CV

I spent the better half of last week updating my CV. The impressiveness and innovativeness of the computer input system have been elaborated extensively elsewhere (see http://ccszeto.blogspot.com/2009/10/obotchaman.html) and will not be the focus of this article. Instead, I want to talk about my CV.

I prepared my first CV when I applied for a resident post in my current department. KL was responsible for screening the applications then. Soon after I sent out my CV, I was summoned to his office.

“How can I recommend you for an interview if your CV only contains your name?” he asked.

“No, I thought I wrote many things. See, my employment record is here.”

“Where are your scholarships and subject prizes?”

“Oh, I did not keep any record and do not like to boast about those things.”

At this point, KL was completely fed up. He threw a document at me and said, “Copy it. Find whatever applies to you.” I turned the cover. My goodness! That was the CV of the Walking Harrison when he was an intern. Till now, my record of scholarships remains inaccurate. Luckily, this section is no longer important as I grow older, and I finally swiped it off from my CV.

Did I learn anything?

Last week, I was appalled when I found out that the University wanted the record of my conference abstracts, outside talks and services. Even if I remembered everything I did, how could I recall when I did it? I searched my pocket PC, only to find that old records in the calendar were automatically erased.

As usual, I mentioned my difficulty to my mentor. History repeats itself. That afternoon, I received his own CV.