Can your résumé survive a ten-second scan from a recruiter and still make it into the YES pile?

If you are targeting non-academic roles, you will need to create a résumé for each job application. This article will discuss the many strategies you can use to develop effective written communications, and how to provide a list of relevant accomplishments linking your skills to the needs of the employer. If you do not send the right message your document will not be read.

As you create your résumé you need to consider your strategy, the format of your message, and the overall visual presentation. This key document can serve many purposes. It can be a marketing tool that highlights your academic and work history. It can serve as a reminder to an employer after an interview. It can also be a way to direct an interview by strategically highlighting how your skills and accomplishments match the job description.

Before you begin writing, consider the following questions:

  • What positions are you targeting?
  • What are your accomplishments/successes/best qualities?
  • What skills are most relevant to your targeted audience?
  • What roles are you pursuing? Technical, research, leadership, etc.
  • What size organization is right for you?
  • What company environment would you be compatible with, or comfortable working in?

When answering these questions, develop a list that will help you make better decisions as you pursue jobs/professions that align with your interest, skills, and work style. Emphasize your accomplishments/successes and focus not only on what you did, but also on how you did it, and positive results from your efforts. What are your strongest selling points? Are they apparent in your current document? What 4–5 things do you want employers to know about you? Don’t forget your behavioral assets, such as the ability to lead a project, strong verbal and written communication skills, and the ability to work in a collaborative environment with a multidisciplinary team.

Résumé Content

Research the job and employer so you better understand their specific needs. This will help you align your skills more effectively. Information gathered during your networking and research can also provide context on the employer’s needs. Reviewing company websites can provide additional insights to help you align more closely to the job requirements.

Next, tailor your content to both your audience and the job description. Who will be reading your document? The Hiring Manager may focus more on technical skills while Human Resources/Recruiting may look for behavioral skills. In most cases, you should exclude information related to salary expectations, religious or political affiliation, geographical restrictions, relationship status, age, etc. Know your audience and choose, prioritize, and tailor your content to the information needs of the readers. Translate what you do into what is of value to them. Often there are hundreds of applications submitted for one position. A good résumé piques the interest of the reader and prompts them to invite you in for the interview.

As you review the job description, consider this three-step process to identify critical information:

  1. Read the description and identify all of the technical skills required for the job.
  2. Now take a second pass and identify all of the behavioral skills.
  3. Finally, identify the emphasis. Look for phrases such as “must have,” “is required,” “demonstrated ability,” “must be capable,” “in-depth hands-on experience,” etc.  These indicate the skills that are critical to the job, and therefore should appear in your résumé. These phrases also help prepare you for the interview process because these skills will be vetted during your interview.

The résumé will contain some standard sections:

Heading: The heading will include your name and contact information. Many people also include a link to their website or LinkedIn profile. Most recruiters use social media to source candidates so it is a good idea to have a rich virtual profile to compliment your résumé.

Education: This includes your educational institutions and the degrees that you earned. Some people also include their advisor and dissertation topic if applicable.

Summary of Qualifications: If you already have work experience, consider using a Summary of Qualifications. This section can help you deliver your message quicker and highlight your skills and expertise up front.  Sometimes this section comes before the education section and sometimes after, depending on the job and audience. Here is an actual summary by a PhD in Molecular Biology who listed their summary before the education section. Most of the content corresponded to items in the biotechnology company’s job description:

Highly motivated and innovative Molecular Biologist with specialization in mitochondrial biology, molecular genetics, cell biology, microbiology, and biochemistry. Expertise in development and execution of genetic and biochemistry-based research methods. Passionate about learning new scientific skills. Enthusiastic team player adept at providing leadership while also learning from fellow team members. Experienced in managing multiple projects simultaneously. Effective communicator and teacher that can conceptualize complex biological concepts to audiences with varied expertise.

Skills: The next section can be either your Work/Research Experience or a Skills section, depending on the language used in the job description. If the job requires several technical skills and you possess them, often a prominent skills section can help you align with the employer’s needs. Below is an actual skills section by a PhD in Biological Engineering. Several of these skills were listed in the job description.

SKILLS:
• Pharmacology: Pharmacokinetic, Pharmacodynamic, PBPK, Human GI Tract, IVIVC
• In Silico Analysis: Phoenix WinNonlin, GastroPlus, MATLAB, SimBiology, Python, Excel
• ADME-Tox Assays: Intestinal Absorption, Drug Transporters, Cytochrome P450, LDH
• Analytical Chemistry: HPLC, Mass Spectrometry, Spectrophotometer
• Cell Culture: Bacterial Culture, 2D and 3D Mammalian Cell Culture, Tissue Culture
• Other: Biomaterials, Microfluidics, RT-PCR, Confocal Microscope, Bioreactor, Fermentation

Work/Research experience: The Work/Research experience section will describe your work history in a way that highlights your skills and accomplishments, specifically those that align with the job you are targeting.  In most cases your content will be in reverse chronological order, beginning with the most current followed by a sequential history of your accomplishments. When developing your message consider using the PAR (Project, Action, and Result) method to help you create an effective accomplishment statement. Here is an actual example of the PAR process:

Project – Lipid membrane cubic phase investigation
Action – Applied solid state NMR techniques as a member of a team
Result – Distinguished membrane lipids of different phases

Now put them together to create your accomplishment statement:

Member of a team that collaborated on a project of lipid membrane cubic phase investigation and applied solid-state NMR techniques to distinguish lipids of different phases.

When your message is clear and conveys results, it is understood more easily by the reader. Consider this method to help you present your work experience. If you only list what you did, or what you were responsible for, generally your message lacks impact. Here is an actual example of a line item on a résumé showing the before and after version.

Before: Work included research on interface sensitive behavior of materials
After: Collaborated with lab team to develop experimental and theoretical research on interface sensitive behavior of materials using innovative triborheometry fixture/design

Using the PAR method helped this PhD create a more effective message.

In addition, key verbs (action words) help deliver a stronger message e.g. Researched, Created, Developed, Implemented, Led, Managed, Investigated, Collaborated, etc.

Finally, for a winning résumé that can survive the ten-second scan, consider these tips:

Do

  • Create a document that is presented in a professional manner.
  • Keep the layout simple, well organized, and easy to read.
  • Consider a one-page document for undergrads or people with five or fewer years of experience.
  • Late in a PhD program, a postdoc, or someone with five plus years of experience can be two pages.
  • Be consistent with bolding, capitalization, or italics.
  • Include quantifiable measurements/results whenever possible.
  • Always have someone proofread your document for spelling and grammar mistakes.
  • Always research the employer/job and tailor your résumé to each position.
  • List accomplishments and skills in order of importance to the job.

Don’t

  • Include personal information, salary requirements.
  • Exaggerate or lie.
  • Use negative or neutral words or phrases.
  • Use flashy graphics or print that is difficult to read.
  • Forget to proofread.

About the author: 

Bob Dolan provides career counseling and professional development workshops for the Postdoctoral Scholars program at MIT. He is a Certified Job Search and Career Transition Consultant with experience in the field of Career Management since 2001. Before joining academia, Bob had a private Career Consulting practice and worked with clients across multiple industries, as well as providing career consulting services for a global Career Management firm.

, , ,
View all posts by Editorial Staff »

Read more in

  • Thank you, GSA community!

    Thank you for being a member of the Genetics Society of America! As GSA’s current president, I am writing to tell you about Society projects and initiatives that we hope you will find useful in advancing your science and your career. Scientific research is a collaborative and exciting endeavor. Scientific societies like GSA exist to…

  • Collage of 2021 Rosalind Franklin Award recipients

    Where are they now? Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award recipients share updates on their research

    Rosalind Franklin Young Investigator Award applications are open–make sure you submit your application or nomination of a colleague by September 30, 2024.

  • University of Minnesota researchers map genome of the last living wild horse species

    The study, published in G3: Genes|Genomes|Genetics, is part of larger conservation efforts to save Przewalski’s horse.

  • Congratulations to the Spring 2024 DeLill Nasser Awardees!

    GSA is pleased to announce the recipients of the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics for Spring 2024! Given twice a year to graduate students and postdoctoral researchers, DeLill Nasser Awards support attendance at meetings and laboratory courses. The award is named in honor of DeLill Nasser, a long-time GSA supporter and National Science Foundation…

  • Carolyn Damilola headshot

    Carolyn Damilola: an NFS Rising Scientist on a lifelong quest to learn more

    Carolyn Damilola is an NFS Rising Scientist from Nigeria doing respiratory system research and paving the way for scientists from underrepresented communities through mentorship.

  • Text over a blue background image: Apply for up to $2,000 for your project from the Starter Culture Microgrant Program.

    What does a good microgrant proposal look like?

    Members of the Microgrant Review Committee share their tips for a successful proposal.

  • A blurred image of a human face is shown against a dark background.

    The first piece of the facial recognition puzzle

    New research in GENETICS gives a first peek at the molecular pathway involved in recognizing faces.

  • New Senior Editor Amy MacQueen joins GENETICS

    A new senior editor is joining GENETICS in the Genome Integrity and Transmission section. We’re excited to welcome Amy MacQueen to the editorial team.

  • Close up of an adult zebrafish with blue and white stripes in an aquarium with red lighting.

    Block party on the zebrafish sex chromosome

    Research in G3 identifies a gene regulatory block of the zebrafish genome responsible for overseeing the maternal-to-zygotic-transition.

  • Lemna Minor, the common duckweed

    Unraveling the mysteries of duckweed: epigenetic insights from Spirodela polyrhiza

    Research published in G3 offers insight into the impact of DNA methylation on clonal propagation in asexually reproducing plants.

  • Luciano Marraffini headshot

    A microbiologist’s quest to understand CRISPR in bacterial self-defense

    2024 Genetics Society of America Medal recipient Luciano Marraffini determined how CRISPR-Cas systems destroy genetic targets with precision, paving the way for gene editing technology development.

  • Elaine Ostrander headshot

    Unlocking mysteries of trait and disease heritability in dogs

    2024 Edward Novitski Prize recipient Elaine Ostrander, a pioneer of the domestic dog model, discovered numerous genes affecting dog size, morphology, behavior, and disease susceptibility—many of which have relevance in humans.

  • NSF-funded BIO-LEAPS Grant to Support Culture Change in Genetics

    GSA and collaborators Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue and Reclaiming STEM Institute launch NSF-funded BIO-LEAPS project to support culture change in genetics 

    We are thrilled to announce that the Genetics Society of America (GSA) is collaborating with the Personal Genetics Education & Dialogue (PGED) based in the Department of Genetics at Harvard Medical School, and the Reclaiming STEM Institute (RSI) on a Leading Culture Change Through Professional Societies of Biology (BIO-LEAPS) grant from the U.S. National Science…

  • Daman Saluja: Navigating Science and Policy in India

    In the Paths to Science Policy series, we talk to individuals who have a passion for science policy and are active in advocacy through their various roles and careers. The series aims to inform and guide early career scientists interested in science policy. This series is brought to you by the GSA Early Care­er Scientist…

  • Deborah Andrew headshot

    A fly geneticist’s journey into discovering rules of organ development

    2024 George W. Beadle Award recipient Deborah Andrew discovered new genes and pathways in Drosophila salivary gland organogenesis. Now, her work can help optimize cell secretion in therapeutic applications and fight malaria.

  • Małgorzata Gazda's headshot

    Małgorzata Gazda: How receiving the DeLill Nasser Award helped her land her dream job

    Have you ever experienced an event that changes the course of your life, or in this case, your career? Małgorzata (Gosia) Gazda is Assistant Professor at the University of Montreal and in 2022, she received the DeLill Nasser Award for Professional Development in Genetics, which she used to attend and present at the 2022 Population,…

  • Hongyu Zhao joins GENETICS as new Senior Editor

    A new senior editor is joining GENETICS in the Statistical Genetics and Genomics section. We’re excited to welcome Hongyu Zhao to the editorial team.

  • Julio Molina Pineda at TAGC 2024

    GSA Member Julio Molina Pineda Receives DeLill Nasser Award, Shines at TAGC 2024 

    “At any career stage, the GSA membership is an amazing investment for any genetics professional!” Julio Molina Pineda is a PhD Candidate in Cell and Molecular Biology and a Research Assistant at the University of Arkansas, and a Doctoral Academy Fellow at the Lewis Lab. In 2023, Julio was awarded the DeLill Nasser Award for…

  • Ed Grell at his dissecting microscope using ether to anesthetize his flies.

    In Memoriam: Ellsworth Herman Grell (1932–2023), a pioneer of Drosophila genome engineering and annotation

    Ellsworth (Ed) Grell blessed the Drosophila community through three enduring legacies: as a pioneer of chromosome mechanics, as a primary organizer and synthesizer of genetic knowledge in Drosophila, and as a graceful mentor to those fortunate to have known him personally. Ed grew up in rural Nebraska, completed his undergraduate studies at Iowa State, and…

  • Congratulations to the #Fungal24 Poster Award winners!

    We are pleased to announce the recipients of the GSA Poster Awards for posters presented at the 32nd Fungal Genetics Conference! Undergraduate and graduate student members of GSA were eligible for the awards, and a hard-working team of judges made the determinations. Congratulations to all! Felicia Ebot Ojong, The University of Georgia My research is focused…

  • Poster presentation tips for TAGC 2024

    You’ve been selected to present a poster at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March—you’ve celebrated, made plans to attend, now what? This is an exciting opportunity to showcase your research and engage with fellow members of the genetics community, so you want to make sure you’re prepared. We wanted to offer you some tips…

  • Maximize your TAGC 2024 experience 

    A guide to all that National Harbor & DC have to offer Are you joining us for The Allied Genetics Conference 2024 in March? Make the most of your #TAGC24 experience in National Harbor! We know the science will keep you busy, but you deserve to unwind and have some fun, so we’ve curated a…

  • Early Career Leadership Spotlight: Sarah Petrosky

    We’re taking time to get to know the members of the GSA’s Early Career Scientist Committees. Join us to learn more about our early career scientist advocates. Sarah PetroskyMultimedia SubcommitteeUniversity of Pittsburgh Research Interest I am interested in understanding adaptation that has been happening recently in populations by dissecting the ways that genes underlying an adaptation…

  • TAGC 2024 Early Career Award Winners

    GSA is pleased to announce the winners of the early career awards presented at The Allied Genetics Conference 2024. These awards are specific to particular TAGC communities and recognize early career scientists’ outstanding work on their respective research organisms. The awardees will present their talks in keynote sessions at TAGC 2024.  Don’t miss the opportunity…

  • Preeminent geneticists recognized with revamped GSA Awards

    In 2022, GSA’s Board of Directors launched an audit to review the five major awards conferred by the Society. Today, we are thrilled to announce the recipients of the reimagined GSA Awards, including the new Genetics Society of America Early Career Medal. The scientists honored this year are recognized by their peers for their outstanding…

  • Fly Board funds outreach programs to spread the word about Drosophila research

    In 2020, the Fly Board voted to use part of its reserve fund to support efforts to increase trainee participation as well as equity and diversity in the Drosophila community. An awards committee decides how the money will be spent each year, and from 2020–2022, the committee posted a very broad call for applications from…

  • New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2024–2026

    We are pleased to announce the election of four new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2024 Vice President/2025 President Brenda Andrews Professor, University of Toronto It’s an honor to continue my association with the Society by serving as Vice President of the Board of Directors. I have broad knowledge of the ongoing activities…

  • A tail of three regulatory elements: insights into the structure of C. elegans Raf/LIN-25

    A new paper in GENETICS shows the distal tail segment Raf/LIN-45 downregulates signaling and models its function in other Raf proteins.

  • New members of the GSA Board of Directors: 2025–2027

    We are pleased to announce the election of six new leaders to the GSA Board of Directors: 2025 Vice President/2026 President Cassandra Extavour Timken Professor of Organismic & Evolutionary Biology and of Molecular & Cellular Biology, Harvard University, and Howard Hughes Medical Institute Investigator “Read this,” he said, “it will change your life.” My undergraduate…

  • Congratulations, Spring 2025 Victoria Finnerty Travel Award recipients!

    The Victoria Finnerty Undergraduate Travel Award supports conference-attendance costs for undergraduate GSA members who are presenting research at the Annual Drosophila Research Conference. #Dros25 will be held in San Diego, CA from March 19–23, 2025. Victoria Finnerty, who died in February 2011, was a long-time member of the Genetics Society of America and served the Drosophila community and the genetics community at large in…