The CV Doctor: CV For a New Ph.D. in Speech Communication

By Mary Morris Heiberger and Julie Miller Vick

This candidate has created an excellent vita, notable for its user-friendliness. It's got an attractive, open format, and the content is organized in logical categories that are easy to follow. While the candidate would like a faculty position, she was interested to see how her vita could be transformed into a résumé for a nonacademic career in public relations or government affairs.

-- Mary Morris Heiberger and Julia Miller Vick

Career Talk: The CV Doctor

Examples:

A Ph.D. in ecology who is interested in academic administration.
A Ph.D. in counseling psychology who could seek a career in corporate training and development.

		Job Candidate¹ Department Address Office Phone Office Fax Home Phone Email
Education²
		Doctor of Philosophy, Speech Communication, University of Z, May 2002 (expected). Graduate minor: Political Theory Specialties: Rhetorical Theory and Criticism Dissertation: "Calling 'Every Man, Woman, and Child in Our Republic': The Lyceum Movement and the Production of 'Republican Machines during the American Renaissance.' " Name, Chair. Committee Members: Name, Name, Name, and Name. Master of Arts, Communication, University of the Pacific, 1997 Thesis: "Offensive Communication by Protest Groups: A Framework and Analysis of ACT-UP's Tactics," Name, Chair. Bachelor of Arts, Communication, University of the Pacific, 1995
Research Interests³
	Generally, I am interested in the role of rhetoric in political life. Currently, my research investigates citizen production during the Early National period of the United States. Specifically, I am interested in how those in power used the rhetoric of democracy to transform those deemed unworthy of citizenship into virtuous citizens capable of sustaining the promises of the Republic. My research is directed at ways in which rhetoric influences how average citizens use, or are prohibited from using, political power. Thus, issues of Rhetoric, Argument, and the Public Sphere directly relate to my research.
Teaching Interests⁴
	My graduate training in Rhetorical Theory and Criticism has prepared me to teach courses in Public Speaking, Argumentation, Rhetorical Theory, Rhetorical Criticism, and Rhetoric and Politics.
Publications⁵
	"Good Order, Public Control and the Safety of the Republic: Suffrage Reform and Republicanism during the American Renaissance" (under review). Quarterly Journal of Speech. "Calling 'Every Man, Woman, and Child of Our Republic': The Lyceum Movement between the Jeffersonian and Madisonian Frames." (under review). Rhetoric and Public Affairs. "Aristotle's Concept of the Political Community." (In press). Nupedia, on-line encyclopedia, (url presently unavailable).
Conference Papers
	"Future Directions in Rhetorical History." (February, 2002). Invited Roundtable Participant for the Annual Texas A & M Conference on Presidential Rhetoric. "To Every Man, Woman, and Child in our Republic: The Lyceum Movement and American Republicanism." (November, 2001). Public Address Division of the National Communication Association, Atlanta. [Citations of thirteen additional conference papers follow.]
Teaching Experience⁶
	University of Z, Location, 1997-present
		Argumentation Theory & Practice Lower division course in which students engage such topics as argument and rhetorical theory, reasoning, critical thinking, public sphere theory, and the mechanics of debate. Verbal Communication Required University-wide course in which students learn the art of oral and written communication through extended research projects and oral presentations. This course emphasized both critical thinking and communicating abstract ideas to others.
	University of the Pacific, Stockton, California, 1995-1997
		Public Speaking Basic public speaking course organized by communicative functions, i.e., to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.
	Evergreen Valley Community College, San Jose, California, 1996-1997
		Public Speaking Basic public speaking course organized by communicative functions, i.e., to inform, to persuade, and to entertain.
	Humphrey's College, Stockton, California, 1995-1997
		Public Speaking Basic public speaking course organized by communicative functions, i.e., to inform, to persuade, and to entertain. Interpersonal Communication Through this course students engaged with concepts related to the study of human behavior and communication. Topics such as non-verbal communication, structuring interaction, and power were addressed. Public Relations This course supplied Business majors with an awareness of the needs and perspectives of consumers. A significant portion of the course was aimed at teaching students how to get their companies and products discussed in the mass media.
Other Experience⁷
	Editorial Assistant, Political Communication, 1999-2000 Assistant to Editor, responsible for editing and proofreading manuscripts and various research tasks. Director of Forensics, University of Z, 1997-1998 Director of the award-winning University of Illinois Speech team. Responsibilities included coaching students, organizing Assistant Directors, planning national travel to tournaments, etc. Assistant Director of Forensics, University of the Pacific, 1995-1997 Assistant to the Director of the award-winning University of the Pacific Speech team. Responsibilities included coaching and traveling with students to local and national tournaments. Campaign Worker, The Livable Wage Coalition, Summer 1996 Assisted with all campaign related activities including voter registration, mailings, etc. Specific duties included organizing the San Francisco division and working with the Speakers Bureau. Co-Chair, COMGRADS, 1997-present Co-moderator of an international on-line discussion group concerned with the promotion and discussion of issues related to graduate students in Communication. On Air Personality, B93 KOSO, 1994-1997 On air radio personality. Duties included voice, board operation, commercial production, occasional news reports, and remote broadcasts. TAPSCAN reports available upon request. Co-Anchor, KUOP, 1993-1994 On air news anchor of local NPR affiliate. Duties included voice, news gathering, reporting, and production. Election Stringer, Associated Press, 1993-1996 Election night reporter for San Joaquin County, CA.
Honors and Awards
	Fellow, University of Z, Summer, 2001. One of two graduate students chosen by the Department of Speech Communication to receive a summer fellowship based on "exceptional progress demonstrated toward the completion of the Ph.D." Invited participant, National Communication Association's "Doctoral Honor's Seminar," Northwestern University, August 2000. One of twelve Rhetoric doctoral students nationwide selected to participate based on the evaluation of a contributed essay and on scholarly potential. Finalist, "Bostrom Student Paper Award," Southern States Communication Association, March, 2000. One of four panelists spotlighted by the SSCA as an "upcoming new researcher in the field." "Top Competitive Student Paper," Argumentation and Forensics Division of the National Communication Association, 1998. My essay "Problems in the Public Sphere, Rationality, Protest, and Democracy," was selected as the best student paper submitted to the Argumentation Division of the NCA national convention. Coached the University of Z's' Forensics team to a first place finish at the National Forensics Association's 1998 National Tournament (Limited Entry Division). Coached the University of the Pacific's Parliamentary Debate team to a 7th place National finish and Northern California Championship, 1995.
References Available from the Following: [Names, addresses, phones and emails from six references at two institutions were provided here].

1.) More space should be allowed at the top of each page, and the candidate's name and a page number should be added to each page after the first.

2.) We find that the extra level of indentation in the "Education" and "Teaching Experience" sections is unnecessary and gives the impression of inconsistency in format.

3.) Her brief statement about research interests is commendable for its clarity and for giving a context and motivation for her research.

4.) The "Teaching Interests" section might be slightly modified from one application to the next to make it easy for a hiring department to see how the candidate would fit in on each campus.

5.) While the "Publications" and extensive "Conference Presentations" sections are important, readers will look for them near the end of the document, so they could be moved back, putting them before her references. The "Other Experience" section might follow her list of honors.

6.) Under "Teaching Experience," the description of the courses taught on each campus could be slightly abbreviated, particularly any repetitions of a course once it has been described.

7.) The "Other Experience" section does include information relevant to the candidate's scholarly interests. However, there is more detail given here than will probably interest most faculty hiring committees. A simple list of positions, with no elaboration, would suffice.