CV Transition Toolkit

The CV Transition Toolkit is intended to help individuals revise and update their CV as they transition from student pharmacist to new practitioner and then as they encounter the many other career transitions that occur during the first 5 years of practice.

This toolkit offers snapshots in a pharmacist professional journey to showcase how the same individual’s CV changes over time. Each example includes discussion points, such as considerations related to content, formatting, and other emphasis points, that will help you update your CV during similar transitions. The CVs included in the toolkit cover the following stages of John Doe’s professional journey, beginning with his anticipated graduation of May 2016:

• P1 student pursuing a summer internship [PDF]
• P3 student preparing for APPE rotations [PDF]
• Student Pharmacist applying for a Residency, Fellowship, or first job [PDF]
• PGY1 Resident applying for a PGY2 Residency, Fellowship, or first job [PDF]
• PGY2 Resident or Fellow applying for a first job [PDF]
• New Practitioner a few years into practice applying for a new/next job [PDF]
• Applying for first academia position [PDF]
• Seasoned Practitioner seeking a new position [PDF]

Helpful Tips:

• The sample CVs included in the toolkit are intended to be examples and should not be copied. CVs, including their content and format, can and will vary considerably from person to person; this is expected.
• It is important to engage a mentor in your field to review your CV and help you refine it throughout your career. You can find a mentor through the ASHP Mentor Match Program.
• Tailor your CV to the career/job to which you are applying. For example, if you are interested in a job in academia, it is important to move your research and teaching experiences earlier in your CV and expand upon these qualifying experiences.
• Consider both content and formatting to be equally important. Less is sometimes more when it comes to formatting (e.g. too many bold or underlined points can be distracting), yet maintaining an organized and visually appealing CV is essential.
• Participate in and take advantage of the ASHP CV Review Program which occurs in the spring and fall each year.
• When you make updates to your CV, make sure to save it as a new version so you can easily reference previous experiences from old CVs whenever needed.

Additional resources:

• Preparing Your CV
• How to Write a Curriculum Vitae
• Traditional CV Components
• CV Transformation Through Career Transitions [PDF]   
• Navigating Career Transitions
• Transforming the Curriculum Vitae as a New Practitioner
• Moving Beyond the Template: Transforming Your CV as a New Practitioner
• ASHP Podcasts:
  • CV Development for Non-Traditional Career Paths: Medical Writing and Informatics
  • CV Development for Non-Traditional Career Paths: Industry and Consulting

This resource was developed by the ASHP New Practitioners Forum Career Development Advisory Group, which is providing members the opportunity to share resources that might assist in professional endeavors. ASHP is not responsible for, and does not officially endorse this resource, and further expressly disclaims any and all liability for damages of any kind arising out of the use, reference to, or reliance upon any information contained in the resource.