀

 

[SHC1984]

Don't know if residencies like long CVs, but industry fellowships snicker behind your back if your CVs are longer than four or five pages. And I have seen so much irrelevant crap wasting space on people's CVs that it has even stopped being funny by now.

I personally keep a two-page resume with an optional third page listing my professional activities not directly relevant to the position(s) I am seeking. Though when I was a P-4 I had a six page CV. Good thing I outgrew it. 😀

I totally agree. EVERYTHING on my CV is pharmacy related. I would never put something on there that has nothing to do with pharmacy.

I think it's longer now mainly b/c 1) I added more presentations I had given (I didn't add any before) and 2) I added a description of my responsibilities for each rotation I did (before I didn't have any descriptions at all just the name of my rotation)

Do you prefer that students add descriptions of their responsibilities for each rotation they did or do you prefer they just put the name of the rotation with nothing else to it?

Should I add descriptions of my responsibilities for each pharmacy job I had? I had three pharmacy jobs and they were all retail.

 

[nnguyenc]

the equally qualified guy with the one page CV will get your job


b/c he didn't waste the interviewer's time

 

[IndustryPharmD]

I totally agree. EVERYTHING on my CV is pharmacy related.

Pharmacy-related does not equal relevant. Or interesting. Or worth interviewer's time.

Do you prefer that students add descriptions of their responsibilities for each rotation they did or do you prefer they just put the name of the rotation with nothing else to it?

Depends on what your rotations were and what position(s) you are seeking, but for vast majority of students listing rotation responsibilities is absolutely unnecessary because they are all the same and all obvious, and any exceptional things you may have done on one or two rotations will fit under presentations/projects anyway. My approach to CVs in general is that unless that's something you really want to bring up in your interview as one of your main selling points, you shouldn't devote much space to it in your CV.

For retail jobs, I would stick to two pages at most.

 

[BenJammin]

I figure getting a job now is harder than ever before so I better really put some effort into making a GREAT CV.

I worked on it all day yesterday and finally got done. It turn out to be 7 pages long after I thought about all the stuff I did in pharmacy school.

It was 4 pages before b/c I was too lazy to really put any effort into listing anything....now it's at 7 pages...could be longer after all my rotations are done.

It could be much longer if I did alot of "meetings" and community services but I didn't do many of those! lol...

How long is your CV?

You haven't even graduated pharmacy school. A CV longer than 3 pages is not to be taken seriously.

 

[Sparda29]

Mines is about 6-7 pages, but if I remove my rotations and rotation projects, that would bring it down to 3 pages.

Edit: I use a resume for looking for jobs. However, I'll bring a few copies of the CV to the interview so they can review it further if they want to after the interview.

 

[All4MyDaughter]

You haven't even graduated pharmacy school. A CV longer than 3 pages is not to be taken seriously.

Agree. Mine is five pages and I've considered shortening it. I need to prune my presentations and publications, but haven't had time. And they are all legit things, not pharmacy school presentations or stuff from rotations.

 

[IndustryPharmD]

Pharmacy students are stuck with one extra page because they have to list all their rotations, something that no one who has had at least one job (or postdoc) after graduation should ever do.

Though there is absolutely no reason for graduating students to list IPPEs on their CV. That just screams "I am a loser trying to beef up my CV because I have nothing worthwhile to show". The only people who should be listing their IPPEs are those who have not started their rotations yet and are applying for an internship or their first pharmacy tech job. Instantly saves half a page, too.

 

[Dr Wario]

My CV -

Dr Wario

I make a **** ton of money for my company.

The end

 

[Chris co2012]

My CV is 2 pages long and that's including my experiences as a kid collecting Pokemon cards and fighting with my friends Dragonball Z style.

 

[Its Z]

Content not the page #.

Heck...use font 2 and you can make it a 1 pager.

 

[rxlea]

Per Z: it's not the size that matters 😛

 

[All4MyDaughter]

Per Z: it's not the size that matters 😛

The only people who say that are the ones who are undersized...

 

[rxlea]

The only people who say that are the ones who are undersized...

yeah, like the ones riding around on giant tractors to make a statement. 😀

 

[All4MyDaughter]

yeah, like the ones riding around on giant tractors to make a statement. 😀

👍👍

 

[joetrisman]

I have 5 pages 😳

 

[Its Z]

The only people who say that are the ones who are undersized...

Women should be undersized... not much love for obese women these days..

 

[Its Z]

yeah, like the ones riding around on giant tractors to make a statement. 😀

I don't own a tractor.

Decided to just hire tractor work.. they're cheap and plentiful in this economy.

 

[rxlea]

I don't own a tractor.

Decided to just hire tractor work.. they're cheap and plentiful in this economy.

And why would you think I'm talking about you?

 

[confettiflyer]

Don't know if residencies like long CVs, but industry fellowships snicker behind your back if your CVs are longer than four or five pages. And I have seen so much irrelevant crap wasting space on people's CVs that it has even stopped being funny by now.

This. My CV going into residency was a few pages. There's no reason anyone not practicing yet should have > 4 pages on a CV.

I hate when people describe stupid rotations that are self-explanatory...like community and ICU. Yes, we know you counseled patients and went on rounds and made recommendations. Blah blah blah.

 

[297point1]

Mine is five pages.

I'm in academia. I could stretch it to 25 pages if I wanted to, but the important things would get buried; nobody reads a 25 page CV. NOBODY.

Unless something is truly extraordinary, keep the descriptions at a minimum. No graduating student should have more than 3-4 pages. As Z said, it is content, not page numbers.

 

[metformin87]

For recent grads, 4-5 pages max is fine if you're including your rotations with descriptions. Most employers are actually interested in what skills you acquired during the experience.

 

[joetrisman]

I've had at least half a dozen people (residents and faculty from various institutions) look at my CV and no one has said anything about it being 5 pages being too long I have no descriptions under my rotations.

 

[Ackj]

I have a few versions, some with descriptions and presentations, some without. I agree that some rotations don't need to be explained, but if you've done an interesting project beyond what the basic syllabus entails (MUE, P&T policy, etc) I think that's worth including. Although I suppose my opinion doesn't matter, it's all what the interviewer prefers.

 

[Its Z]

I'm interested in seeing the type of rotations and the presentations given.

I will ask about them in the interview. Be prepared to discuss in detail.

 

[rxlea]

I'm interested in seeing the type of rotations and the presentations given.

I will ask about them in the interview. Be prepared to discuss in detail.

What type of rotations are most impressive? I have one elective spot to fill. Other electives: academic, international hospital in Europe. People are going to claw and scratch to rotate with Erstad before Midyear. I might rank that one in the Spring for a better chance since I'm not doing residency.

Do you think those rotations matter for ambulatory too?

 

[BenJammin]

I'm interested in seeing the type of rotations and the presentations given.

I will ask about them in the interview. Be prepared to discuss in detail.

Never really understood why interviewers make a big deal about the rotations you did during your 4th year. Maybe I got the short end of the stick but I never had a choice in the sites I wanted. That's what happens when 30 people want 6 spots.

 

[cycloketocaine]

I'm interested in seeing the type of rotations and the presentations given.

I will ask about them in the interview. Be prepared to discuss in detail.

I agree. I like to ask about presentations as well....its a great spot to catch people trying to fluff their CV's. I love making people squirm.

 

[pharmacisttobe]

I agree. I like to ask about presentations as well....its a great spot to catch people trying to fluff their CV's. I love making people squirm.

Wonder why?!?!

 

[Its Z]

Students lack experience. That's why they should do a cv to describe their experience including rotations and presentations. Fluffed up cv can be exposed really quick when we start to talk about it. I like to see more critical care rotations...

I actually did an international research rotation overseas.

 

[joetrisman]

Students lack experience. That's why they should do a cv to describe their experience including rotations and presentations. Fluffed up cv can be exposed really quick when we start to talk about it. I like to see more critical care rotations...

I actually did an international research rotation overseas.

 

[Its Z]

Wasn't a fluff.....legit and I worked my ass off

 

[cycloketocaine]

Wonder why?!?!

Whaaaa?

 

[SHC1984]

Students lack experience. That's why they should do a cv to describe their experience including rotations and presentations. Fluffed up cv can be exposed really quick when we start to talk about it. I like to see more critical care rotations...

I actually did an international research rotation overseas.

I send you a copy of my CV. Please look over it thanks. 🙂

 

[SHC1984]

Anyone else very good at looking over CVs and don't mind looking at mine let me know and I'll send you a copy. Thanks.

 

[pezdispenser]

Does it include your modeling portfolio pics? If so, please send to me 🙂

 

[koercive]

Have a 1 page resume and a 5 page CV

Most pharmacy jobs require CV over resume which doesn't make sense to me unless you published a bunch of articles

 

[njac]

Never really understood why interviewers make a big deal about the rotations you did during your 4th year. Maybe I got the short end of the stick but I never had a choice in the sites I wanted. That's what happens when 30 people want 6 spots.

I think it's huge. I could absolutely tell what sort of 4th year background my coresidents had.

 

[joetrisman]

I think it's huge. I could absolutely tell what sort of 4th year background my coresidents had.

So you believe in writing rotation details on your cv? (still on the fence about this one)

 

[rxlea]

So you believe in writing rotation details on your cv? (still on the fence about this one)

I'd like to know too. It seems the opinion varies among pharmacists

 

[njac]

If I care about the details I'll ask in your interview.

But when I see all of your rotations were BS I'll automatically put you in the bottom half of the pile.

So descriptions are +/-. As a student I had them, as a resident I did not.

 

[Sparda29]

I think it's huge. I could absolutely tell what sort of 4th year background my coresidents had.

Don't most people get the same rotations other than electives?

 

[njac]

It varies by school. I only had one amcare rotation and otherwise was all inpatient. Had a coresident who spent a month in Costa Rica, a month compounding, a month at wags... Some schools have 4 week rotations (mine( so we had a ton of electives, some are 6 weeks and there's almost no opportunity for electives.

 

[rxlea]

We have 6 week rotations... four required (institutional, acute care, community, am care) then three electives. You can choose to do an 8th rotation (one of my classmates is doing 8).

 

[Sparda29]

I wish I didn't have to do those damned public health rotations, 3 months wasted when I'd have rather done an additional amb care or internal med rotation.

 

[SHC1984]

If I care about the details I'll ask in your interview.

But when I see all of your rotations were BS I'll automatically put you in the bottom half of the pile.

So descriptions are +/-. As a student I had them, as a resident I did not.

What is a BS rotation?

What is a GREAT rotation?

Please define.

I am assuming BS is retail? lol...

My rotations were PBM, Nutritional support, Home Care( Home Infusion), Informatics, Nuclear, Advance hospital, Pediatrics, and Compounding

Sorry, but I hate ID, Critical care, cardiology, oncology etc. So I avoid those as much as possible!

 

[rxlea]

I wish I didn't have to do those damned public health rotations, 3 months wasted when I'd have rather done an additional amb care or internal med rotation.

Was that the one with drug addicts? How come you had to do so many public health?

 

[njac]

What is a BS rotation?

What is a GREAT rotation?

Please define.

I am assuming BS is retail? lol...

My rotations were PBM, Nutritional support, Home Care( Home Infusion), Informatics, Nuclear, Advance hospital, Pediatrics, and Compounding

Sorry, but I hate ID, Critical care, cardiology, oncology etc. So I avoid those as much as possible!

Well since I'm clinical and looking at residency candidates, I want to see inpatient clinical rotations with meaningful projects.

A great rotation would be clinical with a faculty member and a good letter of Rec to accompany it.

A lot of international rotations are fun, but not a super asset as far as becoming a stronger clinician.

 

[BenJammin]

I think it's huge. I could absolutely tell what sort of 4th year background my coresidents had.

Not really. I didn't have a choice in the rotations I had so there really isn't a reason to be that specific on your CV. It's not fair to view me as a lesser candidate because of where I did my 4th year rotations.