Do’s and Don’ts of Resumes

As a hiring manager, I have reviewed many resumes and made decisions based on just the text of the piece of paper in front of me. Keep in mind that for me to even see a resume means that likely it got through the recruiter’s screening process.

I am a scientist, so I am usually familiar with the terminology used in the field. By contrast, recruiters are not scientists. Therefore, to pass the initial screening process for a position in Research & Development at my pharma company, resumes must appeal to both a scientist AND non-scientist.

Here are my Do’s and Don’ts, along with concrete examples, for crafting a resume that will have broad appeal.

Do:

• Tailor for the job posting
  • Use the exact same wording found in the job posting.
    • Example 1: If you have worked on CAR-T cell therapy, do not use the wording “T cell therapy” if the job posting uses “CAR-T.”
    • Example 2: If the job posting uses the word “immuno-oncology,” don’t use “tumor immunology.” Just use “immuno-oncology.”
    • Example 3: If the job requires multicolor flow experience and you have that, put it on your resume.
• Highlight accomplishments for each position, particularly if they are relevant for the job posting
  • If the job posting asks for assay development experience, then include the new assay that you developed in your current or previous laboratory
    • Example 1: “Optimized ex vivo cell assay using X cells to demonstrate Y finding”
    • Example 2: “Investigated X cancer in X mouse model using X therapy”
    • Example 3: “Discovered novel finding Y that resulted in 2 first authored publications and 1 presentation at national meeting”
• Include your manuscripts
  • For entry level positions and for positions within R&D, manuscripts are a demonstration of your productivity and ability to lead scientific endeavors.
  • Similarly, include first-author presentations or posters presented at national or international meetings.
  • Sometimes, just list the most recent or relevant manuscript. You can eliminate non-relevant manuscripts.
• Spell check and grammar proofread
  • Check and double-check each word and punctuation mark. Then have a friend proofread your resume.
  • If English is not your first language, make sure to have an English-speaking colleague proofread your resume.

Don’t:

• Lie about your experience
  • Do not oversell your experience. If you did an assay once or twice with help, then do not claim to have that expertise. The rule of thumb is to ask yourself if you can perform that technique independently, and even better would be if you can teach others how to do that technique.
  • Set realistic expectations. If you do end up getting the position, you may be asked to do the assay that you said you could do.
    • Examples: experience in bioinformatics, experience in flow cytometry
• Overstylize your resume
  • Large names, pretty fonts, and unusual formatting will not impress anyone.